How weight lifting became an important aspect of Ben Wallace's success in the NBA
How weight lifting became an important aspect of Ben Wallace's success in the NBA: "I looked out there and he had every weight that he could find on the bar"
Years before playing in his first NBA game, Ben Wallace made his presence felt in the weight room where his former coach and teammates were able to witness firsthand his desire to be the best
JUL 28, 2022 5:18 PM EDT
Wallace knew he was undersized, so early in his college career, he worked on getting his body in top physical form by spending most of his time in the weight room
© Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Ben Wallace is considered one of the best defensive players of all time, and rightfully so. Big Ben made a name for himself by playing tenacious defense and using all the tools at his disposal to outhustle and outplay the opposing big men. Standing at barely 6"8", Wallace was undersized against other power forwards or centers he had to go up against in his career. However, he still played like he was the physically most imposing player on the court because, the majority of times, he was.
Looking back at his career, Wallace was never super polished, and offense wasn't the most vital aspect of what made him a HOF player. Wallace knew he was undersized, so early in his college career, he worked on getting his body in top physical form by spending most of his time in the weight room.
He lifted religiously
After getting an opportunity to play for Virginia Union, an NCAA Division II school, you know Wallace wasn't wasting any opportunities to become the best version of himself. His coach at the time, Dave Robbins, said he had never seen someone so dedicated to weight lifting and having his body prepared for any type of physical challenge. Robbins witnessed Wallace lifting the bars with all the weights available, which was unheard of for a basketball player on his team and any he had seen in his coaching career.
"He lifted religiously. He would work outside of my office on an old set of weights that we had, and he'd lift everything you could put on them. Many times a day, I looked out there, and he had every weight that he could find on the bar. Just lifting, and pumping it, and pushing it, and I'm asking him, Do you need a spotter? And if he did, I would've had to go and get a forklift."
Wallace would work out at 3 am
The weight room at Virginia Union was called The Cage because a chain-link fence surrounded it, so it got that name as it made the most sense. Wallace's teammate Maurice Greene remembers seeing him going to the Cage at 3 am to get a workout and use that time to get better. He wasn't the most friendly guy out there because it was evident Wallace had higher aspirations and focus, and his work ethic was unmatched.
"I'd see him go there at 3 am in the morning. We might go out and hang out, but no matter what he did, his night would end in the Cage. No matter what."
Even though he was undrafted hard work paid off for Wallace, who soon became a household name in the NBA, especially during his time with the Detroit Pistons. Wallace won the NBA Finals with them in 2004 and led the way for the Pistons to be a consistent playoff team known for playing incredible defense. Since Wallace was an avid fan of weight lifting, he even made it obligatory for his teammates to do it at least twice a week.
Wallace knew better than anyone that talent can only take you so far while getting your body in top physical shape can be beneficial, especially when you are having a long season with a deep playoff run. Even though he was often several inches undersized in comparison with other centers, that didn't mean much because Wallace would more often than not overshadow them with his appearance and performance.
Will Starjacki is the Co-Founder of Basketball Network and a passionate basketball fan who has been following the NBA, other international leagues and tournaments for over 20 years.
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