Rasheed Wallace joined the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in the same week that Brandon Roy was first nominated for induction into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
‘Sheed Becomes a Great Lakes State Legend
Wallace was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame on December 19 in recognition for his contributions to the Pistons’ 2004 NBA Championship.
The Trail Blazers’ 1996-2004 franchise player told Click on Detroit he was moved by the recognition:
“It’s awesome. It’s a privilege,” Wallace said. “I’m glad and thankful to be here. This is a very special moment to go with a special city.”
In February of 2004, the Blazers traded Wallace and Wesley Person to the Atlanta Hawks for Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Theo Ratliff and Dan Dickau. Wallace played just one game for the Hawks before Atlanta traded him once again to the Pistons who went on to dismantle the three-peat Lakers in a five game NBA Finals showdown.
The 51-year-old played for six NBA teams. In addition to the NBA championship, the four-time All Star holds the NBA single-season record for technical fouls with 41 in the 2001 season. He was ejected from games a league-record 29 times, all while playing for the Blazers.
It was a momentous couple of days for Wallace. On December 21, Tennessee Collegiate Academy named him an associate head coach. The team plays in the Nike EYBL Scholastic league.
His 2000 Blazers team was recognized by the team during tonight’s game versus the Pistons, though Wallace was not in attendance.
The Natural is on the Ballot
Sticking with Blazers Hall of Famers for $5000, Brandon Roy will be on the 2026 ballot for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. He has been eligible for inclusion since 2017, but this is the first time he has been nominated for inclusion in the hall.
The three-time All Star and 2006 Rookie of the Year played just six NBA seasons for the Trail Blazers and the Timberwolves. He retired at age 27 after multiple knee injuries.
Because Hall of Fame inductees are typically selected based upon accumulated statistics, it is unusual but not unheard of for players with short careers to enter the Hall. Notable exceptions are Maurice Stokes who was paralyzed during a game in his third NBA season, Yao Ming who played only 486 regular season games and two-time NBA champion, Bill Walton who played in 468 NBA games while missing 680.
In 2023, Roy told The Athletic that it’s challenging for him to come to terms with what he lost due to injury. (subscription required):
“I just wanted to stay away from basketball, or from even hearing my name. It was just hard not being able to play … and I was only 28, 29 years old. So, I just stayed away.”
The brevity of his career hasn’t diminished Roy’s accomplishments in the estimation of Portland fans. When Roy first retired from the league in 2011, Naismith Hall of Famer Clyde Drexler called him one of his favorite Blazers of all time:
The guy had major game. He showed leadership ability as a young player that was uncharacteristic of most players in today’s game. He was fun to watch. He was the nicest guy ever. He was great on and off the court, which you rarely see these days. We all know that injuries are a big part of the game. He should hold his head up high knowing that he was one of the best players ever in a Trail Blazers uniform.
Like Wallace, Roy also coached high school basketball in his retirement. He led his alma mater, Garfield High School to the Washington Class 3A state championships in 2018, 2020 and 2023. In September, the school announced Roy had been dismissed from his duties.
Naismith Hall of Fame finalists chosen by screening committees will be announced at a later date. The entire Class of 2026 will be revealed on April 4, 2026, during the NCAA Final Four tournament.