He'll be in the top 100 in NBA career scoring and rebounding when he retires. He'll probably be in the top 30 in career blocks. He's been one of the best defensive players of his era. He has been on a large number of playoff teams. Do I think that he'll make the HoF? Not unless he plays at his current level for another 4 or 5 years (which just isn't likely). Is he borderline? Absolutely. Ed O.
In a previous era, we were a great rebounding team. How? Duck boxed out, Buck averaged about 8, Jerome was a top rebounder for a SF Drexler was a top rebounder for a SG If we had an SF who could rebound like Jerome (Batum?), Brandon made it a point of emphasis, and Greg got into shape.... we'd be a DOMINANT rebounding team, with LMA doing just what he's doing now. It's a realistic possibly.
LMA is a runner. His JOB is to get out on the break. He has Greg or Joel for rebounding. Brandon also rebounds. Nate has said in interviews from the past that he likes to get Aldridge out to beat the other teams bigs down the floor.
Yet he's never made an All-NBA defensive first team. He's a very good role player for at team that won exactly one title, and he's a very average franchise player for a team that choked in Game 7 against the Lakers in 2000.
Wait, you expect Rasheed to win a popularity contest? He hasn't, and he won't get into the Hall either. Neither will Dennis Rodman, btw.
True, but voted on awards don't have a ton of credibility in my eyes. Voters have plenty of biases, both conscious and unconscious. To my eyes and the eyes of plenty of others, Wallace has played exemplary defense. As a Blazer, he was the best defender of Duncan and Garnett that existed in the league, and he was the key to turning a very good Detroit defense into one of the best ever, when he was traded there. I certainly can't prove he's a great defender. Defensive evaluation is extremely opinion-based, as stats do a very poor job of capturing it. In my opinion, Wallace has been one of the best individual defenders in the game during his career. Not quite Kevin Garnett, defensively, but not far off.
Rasheed's best quality, IMO, was his post defense. He could score on anyone but always deferred to teammates.
I have to chuckle, we are either the worst or one of the worst fast breaking teams in the league, so you describe him as a "runner" on a team that does not run? Especially the first unit woth Roy and Blake - huh?
