Ben Wallace is a former basketball player, who last played for the Detroit Pistons as the center and power forward. Wallace was named as the greatest undrafted player, because of his power and shot-blocking skills in basketball. He was born and raised in White Hall, Alabama with his parents 10 siblings. In high school, he attended Central High School, where he was recognized for joining multiple athletic activities in basketball, baseball, and football.
Wallace entered college at Cuyahoga Community College before transferring to Virginia Union, where he played in the NCAA Division II. While studying criminal justice, he managed to hold a record of 13.4 points with 10 rebounds.
Professional Career as a Basketball Player
The first time Wallace appeared in a basketball game was for the Washington Wizards in 1996-1999. As a rookie, he only recorded 3.1 points with 4.8 rebounds per game. By the following year, he was traded to the Orlando Magic for the 1999-2020 season, where he averaged 4.8 points with 1.6 blocks and 8.2 rebounds. By the following year, he signed with the Detroit Pistons and stayed with the team for more than 5 years.
| Position | Power Forward |
| Height / weight | 2.06 m / 109 kg |
| Born | 10 Sep 1974 |
| Nationality |
United States
|
| Nickname | Big Ben |
| Team History | |
Detroit
|
2009 - 2012 |
Cleveland
|
2008 - 2009 |
Chicago
|
2006 - 2008 |
|
Detroit
|
2000 - 2006 |
Orlando
|
1999 - 2000 |
Washington
|
1996 - 1999 |
Personal Life and Current Job
After he left the court, he became a basketball executive and team engagement advisor for the NBA, where he is one of the main people to operate the NBA. He is also part of the NBA G League’s Grand Rapids Drive as an ownership partner. Aside from basketball, Wallace loves to watch professional wrestling and cited that his favorite wrestlers are John Cena and Hulk Hogan.
Off-Court Controversies
Wallace was involved in a series of controversies outside the court, such as being arrested for being drunk while driving. In 2011, he was also arrested for gun possession and it took him 30 hours of community service and thousands of fines to be released. As Assistant Prosecutor Robert Novy told the media, they wanted to give him a probation period with community service, and hope that this case wouldn’t happen again.
In 2014, he was charged guilty for leaving the Henrico crash, and it served him a year in prison with a $611 court fine and costs. The damage in the property didn’t also cost more than a thousand dollars, so Wallace’s camp had negotiated with the authorities to only give him 2 days suspension and the right to file a guilty plea.
Achievements:
- 2002 NBA Block Leader
- 2002, 2003 NBA Rebounding Leader
- 2004 NBA Champion
