Rasheed Abdul Wallace (born September 17, 1974) is an American basketball coach and former professional player. A native of

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

, Wallace played

college basketball In United States colleges, top-tier basketball is governed by collegiate athletic bodies including National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), the United States Collegiate Athleti ...

at the

University of North Carolina The University of North Carolina is the multi-campus public university system for the state of North Carolina. Overseeing the state's 16 public universities and the NC School of Science and Mathematics, it is commonly referred to as the UNC Sy ...

before declaring for the draft in 1995, where he'd play 16 seasons in the

National Basketball Association The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United S ...

(NBA). Originally selected by the

Washington Bullets The Washington Wizards are an American professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C. The Wizards compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Southeast Division. The team plays ...

(now known as the Washington Wizards) as the fourth pick in the 1995 NBA draft, Wallace was named to the All-Rookie second team following his first season. He was then traded to the

Portland Trail Blazers The Portland Trail Blazers (colloquially known as the Blazers) are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. The Trail Blazers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Con ...

after the season. With Portland he was a key member of the Trail Blazers team that made it to the Western Conference Finals in 1999,

2000 File:2000 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Protests against Bush v. Gore after the 2000 United States presidential election; Heads of state meet for the Millennium Summit; The International Space Station in its infant form as seen from ...

and was an

NBA All-Star The National Basketball Association (NBA) All-Star Game is an annual exhibition basketball game. It is the main event of the NBA All-Star Weekend. Originally, the All-Star Game featured a conference-based format, featuring a team composed of al ...

in 2000 & 2001. Wallace averaged a career best 19.4 points per game in 2002 for the Trail Blazers. During the 2003–04 season Portland traded him to the

Atlanta Hawks The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta. The Hawks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern Conference Southeast Division (NBA), Sou ...

where he played one game before he was traded to the

Detroit Pistons The Detroit Pistons are an American professional basketball team based in Detroit. The Pistons compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division and play their home games at Li ...

. With the Pistons, Wallace won the NBA championship in 2004 and reached the

NBA Finals The NBA Finals is the annual championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Eastern and Western Conference champions play a best-of-seven game series to determine the league champion. The team that wins the series is awa ...

in the following season before losing to the San Antonio Spurs in seven games. Individually, Wallace was an

in 2006 and 2008. After the 2008–09 season, Wallace left the Pistons as a free agent and signed with the

Boston Celtics The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. Founded in 1946 as one of t ...

, where he played until retiring in 2010. He returned to sign a one-year deal to play for the

New York Knicks The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the National Basketball Associat ...

in 2012. On April 17, 2013, Wallace announced his second retirement. Wallace holds the single-season record for

technical foul In basketball, a technical foul (colloquially known as a "T" or a "tech") is any infraction of the rules penalized as a foul which does not involve physical contact during the course of play between opposing players on the court, or is a foul by a ...

s. In the 2000–01 season, Wallace received 41 technical fouls over a span of 80 games, about one technical foul for every two games.

Early life and education

Wallace was born and raised as the youngest of three sons of a single-mother household in the neighborhood of

Germantown, Philadelphia Germantown (Pennsylvania Dutch: ''Deitscheschteddel'') is an area in Northwest Philadelphia. Founded by German, Quaker, and Mennonite families in 1683 as an independent borough, it was absorbed into Philadelphia in 1854. The area, which is about ...

. His mother worked in the Pennsylvania Department of Welfare to raise him and his brothers Malcolm and Muhammed.https://vault.si.com/vault/2000/05/01/rash-behavior-even-in-portlands-postseason-opener-forward-rasheed-wallace-whos-as-tempestuous-as-he-is-talented-couldnt-stop-himself-from-drawing-yet-another-technical-foul Rash Behavior Even in Portland's postseason opener, forward Rasheed Wallace, who's as tempestuous as he is talented, couldn't stop himself from drawing yet another technical foul Wallace began his basketball career while attending

Simon Gratz High School Simon Gratz High School Mastery Charter, formerly Simon Gratz High School is a secondary school in Philadelphia, named after Simon Gratz (1840-1925), a member of the Philadelphia Board of Education. Originally a public high school operated by the ...

