"With Shaq and Kobe, we felt like, alright, they got a couple of rings. They might not be as hungry" - Rasheed Wallace says his Pistons were hungrier than the Lakers in the 2004 NBA Finals
Rasheed Wallace had a long and successful NBA career, making four All-Star teams and holding his own in an era filled with dominant power forwards. While he may not have been at the level of Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, and Dirk Nowitzki, Wallace was in the tier right underneath and one of the best power forwards of the era. He also won an NBA championship in 2004, when his team Detroit Pistons defeated the Los Angeles Lakers.
Wallace recently appeared on ALL THE SMOKE with Stephen Jackson and Matt Barnes, where he discussed the 2004 title. A claim made by Wallace stood out as he stated that he felt his Pistons were more motivated (starting at the 47:32 mark) than the Lakers.
He said:
We knew it though, we felt that we were more hungry. At least for their big two with Shaq and Kobe, we felt like, alright, they got a couple of rings. They might not be as hungry, and dawg we were all in sync.
Rasheed Wallace's claim is shocking, particularly in regards to his belief that the Lakers stars were less hungry. Knowing everything that we know about the late, great Kobe Bryant, it is hard to envision him ever lacking hunger, even with three rings. Kobe was driven, as many players are, by catching Michael Jordan.
Watch Rasheed Wallace's full appearance on ALL THE SMOKE below:
Should Rasheed Wallace be in the Hall of Fame?
Rasheed Wallace had a successful career in both college and the NBA. His style of play, however, might be better suited for the modern NBA than his era. Four-time NBA champion and 2015 NBA Finals MVP Andre Iguodala recently made headlines when he claimed that Wallace would be a top-five player in today's NBA.
Andre Iguodala: "If Rasheed Wallace played in our league today, he’d be a top-5 player. He’d be better than Giannis & I love Giannis."
(Via @LeBatardShow) https://t.co/tuKMNLUK5Z
While Rasheed Wallace's style of play may have been ahead of his time, he still had a Hall of Fame worthy career. Following a lengthy run with the Portland Trail Blazers, where he was one win away from taking the team to the NBA Finals as the number one option, Wallace was finally able to win a championship in his first season with the Detroit Pistons.
Despite his touches and numbers dipping in Detroit, Wallace provided the Pistons with what they needed. He was able to reinvent himself as a glue guy by doing a little bit of everything. Unfortunately for Wallace, much of his career is remembered for his reputation as a 'bad boy' in an era where the NBA was trying to shake that reputation.
Wallace finished his career with 317 technical fouls, including an NBA record 41 technicals and 29 ejections in one season. If not for his reputation, combined with playing in an era with some of the best power forwards of all-time, it is likely that Wallace would already be a Hall of Famer.
Rasheed Wallace deserves to be in the Hall of Fame....Retweet this if you agree.... https://t.co/cmIlNk3umS