"Ben was like that" - Larry Brown compares Ben Wallace to Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain and Nate Thurmond
For Coach Brown, “Big Ben” is similar to Wilt, Bill and Nate in one category
AUG 19, 2024 11:28 AM EDT
Many iconic NBA players have left an indelible mark on the game, but only a few are comparable to that of legends like Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and Nate Thurmond. Among those who recognize the significance of the trio's impact is Hall of Fame NBA coach Larry Brown.
While the statement above is true, Brown strongly believes that one player is in the same breath as "The Big Dipper," "Whiskers," and "Nate the Great." For Coach Brown, it's his former pupil and Detroit Pistons legend Ben Wallace.
"Bill Russell, we can look at his numbers. And Wilt's numbers. And Nate Thurmond's numbers. But they impacted the game in so many ways. Ben was like that," the former Pistons coach said in 2021.
Coach Brown is happy to see Ben in the Hall of Fame
As an undersized center, "Big Ben" deviated from the norms in the NBA. With his incredible physical strength, combined with the relentless work ethic, Wallace transformed the way defense and rebounding are perceived on basketball's biggest stage.
Over the years, most NBA players have shifted their focus solely on offense. However, Brown was blown away by how Ben proved that a player could contribute and stand out without scoring.
For that, the legendary coach reckoned that Wallace was not just a star in his own right but a lowkey game-changer. Moreover, Brown believes it's only proper that "Big Ben" was inducted into the Hall of Fame.
"I'm so thrilled when you put a person like Ben in the Hall of Fame," Brown said. "He's a guy who just maximized his talent and showed people, if you work on your game, you defend every play, you try to rebound every ball, it's not about getting 30, it's the contributions you make to your team and the impact you have on the game."
"That's a great example for some of these young kids who only see highlight reels of offensive plays," he added.
Nobody played defense like 'Big Ben'
Wallace may not have come close to the outstanding stats and records of Wilt, Bill, and Nate, but he revolutionized the center position with an exceptional emphasis on playing high-level defense. Unlike other big men, "Big Ben" possessed an innate ability to read his opponents' movements, allowing him to anticipate their actions, react accordingly, and use his body efficiently to stop them.
Throughout his legendary NBA career, Wallace earned four All-Star and five All-NBA team selections. However, it was Ben's four Defensive Player of the Year honors that top all the accolades on his resume.
To date, Wallace is one of the only three NBA players to have won the DPOY four times. The other two were Dikembe Mutombo and Rudy Gobert. Nevertheless, many believe that no other player played high-level defense as "Big Ben."
John is a storyteller who has a penchant for old-school anecdotes and pretty much every unfathomable story waiting to be told. He has almost a decade of experience working as a sports writer and is focused on keeping the legacies of the old NBA eras alive.
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