.https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/wallara01.html Rasheed Wallace NBA & ABA Statistics, Basketball-Reference.com He was named

USA Today ''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...

's High School Player of the Year after his senior season and was selected first-team All America by Basketball Times. Wallace was also a two-time Parade All-American first teamer. Despite playing just 19 minutes per game, Wallace averaged 16 points, 15 rebounds and seven blocks his senior year. In addition to basketball, Wallace played baseball, ran track and

high jump The high jump is a track and field event in which competitors must jump unaided over a horizontal bar placed at measured heights without dislodging it. In its modern, most-practiced format, a bar is placed between two standards with a crash mat f ...

ed as a teenager. He played in the Roundball Classic, scoring 30 points in a losing effort. Wallace, along with

Randy Livingston Randy Livingston (born April 2, 1975) is an American former professional basketball player and current coach. He played parts of eleven seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for nine different teams. The national high school player ...

and

Jerry Stackhouse Jerry Darnell Stackhouse (born November 5, 1974) is an American basketball coach and former professional player who is the head coach of the Vanderbilt Commodores men's team. He played 18 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and ...

, were considered the top three players in the 1993 class.

College career

coach

Dean Smith Dean Edwards Smith (February 28, 1931 – February 7, 2015) was an American men's college basketball head coach. Called a "coaching legend" by the Basketball Hall of Fame, he coached for 36 years at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hi ...

recruited Wallace to

Chapel Hill, North Carolina Chapel Hill is a town in Orange, Durham and Chatham counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Its population was 61,960 in the 2020 census, making Chapel Hill the 17th-largest municipality in the state. Chapel Hill, Durham, and the state ca ...

for his college years. Smith was a revered mentor both to Wallace and Wallace's eventual Detroit coach Larry Brown. Wallace has indicated that this North Carolina bond with Brown helped him adjust quickly to the Pistons system. During his two years at North Carolina, Wallace had success in the national spotlight. He was named a second-team All-American by the AP his second year at UNC. Wallace and fellow future NBA player

helped lead the

Tar Heels Tar Heel is a nickname applied to the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is also the nickname of the University of North Carolina athletic teams, students, alumni, and fans. The origins of the Tar Heel nickname trace back to North Carolina's promi ...

to the NCAA Final Four in 1995. He left North Carolina to enter the 1995 NBA draft after his sophomore season, being selected with the fourth pick overall by the

Professional career

Washington Bullets (1995–1996)

As a rookie with the Bullets, Wallace played in 65 games, of which he started 51 for the injured

Chris Webber Mayce Edward Christopher Webber III (born March 1, 1973) is an American former professional basketball player. Drafted number one overall by the Orlando Magic, though arguably best known and remembered as the star forward for the Sacramento Ki ...

. Wallace was selected to the rookie team for the All-Star Weekend. Late that year, he fractured his left thumb during a game against Orlando and did not return until the following season. En route to being named to the

NBA All-Rookie First Team The NBA All-Rookie Team is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) honor given since the 1962–63 NBA season to the top rookies during the regular season. Voting is conducted by the NBA head coaches who are not allowed to vote for playe ...

, Wallace averaged 10.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 3.4 assists. In total, Wallace scored 655 points and played 1,788 minutes during his rookie season in Washington.

Portland Trail Blazers (1996–2004)

After the season, Wallace was traded to the

, along with

Mitchell Butler Mitchell Leon Butler (born December 15, 1970) is an American sports agent and former professional basketball player. He played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1993 to 2004. The 6' 5" (1.96 m) shooting guard signed undrafted w ...

in exchange for

Rod Strickland Rodney Strickland (born July 11, 1966) is an American basketball coach and former professional basketball player. He is currently the head coach at Long Island University. Prior to LIU, he served as the program manager for the NBA G League's profe ...

and

Harvey Grant Harvey Grant (born July 4, 1965) is an American former professional National Basketball Association basketball player. He is the identical twin brother of Horace Grant, also a former NBA player. College Grant transferred to Oklahoma after a year ...

. This move proved beneficial for both sides: Strickland averaged 17.2 ppg and 8.9 apg after the trade, helping the Bullets make the playoffs in 1997 for the first time in eight seasons, and upped those stats to 17.8 ppg and a league-leading 10.5 apg the following year. Meanwhile, Wallace ranked third in the league in field goal percentage. However, just as his season was gaining momentum, Wallace again broke his left thumb and was forced to miss the next month of the season, but he returned in time for a strong performance in the first round playoff series against the

Los Angeles Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Lakers play their ...

