Gerald Wallace

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Gerald Wallace

Wallace with the Brooklyn Nets
No. 45 – Boston Celtics
Position Small forward
League NBA
Personal information
Born (1982-07-23) July 23, 1982
Sylacauga, Alabama
Nationality American
Listed height 6 ft 7 in (201 cm)
Listed weight 220 lb (100 kg)
Career information
High school Childersburg
(Childersburg, Alabama)
College Alabama (2000–2001)
NBA draft 2001 / Round: 1 / Pick: 25th overall
Selected by the Sacramento Kings
Pro playing career 2001–present
Career history
2001–2004 Sacramento Kings
2004–2011 Charlotte Bobcats
2011–2012 Portland Trail Blazers
2012–2013 New Jersey / Brooklyn Nets
2013–present Boston Celtics
Career highlights and awards

Gerald Jermaine Wallace (born July 23, 1982) is an American professional basketball small forward for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

High school

Wallace attended Childersburg High School in Childersburg, Alabama, where he had a very successful career. For his senior season efforts he was named the Naismith Prep Player of the Year, an honor given to the best high school basketball player.

College

Wallace attended the University of Alabama for one season before declaring himself eligible for the 2001 NBA Draft. At Alabama, he averaged 9.8 points per game.

NBA

Sacramento Kings (2001-2004)

In three seasons with the Sacramento Kings, Wallace rarely played, but in the brief appearances he made himself known for his versatility and extraordinary athleticism. In the 2002 Slam Dunk Contest, Wallace finished second to two-time winner Jason Richardson.

Charlotte Bobcats (2004-2011)

In 2004, Wallace was drafted by the Charlotte Bobcats in their expansion draft. Wallace started immediately for the club, and went on to have a season of averaging 11.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 1.3 blocks a game. He continued to improve in 2005–06, before getting injured in January, averaging 14.5 points and 7 rebounds, and ranking in the top 10 in the NBA in field goal percentage (54.142), blocks (2.19), and steals per game (2.44). Since the NBA began counting blocks as a statistic in 1973, only two other players (David Robinson and Hakeem Olajuwon) in league history have averaged over 2.0 blocks and 2.0 steals per game in a single season.

Wallace is known for his somewhat reckless style of play that leads to his frequent injuries.[1] For this, he has earned the nickname "Crash".[2] He missed a total of 39 games in his first two years with the Bobcats, but his energetic and sometimes dangerous behavior that may have caused his injuries was also what contributed to his gaudy defensive stats. Coach Bernie Bickerstaff said of Wallace "Gerald can only play one way and be effective. Energy -- that's his game." In 2006, Wallace attempted to refine his game in order to avoid being injured, and as a result his numbers suffered. The first month of the season, Wallace had only five total blocks (an average of 0.3 per game) and his averages were down across the statline from 2005. Wallace improved his play in the second month of the season, but he went down with a separated shoulder in a December game against the Indiana Pacers. When he returned, Wallace continued his fine play finishing the season averaging 18.1 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block in 72 games.

Wallace defending Rip Hamilton.

Wallace appeared opposite Tim Duncan in the March 2008 "SLAM-UP" centerfold for SLAM Magazine.

Wallace suffered a Grade 3 concussion on February 23, 2008 after taking an unintentional elbow to the face from Sacramento's Mikki Moore.[2] It was his fourth concussion in as many seasons with the Bobcats.[2] It was not clear when he would return,[2] although Grade 3 concussions are defined by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons as ones that "involve post-traumatic amnesia for more than 24 hours or unconsciousness for more than five minutes. Players who sustain this grade of brain injury should be sidelined for at least one month, after which they can return to play if they are asymptomatic for one week."[3] He returned later on in the season, finishing the year with a new career high in points, assists, and minutes.

