Tuesday, February 14th, 2012 at 10:00 am  |  32 responses

Ben Wallace: ‘This is Definitely My Last Year’


The Detroit Pistons’ big man has discussed walking away from the game over the last few years, and Ben Wallace now says he’s definitely retiring this time around. From the Detroit News: “Pistons veteran center Ben Wallace said Monday he has no second thoughts about a planned retirement from the game after this season. ‘No consideration coming back,’ Wallace said after practice. “This is definitely my last year.’ Wallace’s comments came on the eve of Tuesday’s home game against the Spurs, a matchup that’s expected to give him 1,055 career games. The mark will set an NBA record for the most games by an undrafted player, one more than former Spurs guard Avery Johnson (1988-2004). Despite a few noticeable gray hairs and fewer moments of explosiveness on the court, Wallace still appears to have the chiseled physique and work ethic that made him a star during the Pistons’ 2004 championship season. [...] Wallace, 37, has plenty of skills he could teach young players, but claims he likely won’t consider any NBA coaching offers in the future. Apparently any opportunities at the collegiate and high school levels are out of the question, too. ‘Yeah, if I decided to coach it will be for ages 6 to 10,’ he said, smiling. Wallace, however said he does still plan to attend law school after this season, and will pursue a law career while he puts more focus on his family.”

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  • hushabomb

    I’ve always respected him cos he plays with so much heart and determination. It just sucks to see him on a bad team that is a shell of itself. If the Pistons don’t retire his jersey, I will never support the Pistons ever again

  • Zabbah

    retire his jersey? for what? i’ve always wondered what you dumbass american teams will chose for jersey numbers when most of the single and double digits have been retired to the rafters.

  • http://www.optimabbc.be Max

    ^
    For winning the DPOY 4 times, and being one of the best defenders the game has seen?

  • jpm34

    Ben Wallace like Artis Gilmore will eventually make it to springfield.

  • http://www.nba.com Red

    Zabbah learn English, if Americans are dumb why follow our music & sports so avidly? Lol smh

  • http://slamonline.com. datkid

    zabbah your welcome to stop watching basketball and do whatever sh*tty national pastime you have in your country. Jesus.

  • http://www.slamonline.com spit hot fiyah

    zabbah take an L

  • 23

    this dude is one of the best examples of how anything is possible with hard work. his greatest legacy in my eyes will be the way he never gave up, EVER. he is 6’9″ yet he was able to gobble up rebounds and block shots like an animal! he didnt have a very high vertical, but his timing was the key. very underrated player in my opinion.

  • http://slamonline.com The Philosopher

    Zabbah is the man!
    Anyway, Wallace is the best shot blocker of all time under 6’10″.
    Wes Unseld Jr.
    One of my favorite players of all time.
    Oh, and Ron Artest wanted absolutely NONE of Ben Wallace that night…

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    y’all are talking about retiring his jersey? That’s not even a question if that’s going to happen. This guy is getting into the HOF. – I bet Joe Dumars never thought that when he got Ben as a throw in from Orlando.

  • shutup

    I remember first time I saw Ben Wallace was slam of the month a young Kobe crosses at the three point line and takes off from the circle as a skinny Wallace tries to step and gets deflowered. Loved his heart and determination, loved the interview on NBA inside stuff quite a few years back- he’s a true family man and a big kid at heart; and the reason I went and spent $300 on a gas remote control car. but I hated, absolutely hated the way he was flopping when he played against Shaq.

  • bike

    So Ben aspires to be a lawyer? Hope he goes the way of public defender. Can’t see him as a prosecutor. Can you imagine being cross examined by Big Ben?

  • http://www.optimabbc.be Max

    I do remember his monster block on Shaq when in the 06 CF’s, where he afterwards put his thumbs up for a jump ball.

  • http://google c_cantrell

    Zabbah is a complete idiot. But on a real note, Ben Wallace is one of the greatest defensive players of all time and belongs in the Hall of Fame without a question.

  • http://nyill.wordpress.com Enigmatic

    For about a 2 year span, nobody guarded Shaq better than Ben Wallace, which is just amazing when you think about it.
    Shaq was like 7’2”, 330 pounds or so, and Wallace was closer to like 6’7” and 240. Smaller than LeBron James.
    Yet Shaq couldn’t back down on Wallace as easy as he could his fellow seven-footers because he was so damn strong. Shaq being Shaq ultimately got his, but still, no one defended him better one on one during that period of time.
    I was a huge fan of Wallace during his DPOY days, when he would average like 15 rebounds, 3 blocks and 2 steals a game.
    I remember being super excited when the Bulls signed him as a free agent, thinking he’d be ripping down like 14 boards and blocking 4 shots a game.
    And then….THUD.
    Wish we woulda gotten him when he was about 5 years younger, man.  
    Although he was vital in dethroning the Heat in the first round sweep of them that one year.