, which the Trail Blazers lost. Next season, Wallace signed a long-term contract to stay with the Trail Blazers. He began extending himself into the community more than ever, most notably with his Rasheed Wallace Foundation, but his career suffered from numerous missteps on and off the court. He set an NBA record with 38

s for the season. However, he would be fifth in the league in

field goal A field goal (FG) is a means of scoring in gridiron football. To score a field goal, the team in possession of the ball must place kick, or drop kick, the ball through the goal, i.e., between the uprights and over the crossbar. The entire ba ...

percentage. The following year, he broke his own record with 40 technicals. Wallace was also suspended by the NBA for seven games for threatening then-referee Tim Donaghy on an arena loading dock after a home game in 2003. That was the league's longest suspension for an offense that did not involve violence or substance abuse. Wallace was far from the only perceived trouble maker on Portland at the time, his teammates,

Bonzi Wells Gawen DeAngelo "Bonzi" Wells (born September 28, 1976) is an American college basketball coach and former professional player who is the head coach of the LeMoyne-Owen Magicians men's basketball team. He played college basketball at Ball State U ...

Damon Stoudamire Damon Lamon Stoudamire (born September 3, 1973) is an American professional basketball coach and former player who is currently an assistant coach for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA) The , point guard was selected ...

, and

Zach Randolph Zachary McKenley Randolph (born July 16, 1981) is an American former professional basketball player. Nicknamed "Z-Bo", the 2-time NBA All-Star played college basketball for the Michigan State Spartans before being drafted in the 2001 NBA draft by ...

for instance, were also frequently criticized by media and fans for off-court outbursts and legal incidents, leading to the team often being referred to as ''The Jail Blazers''. Wallace was named an

in 2000 and 2001. On February 20, 2001, he scored a career best 42 points in a 104-94 victory over the

Denver Nuggets The Denver Nuggets are an American professional basketball team based in Denver. The Nuggets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Northwest Division. The team was founded as the D ...

. In the postseason, Wallace led the Trail Blazers to the Western Conference Finals back to back in 1999 and 2000, losing to the

San Antonio Spurs The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio. The Spurs compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference (NBA), Western Conference Southwest Division ( ...

and the

, respectively. Both teams would go on to win the

. The 2000 series against the Lakers was alleged by some to have one-sided officiating in favor of the Lakers, with the Trail Blazers squandering a 15-point lead going into the fourth quarter of Game 7. Two years later, during the 2002 NBA Playoffs, despite Wallace posting career high postseason averages of 25.3 points and 12.3 rebounds per game, Portland was again eliminated by the eventual champion Lakers.

Atlanta Hawks (2004)

On February 9, 2004, Wallace was traded to the

along with

Wesley Person Wesley Lavon Person (born March 28, 1971) is an American former professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA). After his playing career, Person became a women's basketball assistant coach and then the he ...

for

Shareef Abdur-Rahim Julius Shareef Abdur-Rahim (born December 11, 1976) is an American former professional basketball player who is the president of the NBA G League. Nicknamed Reef, he previously served as the director of player personnel for the Sacramento Kings ...

Theo Ratliff Theo is a given name and a hypocorism. Greek origin Many names beginning with the root "Theo-" derive from the Ancient Greek word ''theos'' (''θεός''), which means god, for example: *Feminine names: Thea, Theodora, Theodosia, Theophania, ...

and

Dan Dickau Daniel David Dickau (born September 16, 1978) is an American former professional basketball player who currently works as an on-air broadcaster for ESPN, the Pac-12 Network, CBS Sports Network and Westwood One. He is also a co-host of the ''Dick ...

. Wallace played only one game for the Hawks, scoring 20 points through three quarters. He also had six rebounds, five blocks, two assists and a steal in a close loss on the road against the

New Jersey Nets New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz Albums and EPs * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, ...

, though he did not score in the fourth quarter.