He suffered a partially collapsed lung and a fractured rib after being flagrantly fouled while driving for a layup by Los Angeles Lakers' Andrew Bynum on January 27, 2009 and was forced to miss seven games. He also was unable to fly and instead crossed the United States en route back to Charlotte by bus.[4]

Wallace was selected to play in the 2010 NBA All-Star Game in Dallas,[5] becoming the first Charlotte Bobcat to do so. Wallace was also selected to participate in the 2010 NBA All-Star Weekend Slam Dunk Contest. He was also selected to the 2010-2012 USA Basketball Men's National Team to represent the United States in the 2010 FIBA World Championship along with a possible trip with the team to the 2012 Olympics.[6]

In the first-ever playoff game for the Bobcats, Wallace led the team with 25 points. This thus stood as a playoff single game scoring record for the Bobcats until game 2 of the series, when Stephen Jackson broke the record by scoring 27 points.

In 2010, Wallace was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team.[7] During the 2010-2011 season as a Bobcat, he averaged 15.6 points per game, 8.2 rebounds per game, and 2.4 assists per game in 39 minutes per game. He played 48 games with the team during thee season.

Wallace is the Bobcats' all-time leader in points scored, with 7,437.[8]

Portland Trail Blazers (2011-2012)

On February 24, 2011, Wallace was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers for Joel Przybilla, Dante Cunningham, Sean Marks, and two future draft picks.[9] He provided help for the team while Brandon Roy was injured. The Trail Blazers finished 48-34, good for the playoffs. They lost in the opening round to the Dallas Mavericks in 6 games. In the next season as a Trail Blazer, Wallace averaged 13.3 points per game, 6.6 rebounds per game, and 2.7 assists per game in 35.8 minutes per game. He played 42 games with the team that season.

New Jersey/Brooklyn Nets (2012-2013)

Gerald Wallace with the Nets playing the Lakers

On March 15, 2012, Wallace was traded from the Portland Trail Blazers to the New Jersey Nets in exchange for Shawne Williams, Mehmet Okur and a 2012 top-3 protected 1st round draft pick.[10] On April 8, 2012 Wallace injured his left leg on a put back dunk. Wallace would only play 2 more games the entire season.[11] Wallace played in 16 total games for the Nets that season and averaged 15.2 points per game. On July 11, 2012, Wallace re-signed with the Nets. The contract is reportedly worth $40 million for four years.[12] In the first game of the season Wallace injured his left ankle. With just 27 seconds left on the game clock, Wallace got hurt trying to block a shot by Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry. After the game the team announced it was a sprained left ankle. Wallace would miss 6 games before making his return.[13] Wallace would get injured again when the Nets played the Phoenix Suns on January 11, 2013. Wallace injured his ribs after the Phoenix Suns player P.J. Tucker fouled him hard while attempting a fast break dunk early in the first quarter. Wallace landed awkwardly on the floor and remained on the court for several moments before being helped to get on his feet and to the locker room. He did not return to the game. Gerald would miss 2 games until he returned to play the Atlanta Hawks.[14]

Boston Celtics (2013-present)

Wallace was traded to the Boston Celtics on July 12, 2013 in a blockbuster deal that sent Celtics stars Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Jason Terry to the Nets.[15]

Personal

Wallace is represented by agent Rob Pelinka.[16]

Wallace started The Gerald Wallace Foundation to provide opportunities for underserved children and their families in his hometown of Childersburg, Alabama, and his former playing city of Portland, OR.[17]

NBA career statistics

Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage  3P%  3-point field goal percentage  FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high

