PistonPowered
Fansided

Remembering five of the best Detroit Pistons of the teal era

By Duncan Smith

Apr 12, 2015; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; A general shot of a basketball with a Detroit Pistons logo on it during the third quarter against the Charlotte Hornets at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Pistons beat the Hornets 116-77. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 12, 2015; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; A general shot of a basketball with a Detroit Pistons logo on it during the third quarter against the Charlotte Hornets at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Pistons beat the Hornets 116-77. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
6 of 7
Next

Ben Wallace

Ben Wallace bridged the gap from the teal to the “Going to Work” Pistons. Big Ben was mostly a throw-in on the Grant Hill trade, as Dumars was happy to just get warm bodies in exchange for Grant Hill instead of losing him for exactly nothing.

Wallace ended up being anything but a throw-in.

His first season with the Pistons, he grabbed 13.2 rebounds per game and added 2.3 blocks per game. His second season he recorded 13 rebounds per game and 3.5 (!!!) blocks per game, which began a streak from 2001-02 til 2003-04 where his average didn’t dip below three blocks per game.

His resume was an illustrious one by the end of his career. He won a championship in 2003-04, was a four-time all-star, a four-time Defensive Player of the Year, five times was on the All-Defensive First Team, led the NBA in rebounds twice, and finished his career with the most blocks in Pistons history.

Ben Wallace came to the Pistons as a trade add-on, and retired as one of the greatest Pistons of all time.

Home/Pistons History