Detroit Pistons (2004–2009)

Championship and consecutive Finals appearances (2004–2005)

Wallace was again traded, in a deal that saw him go from the Hawks along with guard Mike James from the Celtics to the

. In turn, Detroit sent guards

Chucky Atkins Kenneth Lavon "Chucky" Atkins (born August 14, 1974) is an American former professional basketball player who played for nine different NBA teams throughout his career. Basketball career Atkins played college basketball at the University of Sout ...

Lindsey Hunter Lindsey Benson Hunter Jr. (born December 3, 1970) is an American former professional basketball player and coach. He played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1993 to 2010, spending most of his career with the Detroit Pistons. He ...

and a first-round draft pick to Boston and guard

Bob Sura Robert Sura Jr. (born March 25, 1973) is an American former professional basketball player who played ten seasons for five different teams in the National Basketball Association (NBA). At , , he played as a shooting guard and point guard. Earl ...

, center Željko Rebrača and a first-round draft pick to Atlanta. Boston also sent forward Chris Mills to Atlanta to complete the deal. On February 23, 2004, in his first road game with the Pistons, Wallace recorded 10 points, 11 rebounds and 4 blocks in a 76–66 win over the Philadelphia 76ers. After falling behind against the

Indiana Pacers The Indiana Pacers are an American professional basketball team based in Indianapolis. The Pacers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The Pacers were first esta ...

in the 2004 Eastern Conference Finals, he stated boldly in an interview that "We will win Game 2," a promise he helped fulfill. In Game 4 of the 2004 NBA Finals, Wallace recorded 26 points, 13 rebounds and 2 assists in an 88–80 win over the Los Angeles Lakers. The Detroit Pistons were up 3–1 in that occasion. Wallace helped the Pistons win an unexpected NBA title, beating the heavily favored Lakers four games to one. After the championship season, he paid for replica

WWE World Heavyweight Championship The WWE Championship is a world heavyweight championship created and promoted by the American professional wrestling promotion WWE, representing the Raw brand division. It is one of two world titles on WWE's main roster, alongside SmackDown ...

belts to be made for each of his teammates and presented them as gifts when the 2004–05 regular season started. In the off-season following the Pistons' championship win, Wallace signed a five-year, $57 million contract to remain with Detroit. He also changed the number of his jersey from #30 to #36. Throughout the 2004–05 season, Wallace often carried the belt into his locker before games to inspire the Pistons' title defense. However, early in the season, the Pistons had a

fight Combat ( French for ''fight'') is a purposeful violent conflict meant to physically harm or kill the opposition. Combat may be armed (using weapons) or unarmed ( not using weapons). Combat is sometimes resorted to as a method of self-defense, or ...

with the

, which resulted into a one-game suspension for Wallace. Several months later, had several notable moments in the playoffs. After the second-round elimination of the Pacers, Wallace played his best series of the postseason in the Eastern Conference finals against the top-seeded

Miami Heat The Miami Heat are an American professional basketball team based in Miami. The Heat compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern Conference Southeast Division (NBA), Southe ...

. After falling behind again, he again "guaranteed success". He shot a 50% field goal percentage and averaged 14.5 points per game in the series' seven games, and saved his hottest-shooting night to help the Pistons beat the Heat 88–82 in Game 7 on the road in Miami. Against the

in the NBA Finals, Wallace was criticized for leaving

Robert Horry Robert Keith Horry (; born August 25, 1970) is an American former professional basketball player and current sports commentator. He played 16 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA), winning seven championships, the most of any pla ...

open for the game-winning three-pointer in Game 5. Wallace's defense and clutch shooting helped the Pistons to split the series 3–3, but in the final game, the Pistons lost 81–74.

All-Star appearances and final years in Detroit (2005–2009)

In the 2005–06 season, he helped lead them to a 64–18 record, and the top seed in the Eastern Conference for the playoffs. The Pistons beat the

Milwaukee Bucks The Milwaukee Bucks are an American professional basketball team based in Milwaukee. The Bucks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The team was founded in 1968 ...

