Ben Wallace vs Dennis Rodman - who's your pick?
January 16th, 2016 at 8:33 AM ^
Rodman.
January 16th, 2016 at 8:35 AM ^
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January 16th, 2016 at 8:58 AM ^
We know. You told us in the OP.
January 16th, 2016 at 9:01 AM ^
January 16th, 2016 at 10:55 AM ^
It's not even close. Some math whiz pro sports gambler broke it down in unbelievable detail a few years ago to show that Rodman is one of the most valuable players in the history of the NBA.
http://skepticalsports.com/the-case-for-dennis-rodman-guide/
January 16th, 2016 at 11:11 AM ^
January 16th, 2016 at 8:37 AM ^
If it was for best hair, I would pick Wallace.
Otherwise, Rodman.
January 16th, 2016 at 9:22 AM ^
Not so fast benjamin...
January 16th, 2016 at 11:13 AM ^
January 16th, 2016 at 8:36 AM ^
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January 16th, 2016 at 8:48 AM ^
maybe but...
But Ben also didn't have Isiah, Dumars, Mahorn, Laimbeer, Salley, Vinny, Aguire to play with.
Rodman was great indeed, but Ben was the catalyst of the Pistons Championship run.
January 16th, 2016 at 9:33 AM ^
I mean, Ben Wallace had Billups, Wallace, Hamilton and Prince in his starting line-up. Not exactly like he was playing with a bunch of stiffs.
January 16th, 2016 at 9:55 AM ^
Agreed. I think Rodman had a higher ceiling while Wallace was a key cog in a great team.
January 16th, 2016 at 8:38 AM ^
Fear the Fro
I think Ben affected the game more from a defensive perspective. One of the greatest help / off ball defenders of all time. He created an even greater defensive presence more consistently than Rodman.
And I love Rodman, don't get me wrong. But I'm also judging this form his days in Detroit which was just part of his career. Big Ben was Detroit till he was done. Possibly my favorite Pistons of all time.
January 16th, 2016 at 8:48 AM ^
January 16th, 2016 at 10:32 AM ^
I wasn't too clear. I meant Ben's success came only in Detroit while Rodman was successful multiple times. My vote for Ben is comparing their times in Detroit.
January 16th, 2016 at 10:35 AM ^
NBA career. I think Ben had the better years with the Pistons.
January 16th, 2016 at 12:06 PM ^
Rodman was the Worm in Detroit. He was a bit player on a team full of Rodmans. Love them or hate them, The Bad Boy Pistons went at it like Dennis Rodman did but as a team. Rodman figured out he could be a defensive star by concentrating on that or a fine all around player 3rd option type. That was what he was in Detroit.
January 16th, 2016 at 5:00 PM ^
Ben's timing on help was exquisite. One of the best help defenders in the history of the modern game. All he asked of the guards was to not get beat by the very first move.
But Rodman was more versatile on defense. He could play on the ball against a variety of positions. And he was a fair help defender himself.
Daddy Rich even used the Worm against 5s now and then. Once saw Worm dominate Ewing for much of a 4th quarter once.
Best example of this was one night in Houston. Pistons up by one or two in the final seconds. Houston inbounds the ball deep in the frontcourt on the right side. Olajuwon gets the ball maybe 13 feet away from the basket.
Who is guarding him? Rodman. Help? No. Rockets had a lot of guys like Kenny Smith who could hit those open jumpers. Worm was all alone and it was by design.
Olajuwon methodically but easily backs Worm down until there are a couple ticks left. That ease lulled Olajuwon. He turned and went soft to the hole. Close enough to the bucket to dunk but he just kind of tried to drop the ball in.
Worm jumped while leaning back and timed it perfectly, getting just enough of the ball to keep it out of the hole. Buzzer sounds and game over. The team mobbed him knowing full damn well what he'd just done. Best individual defensive stop I've ever seen. Gave up ~8 inches and a gazillion pounds to a legit low post HoF'er and still got the job done. The look from Olajuwon was priceless.
