NBA Draft History: Top Four 4th Overall Picks

Oct 10, 2013; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Detroit Pistons player development coach Rasheed Wallace (middle) shakes hands with Miami Heat shooting guard Dwyane Wade (left) after the game at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Heat beat the Pistons 112-107. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports

Rasheed Wallace

First I just want to say how ridiculous and funny it is that there is a video compilation over six minutes of Wallace’s “ball don’t lie”. So awesome.

Rasheed Wallace was drafted in 1995 by the Washington Bullets and was immediately traded to the Portland Trail Blazers after his rookie year. Wallace matured into an All-Star by 2000, averaging 16.4 points, 7 rebounds, 1.1 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game. The Trail Blazers were on the verge of making the NBA Finals, but the Los Angeles Lakers came back and eliminated Portland in heartbreaking fashion. The following year Portland would get swept by the Lakers in the First Round.

Wallace in his eight years in Portland accumulated top ten stats in almost every statistical category. Wallace is within top ten All-Time points, games played, minutes played, field goals made, field goal attempted, three-point field goals made, three-point field goal attempted, free throws attempted, total rebounds, steals, and blocks for the Trail Blazers.

Wallace was an enormous talent and became the missing piece to the puzzle that was the Detroit Pistons’ Championship aspirations in 2004. Coming over in a mid-season trade, Wallace’s fiery personality and defense, along with his stretch-four playmaking abilities helped vanquished the Lakers’ dynasty. Wallace averaged 13 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game in the 2004 NBA Finals and was the perfect complimentary player the Pistons needed to get over the top. Detroit probably should have been back-to-back Champions but Wallace foolishly left Robert Horry wide open in the closing seconds…

In Wallace’s six years with Detroit, Wallace became the franchise fourth All-Time in three-point field goals made and attempted, sixth All-Time in blocks and blocks per game, and eighth All-Time in defensive rebounds.

With Wallace Detroit made two consecutive NBA Finals, and five consecutive Eastern Conference Finals appearances, truly dominating the East for half a decade. In those five seasons the Pistons amassed a 284-126 record in the regular season, with a winning percentage of 69.3%.

List of Achievements

• NBA champion (2004)
• 4× NBA All-Star (2000, 2001, 2006, 2008)
• NBA All-Rookie Second Team (1996)

Next: No. 3 Greatest 4th Overall Pick