"He might be the best one-on-one defender since Dennis" - Bill Laimbeer compared Ben Wallace's defensive abilities to Rodman's
Laimbeer saw shades of "The Worm" in "Big Ben."
FEB 9, 2025 7:33 PM EST
The "Bad Boys" Detroit Pistons are known to this day as one of the most formidable defensive units the NBA has ever seen. Featuring players like Bill Laimbeer, Dennis Rodman, Joe Dumars, and Isiah Thomas, the "Motor City" squad presented the essence of hard-nosed play on the defensive side of the floor.
Interestingly, the 2000s version of the Pistons was also known for its defensive prowess, and the leader of that group, at least when it came to being the squad's anchor, was Ben Wallace. "Big Ben" was so good on that side of the floor that even "Lambs" once praised him by comparing him to "The Worm."
"He reminds me very much of Dennis Rodman, and he might be the best one-on-one defender since Dennis," Laimbeer praised Wallace in an 2002 edition of SLAM Magazine.
Pure hustle
Standing at just 6'9'', Ben was one of the smallest centers in the NBA during his time. However, what Wallace lacked in height, he more than made up for with his relentless work ethic, athletic ability, and strength.
"Ben disproves the old saying that you don't get rebounds by leaping but by positioning. He gets most of his rebounds by out-jumping people, as well as outworking them. He has tremendous leaping ability and lateral quickness," Bill described Ben.
In an era filled with robust big men like Shaquille O'Neal, Yao Ming, Jermaine O'Neal, Marcus Camby, Vlade Divac, Dikemebe Mutombo, and many more, "Big Ben" managed to carve out his spot and earn league-wide respect. The Alabama native went from being undrafted, playing overseas, bouncing around a few NBA teams, to finally making it big with the Pistons, and becoming a core piece of the 2004 NBA champions.
Rounding out his game
At the time of Laimbeer's comments, Wallace was still earning respect around the NBA and proving he was the real deal. Bill knew that Ben needed a bit more to hang around the cream of the crop and earn some individual recognition.
"He's not done yet. Ben knows that to be a true All-Star caliber player, he has to score 10 or 12 points to go with his 12 rebounds and three blocks," the Pistons legend shared.
"Big Ben" would listen to "Lambs'" advice and become a first-time All-Star in 2002. That marked the beginning of the best period of Wallace's career: becoming the best defender in the NBA and the undisputed starting big man for Detroit. The Virginia Union product worked hard to expand his game as much as possible, and ultimately, it was enough to propel him to the next level.
"I've worked a lot on my post moves, but I have a long way to go. I spend an hour or so after practice working on shooting and free-throws," Wallace explained his mindset.
Ben would play in four All-Star games, win four DPOY awards, earn five All-NBA selections, and lead the league in blocks (once) and rebounds (twice). His resume is worthy of admiration, especially for an undrafted and undersized big man who bloomed pretty late. The Rodman comparison Laimbeer gave Wallace was sort of spot on from various aspects.
An amateur basketball player, Matthew finished his major in Managment. He has been a part of Basketball Network since 2018, working as an editor and writer. He also spent years covering the Milwaukee Bucks, despite being a big Oklahoma City Thunder fan.
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