Title: Ben Wallace NBA Career Word Count: 485 Summary: Born on September 10, 1974, Ben Wallace attended college at Virginia Union, where he studied criminal justice, and currently plays for the NBA’s Detroit Pistons. He stands 6'9" tall and weighs 240 lbs and is the 10th of 11 children. Keywords: Ben, Wallace, Detroit Pistons, Chicago Bulls, NBA, basketball, biography, pictures Article Body: Born on September 10, 1974, Ben Wallace attended college at Virginia Union, where he studied criminal justice, and currently plays for the NBA’s Detroit Pistons. He stands 6'9" tall and weighs 240 lbs and is the 10th of 11 children. In his free time away from the court, Ben Wallace enjoys swimming, hunting, fishing and video games. During the off-season, Ben and his wife Chanda reside in Virginia. During his collegiate years, Wallace led his team to the Division II Final Four and an impressive 28-3 record. The 1996-1997 season marked the rookie year for Ben Wallace, during which he saw only limited action as a reserve player for the Bullets. Having appeared in 34 competitions during the season, he averaged 1.1 point per game. During the 1997-1998 season, Wallace experienced his first NBA career start, during which he grabbed 12 rebounds, against the Indiana Pacers on January 27, 1998. The following seasons gave Ben Wallace additional court time, which allowed him to continue bettering his game. The 2002-2003 season found Ben Wallace missing a handful of games due to injuries, but he still managed to play and start in 73 regular season games. The 2003-2004 season marked the second consecutive season for which Ben Wallace earned All-NBA Second Team honors and the third consecutive season that he was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team. In addition, he wrapped up the season as being the only NBA athlete to be ranked in the Top-10 in rebounds, blocks and steals. During the 2004-2005 season, Wallace appeared and started in 74 games. He averaged a career-high of 9.7 points per game and finished the season as being the only NBA Player to be ranked in the Top-5 in blocks and Top-25 in steals. In November, Ben Wallace missed six regular season games due to an NBA suspension. As the 2005-2006 season statistics were calculated, Ben Wallace averaged 7.3 points per game, 11.30 rebounds and 1.9 assists. Standing 6'9" and weighing in at 240 lbs., Ben Wallace stands poised to help make the Pistons one of the frontrunners of the 2006-2007 season. Fans who would like to request a signed photo or simply send Ben Wallace their best wishes are urged to do so in care of his NBA franchise team. If you are requesting an autograph, be sure to include a SASE (self-addressed stamped envelope) along with your request. Some of the most popular items to have signed include a blank index card, trading card or photo. Fans are not advised to send an item that has special sentimental value, is a limited edition or prized possession. As with all autograph requests, there is never a guarantee of a response. For reasons of both time and commitments, some athletes are prevented from answering all fan mail. For this reason, many fans prefer to simply request that the athlete send a signed photo rather than providing their own to be autographed. Letters and requests should be mailed to: Ben Wallace Detroit Pistons The Palace of Auburn Hills 4 Championship Dr. Auburn Hills, MI 48326