Virginia Union’s Ben Wallace Ties Southern’s Avery Johnson for Most NBA Games Played by Undrafted Free Agent
Written by HBCU Digest, Posted in Alumni, Headlines, Sports
Detroit Pistons center and Virginia Union alum Ben Wallace yesterday tied Southern alum and NBA head coach Avery Johnson for the most NBA games played by an undrafted free agent with 1,054 appearances in his 16-year career.
Wallace was almost unnoticed coming out of high school in Alabama and went to Virginia Union University. There he played two years but wasn’t really blowing anyone’s doors off, averaging 12.5 points and 10.5 rebounds a game. He didn’t bring crazy athleticism or great statistics out of college. But the then Washington Bullets gave him a shot, and he got in 34 games as a rookie.
Wallace never averaged even 10 points a game, but what can do — defend the paint, grab some boards — he does as well as anyone. He is a four-time defensive player of the year and a four-time All-Star. The Pistons don’t win the 2004 NBA crown without him anchoring the middle on one of the best defensive teams ever in the NBA. (ProBasketballTalk.com)
Wallace will likely break the record tomorrow night against the San Antonio Spurs.