  • http://www.slamonline.com Wayno

    By far the best undrafted player ever. Best defensive player of his era, and one of the best of all time. One of the truely great success stories in sports history. Much respect Big Ben.

  • http://www.slamonline.com Wayno

    Also, I wish that disrespectful little prick Stuckey would take that #3 off his jersey…

  • http://www.t-mac.com/tmac/index unf*ckwitable

    Great career Big Ben, HOF no doubt.

  • al

    @wayno, I agree man

  • JustinL

    “…and will pursue a law career while he puts more focus on his family.”

    Speaking as a third year law student, that sentence is an oxymoron.

  • hushabomb

    @Zabbah, I’m Australian. So watch what you say. And its pretty obvious you haven’t been watching NBA basketball to realise the contribution that Big Ben made to the Pistons and, to a lesser extent, the Chicago Bulls (the rest we won’t go there).

    Since you never watched the Pistons play when Big Ben was there, he was their linchpin on defence. Every rebound, steal, charge or defensive play came from Big Ben. That’s the reason why the rest of the team rallied behind him. And every big defensive play you always heard “Detroit Basketball” at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

    Its bad to see the Pistons like this yet I’ve always wondered what would Big Ben be like on a contending team now. I don’t want to see him go out like a punk on a losing team. I wanna see him still have some shine

  • cheesewiz

    I still remember when he blocked the f**k outta shaq which resulted in a jump ball … that play alone is why he should be in the HOF

  • http://www.kb24.com The Seed

    How in the H, is Ben Wallace a HOFamer, People were acting like Rodman didn’t deserve to be in HOF, not me. Yall got to be kidding, some people think just because you win one title you deserve to be in HOF. Ben played at a high level for 5 to 6 years, and then he was a joke. Lets be honest people. He just focused on rebounding and was heart of Pistons for one ring. Any team can win one ring, ask the Mavericks. To put Wallce in the HOF is dead wrong. James Naismith has to be turning over in his grave if this cat gets in. BOOK IT!!

  • http://anyoldthing Ugh

    @The Philosopher: Bill Russell was 6’9″.

  • http://anyoldthing Ugh

    Also – You guys do know what a troll is, don’t you? Zabbah is one and you got caught. C’mon.

  • http://Slamonline.com nbk

    Ben Wallace got 4 straight Defensive Player of the Year awards. He didn’t really even need the title.

  • Zabbah

    I watched Big Ben play. I was rooting for them to win in ’04 but only because I hated the Lakers. Bottom line, the guy can straight out ball and is in my opinion a first ballot HOF.
    But none of you idiots out there answered my question: what will teams do when all the single and double digit numbers have been retired to the rafters? Let’s just leave retired jerseys to the franchise players, e.g. to the Reggie Millers and Patrick Ewings, not to a Steve Smith or Joakim Noah.
    Although come to think of it if the Bulls win multiple titles it might be a bit premature to rule out Noah.

  • Justin G.

    This is going to hurt real bad but…I agree with The Seed here. You don’t go into the Hall of Fame for 4-6 very good years of playing defense. In my opinion you don’t even get your jersey retired but since Bruce Bowen is getting his jersey retired, the bar has been dropped pretty low for that accolade anyway.

  • http://slamonline BossTerrry

    Zabba- GTFO. ———->

  • hushabomb

    He may not be the most talented player yet he’s like AI in that he had the will, heart and determination in every game he played. @Seed. He may have had 4-6 good years yet you get into the Hall of Fame for bringing it every game. And he does. Its about the body of work. And what Big Ben does should eventually garner a HOF ballot. At the very least, he should be recognised by the Pistons for all the work he’s done for them.

    And @Zabbah, you can ask politely to play on a retired number. Whether they do or not let you play in it is an entirely different thing

  • http://www.slamonline.com Wayno

    Seed is still butt hurt that Ben Wallace’s team destroyed the Lakers all-star team in 04…time to get over it dude.

  • el_larsen

    man that 2004 nba final!!
    what a great moment!!!!!!!!!!!!!!for ever in my heart

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