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Saturday Sporting Icon - Ben Wallace

Here are some simple NBA testimonials for you. 

4 x Defensive Player of the Year. 

5 x NBA All-Star.

2 x NBA Rebound Leader.

1 x NBA Champion.

1 x Jersey Retirement. 

On paper, these are the credentials of a basketball Hall of Famer for sure, and in the minds of many, Ben Wallace is just that. However, a spot next to some of the NBA's greatest ever talents still eludes him, despite winning more defensive accolades than Dennis Rodman and Michael Jordan combined. So why exactly is Big Ben not in the basketball Hall of Fame. 

Well for starters, Wallace wasn't exactly the go-to guy on any NBA offence. During his 16 year career, he never averaged double digits in scoring throughout any 82 game season and retired as one of the NBA's worst ever free throw shooters (41%) - yes, even worse than Shaq (52.7%).

Nevertheless, Big Ben didn't throw in the towel because he struggled to put the ball in the basket. Instead he built his Hall of Fame case on a single foundation - defence. 

Ben Wallace's prime years may have been short, but they were about as sweet as it gets. Over 4 years with the Pistons from 2001-2006, Wallace increased his averages across the board and captured 4 NBA Defensive Player of the Year trophies. During this period he also made 4 All-Star appearances, led the league in rebounding for 2 straight seasons (2002 & 2003) and won an NBA Championship in 2004, beating Kobe and Shaq's Lakers in 5 games (4-1). Wallace ranks within the top 20 NBA players of All-Time in defensive win shares and in my mind shares the 'Best Defender of All Time' mantle with Dennis Rodman. 

Simply, Wallace's short prime spell is the only thing standing in the way from a place in the Hall of Fame, but that hasn't stopped other players from making the cut. Vlade Divac was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019 with career stats of 11.8ppg, 8.2rpg, and 3.1apg - not exactly turning any heads. When combined with the fact he has no individual awards, 1 All-Star appearance and not one NBA Championship, the question has to be asked: "Who let this guy in?". 

The same can be said for Arvydas Sabonis, who was indicted into the Hall of Fame in 2011 and earned this right with an impressive Euro-League career but was unable to replicate this in the NBA. Over 7 seasons he averaged 12ppg, 7.3rpg, and 2.1apg and never came close to an NBA title. Don't get me wrong, entering the NBA at 31 years old and being selected for the All NBA Rookie Team is a major accomplishment, but when put up alongside Ben Wallace, I know who has got my vote for a NBA Hall of Fame spot. 

Here's the bottom line: Ben Wallace in a Naismith Hall of Famer. However, due the voting system for HoF spots is so secretive, you'd need FBI level security clearance to even try and get his name on the ballot. Hopefully, these voters will wake up and soon recognise the talents of one of basketballs most influential defensive talents.

Ben Wallace - Wikimedia 

 


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