Ben Wallace is a former Detroit Pistons player who was part of the iconic 2004 Detroit Pistons team that stunned Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant in the playoffs. While Wallace was never an outstanding offensive player, his defensive impact on those Pistons was undeniable, and having him as their defensive anchor was part of the reason the Pistons were able to upset a favored Lakers team.
Despite his individual accolades and team success, Ben Wallace hasn’t yet been inducted into the Hall of Fame. It looks like that will change, as Marc Spears has reported that Ben Wallace will be part of the 2021 Hall of Fame class.
Source: Former Pistons and HBCU Virginia Union star Ben Wallace to be named to the 2021 Class of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. https://t.co/yIKBLoYvVf #nba #pistons #hbcu
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) May 15, 2021
Former Detroit Pistons star center Ben Wallace will be inducted into the Class of 2021 for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, a source told ESPN’s The Undefeated on Saturday.
Wallace and the entire 2021 class will be announced on Sunday at the museum in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Wallace was best known for his defense as he was a four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year. The former HBCU Virginia Union star won an NBA championship with the Pistons in 2004 and also was a four-time NBA All-Star. He has his No. 3 jersey retired with the Pistons.
It is a well-deserved honor for Ben Wallace, whose impact on those early 2000s Detroit Pistons team was overlooked. However, it is better late than never, and it looks like Ben Wallace will finally be Hall of Famer. He is an iconic player in NBA history and some consider him the best defender to have ever played the game.
