Orlando Magic Daily
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5 Orlando Magic alum who have next for the Basketball Hall of Fame

By Philip Rossman-Reich

ORLANDO, FL - JANUARY 14: Anfernee Hardaway #1 and Horace Grant #54 of the Orlando Magic oversee the game against the Philadelphia 76ers played at the Orlando Arena on January 14, 1995 in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1995 NBAE (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images)
ORLANDO, FL - JANUARY 14: Anfernee Hardaway #1 and Horace Grant #54 of the Orlando Magic oversee the game against the Philadelphia 76ers played at the Orlando Arena on January 14, 1995 in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1995 NBAE (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Ben Wallace, Orlando Magic, Detroit Pistons, Steven Hunter
ORLANDO, FL – APRIL 25: Steven Hunter #34 of the Orlando Magic slam dunks past Ben Wallace #3 of the Detroit Pistons in Game three of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals during the 2003 NBA Playoffs at TD Waterhouse Centre on April 25, 2003 in Orlando, Florida. The Magic won 89-80. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2003 NBAE (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Ben Wallace

Years with Magic: 2000

Basketball-Reference Hall of Fame Probability: 45.3 percent

The players described before this slide have scoring accolades, All-Star Games and highlights to back up their entry into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame. They have a clear place in the narrative of NBA history.

Yet, they both may not have the same opportunity to make the Hall of Fame like Ben Wallace. Championships and individual awards have that way of changing perception and adding to Hall of Fame credentials. Wallace has an impressive resume for sure.

Wallace made four All-Star Games, four Defensive Player of the Year awards, five All-Defensive First Team selections and five All-NBA team selections. All this while rarely scoring. Wallace averaged 5.7 points, 9.6 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game in his career. That hardly seems like a big impact.

But Wallace made a huge impact as those four Defensive Player of the Year awards suggest. He was a dominant defensive player on a team that was dominant defensively. Enough to lead the Detroit Pistons to one of the biggest upsets in NBA Finals history.

The Magic, of course, got off the Wallace train right before it left the station. He was a solid player in his lone year in Orlando as part of the Heart and Hustle year. He averaged 4.8 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game in that lone year.

He was a strong defensive force, but not quite the dominant defensive force he was with the Detroit Pistons. Maybe he would have never reached it had he stayed in Orlando. The team ended up trading him to acquire Grant Hill in a sign-and-trade deal.

But Wallace was a fan favorite in his lone year in Orlando. A rugged defender the team sure could have used to grow with Tracy McGrady and give the team another identity to go with McGrady’s overall brilliance. But that was not meant to be.

Wallace has a Hall of Fame case. Maybe a better one than people think as such an important part of a championship team. But there are plenty of arguments to keep him out too.