, 4–1 in the first round and then beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 4–3 in the second round of the playoffs. In the Eastern Conference Finals, the Pistons played the Heat in a rematch of the previous year's Conference Finals. The Pistons lost in six games to the Miami Heat, who went on to capture their first NBA title. Rasheed Wallace

On March 26, 2007, in a game against the

, Wallace threw up a 60-foot shot off a stolen inbound pass with 1.5 seconds remaining and banked it in from just behind halfcourt to force overtime letting out a huge roar from what was left of the Palace crowd. The Pistons went on to win the game, 113–109. On June 2, 2007, Wallace fouled out of Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals after committing a foul on

LeBron James LeBron Raymone James Sr. (; born December 30, 1984) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "King James", he is widely considered one of the greatest pl ...

and then received two technical fouls, resulting in an automatic ejection, for arguing with a referee. Prior to the 2007–08 NBA season, the Pistons would not re-sign

, and putting Antonio McDyess as a starting power forward, put Wallace at center. On February 10, 2008, it was announced that Wallace would be replacing Boston Celtics' injured forward Kevin Garnett in the 2008 NBA All-Star Game in New Orleans. The decision was made by NBA commissioner

David Stern David Joel Stern (September 22, 1942 – January 1, 2020) was an American lawyer and business executive who was the commissioner of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1984 to 2014. Stern oversaw NBA basketball's growth into one of ...

. This was Wallace's fourth All-Star appearance. In the 2008 Eastern Conference Finals, the Pistons played Garnett and the Celtics. This marked the sixth consecutive time that the Pistons had made it to this point, and five times they had gotten there with Wallace in the lineup. Still, Detroit lost a third consecutive year in the Conference Finals, losing to Boston 4–2 as Wallace contributing his poor game play along with

Tayshaun Prince Tayshaun Durell Prince (born February 28, 1980) is an American professional basketball executive and former player. The small forward graduated from Dominguez High School before playing college basketball for the University of Kentucky. He was ...

lead the team into demise. After the game, Wallace reportedly told reporters, without taking any questions, "It's over, man", perhaps indicating that Pistons' General Manager Joe Dumars would break up the core of the team following the defeat. He changed his number from 36 back to his original 30, perhaps to change his and the team's fortunes, but sure enough, Dumars did indeed break up the core: at the beginning of the 2008–09 season, Dumars traded longtime starting point guard and 2004 Finals MVP

Chauncey Billups Chauncey Ray Billups (born September 25, 1976) is an American professional basketball coach and former player who is the head coach for the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played 17 seasons in the NBA. Afte ...

to Denver. It was to be Wallace's last year with the team; after the season came to a close, Wallace and the Pistons decided to part ways.

Boston Celtics (2009–2010)

Wallace signed a three-year contract with the

on July 8, 2009. During the regular season, Wallace struggled, averaging career lows in points per game and rebounds per game. Also, he shot 28% on three-pointers and 40% from the field. The Celtics reached the NBA Finals in 2010 but lost the series to the

four games to three. In Game 6 of the Finals, the Celtics' starting center

Kendrick Perkins Kendrick Le'Dale "Perk" Perkins (born November 10, 1984) is an American former professional basketball player who is a sports analyst for ESPN. He entered the NBA directly out of high school and played for the Boston Celtics, Oklahoma City Thunder ...

injured his right knee, so Wallace started Game 7. Wallace scored 11 points and was 5 of 11 from the field in the loss. Wallace's agent Bill Strickland announced on June 25, 2010, that Wallace would likely retire from the NBA, which was made official on August 10, following the buyout of his contract by the Celtics.

New York Knicks (2012–2013)

On October 3, 2012, Wallace came out of retirement, and signed with the

. On February 27, 2013, Wallace announced that he had a broken left foot and was expected to miss eight weeks. He was scheduled for surgery. He returned for a final game on April 15, 2013, playing three minutes off the bench. On April 17, 2013, after a short return, Wallace announced his second retirement.

Coaching career

Detroit Pistons

In July 2013, Wallace joined the

staff as an assistant coach after signing a two-year contract with the team. He worked for the Pistons for the 2013–14 season, but was not rehired to the staff of new coach Stan Van Gundy following that season.

Jordan High School

On March 8, 2019, Wallace was introduced as the new boys varsity basketball head coach at Charles E. Jordan High School in

Durham, North Carolina Durham ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the county seat of Durham County, North Carolina, Durham County. Small portions of the city limits extend into Orange County, North Carolina, Orange County and Wake County, North Carol ...

