There is no other way to put it. Four-time NBA All-Star Rasheed Wallace is, without a doubt, one of basketball’s living legends.
Wallace, who played in the NBA from 1995 until 2013, is a pioneer in the sport. He coined the catchphrase “ball don’t lie” and his hard-nosed defensive tenacity constantly set a tone for his locker room.
During his playing career, Wallace led the Detroit Pistons to defeat the Los Angeles Lakers and win the 2004 NBA Championship. One of his teammates was Darvin Ham, who recently took over as head coach for the Lakers.
In an exciting development, the former teammates are set to join forces in Los Angeles, as The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported that Wallace will reportedly join Ham’s coaching staff.
Sources: Four-time NBA All-Star Rasheed Wallace has agreed on a deal to be an assistant coach for the Lakers under new head coach Darvin Ham. Both were teammates in Detroit and part of the 2004 title team. Memphis‘ Penny Hardaway hinted today Wallace may join Ham in LA.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 6, 2022
Wallace, who began his NBA coaching career immediately after his playing career, took a hiatus from the bench after just one season as an assistant with the Pistons in 2013-14.
The former NBA veteran then took over as the head coach of Jordan High School in North Carolina between 2019 and 2021. He most recently served as an assistant (then as a consultant) for Penny Hardaway at the University of Memphis.
From an X’s and O’s standpoint, it’s doubtful Wallace has much of a role or impact with the team. But from a cultural perspective, he will likely make his mark.
Early reports from Wallace’s demeanor as a coach suggest that he should out the fire burning within the Lakers, which is something the team desperately needed last year. Los Angeles played without much intensity and purpose in 2021-22, and that won’t happen again on Wallace’s watch.
The bad news is that we might also see some costly technical fouls called on Wallace, even from the bench. When he was active in the league, Wallace set a record for the most technicals called on a player in a single season.
