One of the best things to come out of Detroit Pistons’ training camp was the inclusion of Ben Wallace as a temporary coach/advisor.
The Hall of Fame center and NBA champion was brought in on a short-term basis to work with the Pistons’ bigs, including fellow undersized center Isaiah Stewart.
According to Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press, Ben Wallace will wear a couple of different hats in the first week of training camp:
"“Dwane Casey said…his primary responsibility will be working with the big men on their post defense, but he also will be involved in scouting.”"
Wallace is uniquely qualified to teach defense as a four-time Defensive Player of the Year and the anchor of one of the best defenses in NBA history.
Dwane Casey had this to say about his value to the Detroit Pistons:
"“Huge, huge,” Casey said of having Wallace around. “Just showing them tricks of the trade, post defense. Ben is going to be with us this week in training camp working with our big guys with post defense and showing them the tricks of the trade there. Just to have Ben around and have him as an example for Isaiah and Luka (Garza) and Kelly (Olynyk) is so important just because of his experience and what he’s done and what he means to this franchise.”"
This seems like a good match, as the Detroit Pistons have a need and Big Ben has plenty to offer, so why not hire him for a full-time job?
Detroit Pistons: It’s time to hire Ben Wallace
Ben Wallace has expressed interest in coaching in the past, so it seems like a no-brainer that the Detroit Pistons bring him on full time in some capacity.
Wallace was already the Pistons’ representative at last year’s NBA Draft and is one of the most recognizable faces in the organization.
Not only that, but by all accounts he is a good teacher with a wealth of knowledge to share, which makes sense, as Big Ben had to rely on his smarts and knowledge of the game to overcome some of the physical challenges of playing as an undersized center.
There are specific skills guys like Isaiah Stewart can learn from Ben Wallace, but it’s also important to remind players of the past success and what the Pistons are trying to accomplish in their current restoration.
Wallace has championship pedigree and will have the ear of the players, which is not something every coach can say. If Wallace is interested I see no downside to bringing him on full-time in some capacity to help mentor and challenge the young Detroit Pistons.