Memphis Tigers

On August 18, 2021, Wallace agreed to become an assistant coach at

Memphis Memphis most commonly refers to: * Memphis, Egypt, a former capital of ancient Egypt * Memphis, Tennessee, a major American city Memphis may also refer to: Places United States * Memphis, Alabama * Memphis, Florida * Memphis, Indiana * Memp ...

on Penny Hardaway's staff roster. He joined his former head coach in

Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...

and Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown on the

Tigers The tiger (''Panthera tigris'') is the largest living cat species and a member of the genus ''Panthera''. It is most recognisable for its dark vertical stripes on orange fur with a white underside. An apex predator, it primarily preys on un ...

. On January 13, 2022, it was announced that Wallace would not serve an in-person role but would finish the season working remotely.

On-court moments

Wallace was known for his intensity and expressive personality, resulting in frequent confrontations with opponents and officials (often leading to

s and ejections) but also moments of humor. Wallace holds the league records for most technical fouls in a season, and most ejections in a season. During the 2008 Playoffs, Wallace went on an expletive-laced tirade following Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the

in which he lashed out at the officiating. Wallace popularized the phrase "Ball don't lie", used when a player on the opposing team misses a free throw after a disputed call by the referees. One notable incident occurred in a December 2, 2012 game against the

Phoenix Suns The Phoenix Suns are an American professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Suns are the only team in t ...

. After Wallace pushed

Luis Scola Luis Alberto Scola Balvoa (born April 30, 1980) is an Argentine former professional basketball player and current executive who currently serves as the chief executive officer for the Italian Lega Basket Serie A (LBA) team Pallacanestro Varese. ...

and received a technical foul,

Goran Dragić Goran Dragić (born 6 May 1986) is a Slovenian professional basketball player for the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "the Dragon", he had played professional basketball in Slovenia and Spain before entering ...

missed the technical free throw, to which Wallace responded by saying "Ball don't lie." Wallace then received a second technical, leading to his ejection. He played 1:25 before his ejection. During the 2010 NBA Playoffs Wallace, a native of Philadelphia and Flyers fan, frequently wore hats and other articles of clothing with the Philadelphia Flyers logo during Boston Celtics press conferences and interviews. This caused a stir with fans throughout the Boston area as the Flyers were playing the

Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team has been in existence since 1924, making t ...

in the

NHL Playoffs The Stanley Cup playoffs (french: Les séries éliminatoires de la Coupe Stanley) is an elimination tournament in the National Hockey League (NHL) consisting of four rounds of best-of-seven series to determine the league champion and the winner ...

at the time. Criticism by Bostonians only grew after the Flyers' comeback from a 0–3 game deficit to win the series 4–3. Wallace nevertheless continued to wear his Flyers gear in public.

Personal life

Wallace has three children with his former wife Fatima Sanders. He is a follower of

Islam Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...

. His nephew, Quadir Welton, is a professional basketball player. Wallace roots for his hometown

Philadelphia Flyers The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. The Flyers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home games in Wells ...

(

NHL The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...

) and

Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. Since 2004, the team's home stadium has been Citize ...

(

MLB Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

), but not the

Eagles Eagle is the common name for many large birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of genera, some of which are closely related. Most of the 68 species of eagle are from Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just ...

of the NFL. Instead, he is a longtime fan of the

Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The tea ...

Activism and philanthropy

Wallace has been one of the biggest voices and helping hands in the Flint water crisis. He has personally delivered water door to door in Flint since the summer of 2016, and wrote a letter in the Players Tribune to raise awareness. He also appeared on the television show Area 21 to talk about the Crisis. Wallace's efforts inspired Stephen Jackson, Rachel Nichols, Kyle Kuzma, and other celebrities to help in Flint.

