Ben Wallace Ties NBA Record For Most Games Played By Undrafted Player
by SB Nation NBA News on Feb 13, 2012 12:01 PM EST
in Detroit Pistons News
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Print(SB Nation Detroit, Dave Ryan) On Tuesday, Detroit Pistons center Ben Wallace will step on the court court for the 1,055th time in his illustrious career. And when he does, the longtime defensive stopper will officially etch his name in the NBA record book as the single most experienced undrafted player in league history.
Wallace tied Avery Johnson's mark of 1,054 games in Detroit's lopsided loss to Washington Sunday, and now has a chance to put a little bit of distance between himself the former point guard, who currently roams the sideline as coach of the New Jersey Nets, over the remainder of the season.
It's a testament to Wallace's work ethic and determination that he's been able to stay healthy and playing at such a high level for so long, and further demonstrates how a player of this caliber can sometimes slip through the cracks on draft night. With so many Pistons fans already looking to the 2012 NBA Draft to take their minds off the current squad, Wallace's achievement is a clear-cut reminder that supremely-talented players are still available outside of the top 60 if you look hard enough.
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Congratulations to Ben!
That is quite an accomplishment. It got me to thinking… is Ben Wallace the best undrafted NBA player of all time?
I think so.
That goddamn Okra and beans got you Oprah in jeans. Seems to me a little lean cuisine, wouldn't hurt much- Agh don't touch! -Obie Trice
Discount Double Choke, 2011 Packers.
Without any fancy metrics to back it up,
YES.
by garrettelliott on Feb 13, 2012 1:57 PM EST up reply actions
With lots of fancy metrics to back it up, yes.
Metric #1: Best defensive season in NBA history
Metric #2: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/410608-the-20-best-undrafted-players-in-nba-history/page/22
Metric #3: I said so.
Jonas Jerebko once killed a charging female rhinoceros in heat protecting its young with nothing more than a hook shot.
Bruce Bowen and John Starks would probably be the only ones even close. And neither of them are, if you ask me.
OT: Watching the Clips-Mavs game tonight. K-Mart got his lips tattoo re-done into a crown?
Fuck he shoulda made it into a meatwad
That goddamn Okra and beans got you Oprah in jeans. Seems to me a little lean cuisine, wouldn't hurt much- Agh don't touch! -Obie Trice
Discount Double Choke, 2011 Packers.
by Skylar on Feb 13, 2012 11:03 PM EST up reply actions 3 recs
Or one of those Don Hertzfeldt animated guys.
by garrettelliott on Feb 13, 2012 11:36 PM EST up reply actions
"My annus is bleeding!"
Fire Joe Dumars
by Kriz on Feb 14, 2012 12:33 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Hell yes
I’d take him over Moses Malone any day.
by Big Z in Orlando on Feb 14, 2012 11:29 AM EST up reply actions
It's gonna be a great day seeing his jersey hung up in the rafters.
by BoogieWoogie M.D. on Feb 13, 2012 6:34 PM EST reply actions
Except that Rodney now wears #3
The way things stand now, Ben would almost have to have his #6 retired. Which would be ridiculous considering how his biggest accomplishments all happened while wearing #3.
My federal building is way cooler than your federal building.
They'll retire #3.
Rodney will either be long gone, or they’ll do like Moose and let him keep wearing it and no one after.
I actually figured it was a foregone conclusion that they would retire #3. Stuckey doesn’t deserve to wear the number by any means, whether he’s around for the next decade or not. The Ben Wallace that wore #3 is the Ben Wallace that defined Detroit Basketball. That’s the Ben that will be remembered,
by BoogieWoogie M.D. on Feb 13, 2012 9:43 PM EST up reply actions 3 recs
It absolutely gets hoisted. I'll make sure to be there too. I love Ben Wallace.
That goddamn Okra and beans got you Oprah in jeans. Seems to me a little lean cuisine, wouldn't hurt much- Agh don't touch! -Obie Trice
Discount Double Choke, 2011 Packers.
Two years ago Ben was on my shitlist
I’m glad he came back.
Pistons haven’t found his replacement (since he first left) and they’ve suffered greatly for it.
Fire Joe Dumars
I was mad at Dumars when he left, and I remember feeling horrified when I heard the news Chicago signed him. Dumars could have matched.
"With logic he attacks. With statistics he defends."
I was ok with that.
In retrospect, Ben did what he had to do. He had to look out for himself and his retirement and he did.
I was ok with Dumars not signing him at the time or the years that followed, particularly considering how Ben sort of fell off. But today, seeing how he throws money at garbage, I wonder why giving the guy that, in my mind, gave that team their identity his money was such a trouble.
Fire Joe Dumars
by Kriz on Feb 14, 2012 12:41 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I was ok with Dumars not signing him at the time or the years that followed, particularly considering how Ben sort of fell off. But today, seeing how he throws money at garbage, I wonder why giving the guy that, in my mind, gave that team their identity his money was such a trouble.
Really, really good point indeed. I remember being very happy with Dumars at the time for standing his ground in not overpaying a 32-year-old, on the latter end of his prime. It would’ve been an irresponsible Dumars 2008-2012 move to have matched that contract Wallace got with the Bulls. I don’t think you can really “blame” Wallace for leaving (that’s a lot of money to pass up, although I was really bitter for a long time), but you certainly couldn’t reasonably blame Dumars at the time. But yeah, in hindsight it makes you wonder why he didn’t match it then given how weird he’s been of late
by Packey on Feb 14, 2012 11:18 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
The only caveat here is that Wallace was still really good at certain parts of the game. Had he not broken his leg in Cleveland, I think that contract would still have been too much, but not as bad as it looks in hindsight.
"With logic he attacks. With statistics he defends."
he broke his leg in Cleveland after he had already fallen off in Chicago. It could’ve just been the change of scenery, though, because his rebounding percentages have gone back up since returning to Detroit.
We can probably agree that he never would’ve broken his leg had he chose to stay with the Pistons for less money because Arnie Kander would not have allowed it
Oh there’s no doubt he declined. I didn’t mean to dispute that. There’s no doubt the last two years of that deal were bad. I just don’t think it would have been quite as bad sans the leg injury. That year, he was very solid for a really good Cleveland team. Not worth every penny of his contract, but definitely a nice role player.
"With logic he attacks. With statistics he defends."
have always been a fan of big ben. got myself heartbroken when he joined the bulls.. kinda hate him after that. well now everything is all good.
anyway can we get another ben or almost ben like player?
I’m pretty sure Ben is one-of-a-kind. :(
by garrettelliott on Feb 14, 2012 1:01 AM EST up reply actions
it's not too often
that a player can dominate one end of the floor and be considered one of the best in the league. He’s sort of akin to Nash, but on defense.
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