At the microphone of the 2004 NBA Finals, Al Michaels and Doc Rivers surely perfectly described what it was Ben Wallace to the Pistons and maybe a lot more, which Ben Wallace was quite simply.
”Rasheed is known for his attack and defense. Ben is only known for defense. ” Al Michaels comments on NBA Finals after Wallace air ball a few minutes after Game 1 started
To which precisely answered Doc Rivers.
The Pistons don’t mind the Pistons at all that Ben Wallace is throwing air balloons. They don’t want him for his attack. ” Doc rivers
As he will be introduced to the Hall of Fame tomorrow night, Ben Wallace has left his mark on the NBA and his defense. However, his career in no way announced that he would become such a player, Hall of Famer, four times best defenseman in the league, All-Star and therefore NBA champion. A goal that even leaves his ex-teammates speechless.
Joining the Pistons in 2000, Wallace was the first of the 2004 title holders to join the franchise. Still, he’s not the first name that comes to mind when you think of this Detroit team led by Larry Brown et Chauncey Billups.
“Ben didn’t get any credit. Everyone gave me the credit for being the leader of the team, and I was one of the leaders, but Ben, for me, laid the foundation for our culture before Rip and I came along. It was up to us to come up and just follow in his footsteps. He didn’t get the credit he deserved for it, because he’s so quiet. But if you know it, you know it. ” Chauncey Billups
A discreet player in the shadows in the media and public opinion, but also on the pitch. Wallace’s hobby was the dirty work, the one that keeps the team moving. So when in one of the first games he played with Billups, the point guard gave him the ball on pick and roll, an explanation is needed during the next time out, while the MVP of the 2004 finals wonders why his pivot Immediately returns the ball to him after a pass.
” No no no. You mark. If I put a screen on you and put a good one, don’t look at me. You have to do what you have to do. I’m going to go hit some balls on the rebound. ” Ben wallace
Imagine Billups’ amazement when he heard that. A player who returns the ball to you when he can go to score. You really don’t see that every day.
“No, that never happened. Oh no. I’ve never had a guy say to me, “when I put up a screen, roll out to the circle, but don’t pass the ball to me”. It was crazy for me. ” Chauncey Billups
An incredible sense of sacrifice which was also expressed in defense where Billups admires his teammate.
“You don’t know how many players I’ve played with after playing with Ben, who I was showing compilation tapes with examples of how to defend this, how to do that. This list of people I’ve shown how to become more like Ben is endless. ” Chauncey Billups
A defensive intensity that has amazed more than one, like Rip Hamilton, then Wallace’s teammate. Indeed, Wallace’s defensive intensity was coupled with astonishing pugnacity and full of surprises. Like that of defending Shaquille O’Neal alone during the NBA finals, against the will of his coach.
”Larry Brown wanted to double up on defense on Shaq and Ben said,“ No, I’m going to defend on him alone ”. You don’t hear that from anyone. ” Rip Hamilton
A challenge that Wallace took up, but not without difficulty as he himself testified at the end of Game 4 of the finals, yet won by his team.
“We did a lot of things; we tried to play behind him, tried to get him out of the painting. It did not work. We tried to play in front of him, they threw the ball over him. All you can do is fight. ” After Game 4 where Shaq had scored 36 points.
Again, Chauncey Billups was impressed and wants the light to be on his pivot. Especially since he produced incredible sequences of play, despite the fatigue and constant adversity of the Shaq.
“He had to deal with this guy alone. Two people cannot defend Shaq and only one guy is asked to do so, and one guy who is probably six inches shorter and forty pounds lighter. There were so many mythical moments from her in this series. He was in an incredible pace. There have been so many unforgettable moments of her in this series. I think for the world it was his time. For us, we already knew. ” Chauncey Billups
45 kilos which surely played in the duel against Shaq and which, failing to beat Wallace, at least got the better of his shoes.
Ben was fighting so hard that he blew up his shoes trying to resist, literally trying to resist Shaq who was stepping back. It was the craziest thing. He blew up his shoes. ” Chauncey Billups
Fan of his former partner, the new Portland coach also wishes to highlight what was the source of motivation of Wallace, who would never give up to achieve his goal.
A determination that led him to the title. And in 2004, when Star of david presents the NBA champion trophy to the franchise owner, Bill Davidson, the latter immediately gives it to Ben Wallace. This has the gift of transcending the crowd which, while the interior lifts the trophy to the sky, chants songs in its honor. A special tribute that upset Ben Wallace, not prepared for it.
“He just felt validated. As we all felt. He just felt something like, “What can they say about me? I wasn’t supposed to be here. I wasn’t supposed to be a champion. I wasn’t supposed to be an All-Star. I wasn’t supposed to be any of those things. Now that we’ve won it, what can they say about me now? ”” Chauncey Billups
An extraordinary career in the first sense of the term, accomplished and dubbed by a magnificent title where he managed to channel the greatest inner strength of the time and perhaps of history, will have made Ben Wallace a player of exception that will enter this night in Springfield, to the NBA basketball hall of fame.
Via ESPN
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