January 16th, 2016 at 8:39 AM ^
January 16th, 2016 at 8:39 AM ^
In his prime he was an absolute shut-down defender and it seemed like he was on a pogo stick when going for loose balls. That dude could jump three, four, five times in a row without seeming to lose one inch of lift - he was amazing. Not taking anything away from Wallace but Rodman was 6'8", skinny as a pool stick and could still outrebound the league.
That being said however I do have a proposal for settling this should their be a tie. We will put both of them at the free throw line and have a free throw shooting contest.
First player to one wins.
January 16th, 2016 at 10:33 AM ^
Agreed - and Rodman could guard all 5 positions, down low and on the perimeter.
Ben Wallace is one of my all time favorite's, but Rodman is an NBA all-time great.
January 16th, 2016 at 5:08 PM ^
Also Rodman played in a time where you could truly HAMMER the other player.
In order to garner ratings the NBA chose to become a offense-happy league. Favoring the offense over the defense every time.
Wallace had to deal with much more finesse and finicky foul-calling. That aspect gives me a lot of respect for Ben. I think I still take Rodman though. Absolute fireplug.
But different eras for sure.
January 16th, 2016 at 10:38 AM ^
January 16th, 2016 at 2:02 PM ^
Whatever gym that free throw contest is held in had better be rented for the whole day.
During the first half of his career, Rodman was capable of guarding any player on the floor.
January 16th, 2016 at 8:40 AM ^
.....a tougher question is which of the two would have a better score in a 100-shot free throw competition?
January 16th, 2016 at 8:49 AM ^
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January 16th, 2016 at 8:41 AM ^
January 16th, 2016 at 11:57 AM ^
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January 16th, 2016 at 8:42 AM ^
January 16th, 2016 at 8:54 AM ^
January 16th, 2016 at 8:50 AM ^
January 16th, 2016 at 8:57 AM ^
Rodman. It's not close.
January 16th, 2016 at 8:57 AM ^
I'd take Rodman. Dude was a lockdown defender and one of the best rebounders in basketball history.
January 16th, 2016 at 8:59 AM ^
As a Pacer fan, I would have to say Rodman. He might not have been a scorer, but he did everything else on the court. In his Piston days he had unparralleled energy, and he was the best rebounder I have ever seen. Just for his effort alone and hustle, I would put Rodman on any starting 5. He is the definition of a guy you hate to play against but love to have him on your team.
January 16th, 2016 at 9:00 AM ^
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January 16th, 2016 at 10:39 AM ^
January 16th, 2016 at 10:30 AM ^
Rodman, without thinking twice. Hell, he's in the HOF. I have a question. Which Wallace, if any, should be in the HOF? Should I throw Billups into that debate?
January 16th, 2016 at 11:18 AM ^
Ben doesn't have a chance. I love the dude but he is definitely a Hall of Very Good type of guy. Rasheed and Chauncey have better shots but I don't see either of them getting in.
January 16th, 2016 at 9:02 AM ^
I consider Rodman to be the best all around defensive player in NBA history. I really liked Ben Wallace during their great run, but I am very surprised to see his # being retired.
January 16th, 2016 at 11:20 AM ^
I'm surprised that you are surprised. He was the most beloved player on a team that was consisitantly excellent for the better part of a decade. I'd retire all 5 of Ben, Rasheed, Tay, Rip and Chauncey's number. That team was special.
January 16th, 2016 at 9:03 AM ^
January 16th, 2016 at 9:08 AM ^
January 16th, 2016 at 9:40 AM ^
January 16th, 2016 at 10:57 AM ^
January 16th, 2016 at 9:08 AM ^
January 16th, 2016 at 9:09 AM ^
and honestly, it's not that close.
Dude could just shut down the other teams best player night after night, year after year.
He was absolutely suffocating as a defender, while simultaneously getting in their head and causing them to lose their temper/focus, etc. from then on it just got easier.
January 16th, 2016 at 11:19 AM ^
January 16th, 2016 at 9:10 AM ^
but both were great in their own right. Glad to see the Pistons doing Ben and Chauncey right by retiring their numbers. I wouldn't love basketball as much as I do without the Going to Work teams.
January 16th, 2016 at 9:10 AM ^
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