NBA career statistics

Regular season

, - , align="left" , , align="left" ,

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, 77 , , 77 , , 37.6 , , .533 , , .205 , , .662 , , 6.2 , , 2.5 , , 1.0 , , 1.1 , , 14.6 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,

, 49 , , 18 , , 28.9 , , .508 , , .419 , , .732 , , 4.9 , , 1.2 , , 1.0 , , 1.1 , , 12.8 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,

, 81 , , 77 , , 35.1 , , .519 , , .160 , , .704 , , 7.0 , , 1.8 , , 1.1 , , 1.3 , , 16.4 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,

, 77 , , 75 , , 38.2 , , .501 , , .321 , , .766 , , 7.8 , , 2.8 , , 1.2 , , 1.8 , , 19.2 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,

, 79 , , 79 , , 37.5 , , .469 , , .360 , , .734 , , 8.2 , , 1.9 , , 1.3 , , 1.3 , , 19.3 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,

, 74 , , 74 , , 36.3 , , .471 , , .358 , , .735 , , 7.4 , , 2.1 , , 0.9 , , 1.0 , , 18.1 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,

, 45 , , 44 , , 37.2 , , .442 , , .341 , , .742 , , 6.6 , , 2.5 , , 0.8 , , 1.6 , , 17.0 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...

, 1 , , 1 , , 42.0 , , .333 , , .167 , , 1.000 , , 6.0 , , 2.0 , , 1.0 , , 5.0, , 20.0 , - , style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;" , † , align="left" ,

, 22 , , 21 , , 30.6 , , .431 , , .319 , , .704 , , 7.0 , , 1.8 , , 1.1 , , 2.0 , , 13.7 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,

, 79 , , 79 , , 34.0 , , .440 , , .318 , , .697 , , 8.2 , , 1.8 , , 0.8 , , 1.5 , , 14.5 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,

, 80 , , 80 , , 34.8 , , .430 , , .357 , , .743 , , 6.8 , , 2.3 , , 1.0 , , 1.6 , , 15.1 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,

, 75 , , 72 , , 32.3 , , .423 , , .351 , , .788 , , 7.2 , , 1.7 , , 1.0 , , 1.6 , , 12.3 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,

, 77 , , 76 , , 30.5 , , .432 , , .356 , , .767 , , 6.6 , , 1.8 , , 1.2 , , 1.7 , , 12.7 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,

, 66 , , 63 , , 32.2 , , .419 , , .354 , , .772 , , 7.4 , , 1.4 , , 0.9 , , 1.3 , , 12.0 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

, 79 , , 13 , , 22.5 , , .409 , , .283 , , .768 , , 4.1 , , 1.0 , , 1.0 , , 0.9 , , 9.0 , - , align="left" , , align="left" , New York , 21 , , 0 , , 14.1 , , .387 , , .319 , , .700 , , 4.0 , , 0.3 , , 0.6 , , 0.7 , , 7.0 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 1109 , , 956 , , 32.7 , , .467 , , .336 , , .721 , , 6.7 , , 1.8 , , 1.0 , , 1.3 , , 14.4 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", All-Star , 4 , , 0 , , 19.3 , , .250 , , .100 , , .750 , , 3.8 , , 0.5 , , 1.0 , , 0.8 , , 4.0

Playoffs

, - , align="left" ,

1997 File:1997 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The movie set of ''Titanic'', the highest-grossing movie in history at the time; ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'', is published; Comet Hale-Bopp passes by Earth and becomes one of t ...

, align="left" ,

, 4 , , 4 , , 37.0 , , .589 , , .400 , , .550 , , 6.0 , , 1.5 , , 0.5 , , 0.5 , , 19.8 , - , align="left" , 1998 , align="left" ,

, 4 , , 4 , , 39.3 , , .489 , , .800 , , .500 , , 4.8 , , 2.8 , , 0.5 , , 0.5 , , 14.5 , - , align="left" , 1999 , align="left" ,

, 13 , , 13 , , 36.0 , , .514 , , .111 , , .724 , , 4.8 , , 1.5 , , 1.5 , , 0.8 , , 14.8 , - , align="left" ,

, align="left" ,

, 16 , , 16 , , 37.8 , , .489 , , .615 , , .773 , , 6.4 , , 1.8 , , 0.9 , , 1.3 , , 17.9 , - , align="left" , 2001 , align="left" ,

, 3 , , 3 , , 42.7 , , .373 , , .364 , , .571 , , 8.0 , , 2.3 , , 0.3 , , 1.0 , , 16.7 , - , align="left" ,

2002 File:2002 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 2002 Winter Olympics are held in Salt Lake City; Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and her daughter Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon die; East Timor gains East Timor independence, indepe ...

