Originally Posted by
Pelicanidae
While we're on the subject of the Pistons, do you know who I'd like Zion to do some work with in the offseason? Ben Wallace.
Ben is 46 now and has been out of the league for a while, but people still work with Hakeem to learn post-offense so why not? I'm not too worried about Zion's offense: it's otherworldly good already and I have no real doubt that it's going to continue to improve as he gains experience as a ball-handler and passer, and continues working on his shooting, something we've seen him be willing to do.
The real area for contention for him is defensive. He's clearly improved from the very start of the season, and the general trajectory looks promising, but I'd love for him to get some work in with someone who was legitimately monstrous on that end.
Ben Wallace was listed as 6'9 but he's admitted that he was really more like 6'7, a height very much in line with Zion's, and yet Wallace was one of the most terrifying defenders of all time. Through the heart of his prime (Age 23 to age 32) he averaged 11.7 rebounds and 2.5 blocks a game while only 6'7 in the early 2000s, where the league was much larger than it is today in a lot of ways. He posted a DRtg under 100 ten consecutive seasons and averaged a 2.3%STL and 5.0%BLK for his entire career.
He led the league in Defensive Win Shares 4 years in a row from 2001-02 until 2004-5, and led the league in defensive BPM during two of those years as well. He's one of only 4 players in NBA history to retire with more blocks than fouls, and out of those 4, he's the only one to also retire with more steals than turnovers.
If you search for players in the 3pt Era to record seasons where they played at least 2200 minutes (25mpg) and recorded a STL% of at least 2, a BLK% of at least 5%, and a DBPM of at least +2.0, you get these seasons:
- Andrei Kirilenko 2003-04
- Ben Wallace 2001-02
- Ben Wallace 2002-03
- Ben Wallace 2003-04
- Andrei Kirilenko 2003-04
- Andrei Kirilenko 2005-06
- Josh Smith 2007-08 (rare cameo here from Josh Smith)
If anyone can teach Zion some tips about playing defense as an undersized yet completely physically jacked wrecking ball, it's Wallace.