Regular season

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2001–02 Sacramento 54 1 8.0 .429 .000 .500 1.6 .5 .4 .1 3.2
2002–03 Sacramento 47 7 12.1 .492 .250 .527 2.7 .5 .5 .3 4.7
2003–04 Sacramento 37 1 9.1 .360 .000 .458 2.0 .5 .4 .4 2.0
2004–05 Charlotte 70 68 30.7 .449 .274 .661 5.5 2.0 1.7 1.3 11.1
2005–06 Charlotte 55 52 34.5 .538 .280 .614 7.5 1.7 2.5 2.1 15.2
2006–07 Charlotte 72 71 36.7 .502 .325 .691 7.2 2.6 2.0 1.0 18.1
2007–08 Charlotte 62 59 38.3 .449 .321 .731 6.0 3.5 2.1 .9 19.4
2008–09 Charlotte 71 71 37.6 .480 .298 .804 7.8 2.7 1.7 .9 16.6
2009–10 Charlotte 76 76 41.0 .484 .371 .776 10.0 2.1 1.5 1.1 18.2
2010–11 Charlotte 48 48 39.0 .433 .330 .739 8.2 2.4 1.2 1.0 15.6
2010–11 Portland 23 15 35.7 .498 .338 .767 7.6 2.5 2.0 .7 15.8
2011–12 Portland 42 42 35.8 .472 .265 .776 6.6 2.7 1.5 .6 13.3
2011–12 New Jersey 16 16 35.8 .416 .385 .859 6.8 3.1 1.4 .7 15.2
2012–13 Brooklyn 69 68 30.1 .397 .282 .637 4.6 2.6 1.4 .7 7.7
Career 742 595 31.0 .468 .313 .718 6.2 2.1 1.5 .9 12.9
All-Star 1 0 15.0 .333 .000 .000 3.0 1.0 .0 .0 2.0

Playoffs

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2002 Sacramento 5 0 2.8 .000 .000 1.000 .2 .2 .0 .2 .8
2003 Sacramento 7 0 2.6 .400 .000 1.000 .7 .0 .0 .1 .9
2004 Sacramento 3 0 6.7 .500 .000 .500 .7 .3 .3 .3 2.3
2010 Charlotte 4 4 41.0 .477 .455 .657 9.0 2.3 1.3 1.5 17.5
2011 Portland 6 6 37.7 .448 .176 .875 9.2 2.8 1.3 .5 15.2
2013 Brooklyn 7 7 34.7 .463 .379 .550 4.0 2.4 1.1 .7 12.0
Career 32 17 21.4 .458 .333 .726 4.0 1.4 .7 .5 8.2

Career highs

  • Points: 42: vs. New York 01/31/07
  • Rebounds: 20: 2 times
  • Assists: 10: vs. Philadelphia
  • Steals: 8: vs. Milwaukee 01/13/06
  • Blocks: 6: 2 times

Notes

  1. ↑ Charlotte Observer | Sports
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Bobcats reach out to NFL's Panthers for help with Wallace's concussion
  3. ↑ Occupational Hazard: Updates on Yao, Butler, G. Wallace
  4. ↑ Gerald Wallace of Charlotte Bobcats Suffers a Partially Collapsed Lung ESPN.com, January 28, 2009
  5. ↑ Gerald Wallace All-Star profile
  6. ↑ http://www.nba.com/bobcats/wallace_usa_100210.html
  7. ↑ http://www.nba.com/2010/news/05/05/all.defense/index.html?ls=iref:nbahpt2
  8. ↑ http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/CHA/leaders_career.html
  9. ↑ "Trail Blazers Acquire Gerald Wallace" (Press release). Portland Trail Blazers. February 24, 2011. Retrieved February 24, 2011. 
  10. ↑ Marc Stein. "Nets agree to acquire Gerald Wallace". ESPN. Retrieved 2012-03-15. 
  11. ↑ "Gerald Wallace soars for huge put-back dunk, injures left leg on the landing (VIDEO)". yahoo.com. yahoo. 
  12. ↑ "Brooklyn Nets Re-Sign Gerald Wallace". NBA.com. 2012-07-11. Retrieved 2012-07-11. 
  13. ↑ "Gerald Wallace playing through pain for Brooklyn Nets, admits to physical and mental slump". New York Daily News. nydailynews.com. 
  14. ↑ Patt, Jason. "Gerald Wallace injury: Bruised ribs for Nets forward". sbnation.com. sbnation. 
  15. ↑ "Celtics Complete Trade With Brooklyn Nets". NBA.com. July 12, 2013. 
  16. ↑ "Rob Pelinka". DraftExpress LLC. Retrieved 2008-07-23. 
  17. ↑ Murray, Malinda. "Wallace Launches Foundation To Help Shape The Lives Of Kids In Need". Retrieved 10 May 2011. 

External links

First round
Second round
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