, align="left" ,

, 3 , , 3 , , 41.7 , , .406 , , .412 , , .813 , , 12.3 , , 1.7 , , 0.7 , , 0.7 , , 25.3 , - , align="left" , 2003 , align="left" ,

, 7 , , 7 , , 37.1 , , .454 , , .400 , , .714 , , 5.1 , , 2.6 , , 0.6 , , 0.7 , , 17.4 , - , style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;" , 2004† , align="left" ,

, 23 , , 23 , , 34.9 , , .413 , , .243 , , .767 , , 7.8 , , 1.6 , , 0.6 , , 2.0 , , 13.0 , - , align="left" ,

2005 File:2005 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico; the Funeral of Pope John Paul II is held in Vatican City; "Me at the zoo", the first video ever to be uploaded to YouTube; Eris was discovered in ...

, align="left" ,

, 25 , , 25 , , 33.0 , , .439 , , .337 , , .741 , , 6.9 , , 1.3 , , 1.0 , , 1.8 , , 13.6 , - , align="left" ,

2006 File:2006 Events Collage V1.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin; Twitter is founded and launched by Jack Dorsey; The Nintendo Wii is released; Montenegro 2006 Montenegrin independence referendum, votes to declare ...

, align="left" ,

, 18 , , 18 , , 34.9 , , .430 , , .405 , , .527 , , 6.3 , , 1.8 , , 0.6 , , 0.8 , , 14.1 , - , align="left" , 2007 , align="left" ,

, 16 , , 16 , , 35.8 , , .437 , , .347 , , .842 , , 7.7 , , 1.8 , , 1.2 , , 1.8 , , 14.3 , - , align="left" ,

2008 File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...

, align="left" ,

, 17 , , 17 , , 34.4 , , .424 , , .320 , , .744 , , 6.4 , , 1.6 , , 1.1 , , 1.9 , , 13.2 , - , align="left" ,

2009 File:2009 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The vertical stabilizer of Air France Flight 447 is pulled out from the Atlantic Ocean; Barack Obama becomes the first African American to become President of the United States; 2009 Iran ...

, align="left" ,

, 4 , , 4 , , 30.5 , , .367 , , .500 , , .000 , , 6.3 , , 0.8 , , 0.5 , , 0.3 , , 6.5 , - , align="left" ,

2010 File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...

, align="left" ,

, 24 , , 1 , , 17.1 , , .416 , , .345 , , .828 , , 3.0 , , 0.4 , , 0.4 , , 0.6 , , 6.1 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 177 , , 154 , , 33.0 , , .444 , , .352 , , .717 , , 6.2 , , 1.5 , , 0.8 , , 1.3 , , 13.5

References

External links

*
TheDraftReview.com – Wallace's NBA Draft History PageThe Rasheed Wallace FoundationSI.com – Pro Basketball – Rasheed Wallace Player PageWallace involved in custody suit – Augusta Chronicle51022 Wallace's comment about the NBAWallace and Celtics make a Good Match
by Shira Springer, ''Boston Globe'', July 19, 2009 {{DEFAULTSORT:Wallace, Rasheed 1974 births Living people 21st-century African-American sportspeople African-American basketball players African-American Muslims All-American college men's basketball players American men's basketball players Atlanta Hawks players Basketball players from Philadelphia Boston Celtics players Centers (basketball) Detroit Pistons assistant coaches Detroit Pistons players McDonald's High School All-Americans National Basketball Association All-Stars New York Knicks players North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball players Parade High School All-Americans (boys' basketball) Portland Trail Blazers players Power forwards (basketball) Washington Bullets draft picks Washington Bullets players 20th-century African-American sportspeople

Early life and education

College career

Professional career

Washington Bullets (1995–1996)

Portland Trail Blazers (1996–2004)

Atlanta Hawks (2004)

Detroit Pistons (2004–2009)

Championship and consecutive Finals appearances (2004–2005)

All-Star appearances and final years in Detroit (2005–2009)

Boston Celtics (2009–2010)

New York Knicks (2012–2013)

Coaching career

Detroit Pistons

Jordan High School

Memphis Tigers

On-court moments

Personal life

Activism and philanthropy

NBA career statistics

Regular season

Playoffs

See also

References

External links