Former NBA Champion Gives High Praise to Detroit Pistons Legend

Fred VanVleet holds Pistons legend Ben Wallace in high regard.

Jan 1, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet (5) dribbles the ball as Detroit Pistons forward Ausar Thompson (9) defends during the third quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

In the NBA, it's rare for an undrafted player to hang around on a roster let alone have a long career. However, the Detroit Pistons have one of the best cases of a player defying those odds. 

Back in 2000, the Pistons acquired Wallace in the Grant Hill trade with the Orlando Magic. He managed to carve out a spot for himself on the team, and slowly went on to become one of the top centers in franchise history. At his peak, Wallace was a multi-time Defensive Player of the Year and the anchor of a championship team.

Last week, Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet was a guest on Draymond Green's podcast. Similar to Wallace, he blossomed from undrafted player to key piece on a title team, winning a championship with the Toronto Raptors in 2019.

During his interview with the Golden State Warriors forward, VanVleet was asked to name his top five undrafted players of all time. Wallace was among the first names he mentioned, along with Jon Starks, Udonis Haslem, Avery Johnson and Bruce Bowen.

John Starks, Ben Wallace, and...@FredVanVleet tells @money23green & @BaronDavis his top 5 undrafted NBA players of all time pic.twitter.com/t43EhXl0Zd

— The Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis (@DraymondShow) December 6, 2024

In total, Wallace appeared in over 650 games for the Pistons across nine seasons. During his tenure, he was named to four All-Star teams and averaged 6.6 PPG, 11.1 RPG, and 2.3 BPG.

​​Following minor stints with the Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers, Wallace returned to Detroit in 2009 to finish out his career with the Pistons. He'd play his final season in 2012, appearing 62 games at the age of 37.

Years after his retirement, Wallace was inducted in the Basketball Hall of Fame with the class of 2021. To this day, the Pistons legend is still widely regarded as one of the best undrafted players in league history.