NBA Player Profile – Gerald Wallace
Name: Gerald Wallace
Team: Charlotte Bobcats
Position: Forward
NBA Statistics: 18.6 (points), 11. 3 (rebounds), 1.9 (assists)
Background: If there was ever an award for hardest working player in professional basketball, it would take a brave man to match himself up against Gerald ‘Crash’ Wallace. “Energy — that’s his game”, is what coach Bernie Bickerstaff was quoted as saying when questioned about Gerald’s style of play.
He was drafted into the NBA in 2001 by the Sacramento Kings, a year after claiming the prestigious Naismith Prep Player of the Year Award. He failed to establish himself as a first-team regular, but did manage to attract some attention after placing second in the 2002 Slam Dunk Contest. He ventured to Charlotte after a three-year stint with the Kings, and boosted by the added minutes, began to improve his game as the seasons progressed.
In his 2005-2006 season he managed to achieve a feat that only two other players in the history of the NBA could — average over two blocks and two steals per game for an entire season. That season he managed 14.5 points and seven rebounds along with a 54 per cent field goal percentage, showing his efficiency and potency on both ends of the floor.
The Bobcats appear to be making a serious challenge for a playoff spot, and without question it has a lot to do with Gerald’s continuous growth and effectiveness. With many seasons ahead of him (barring career-threatening injury), Crash’s stigma of being a late bloomer will do more good than harm.