Charlotte Bobcats coach Larry Brown knew Gerald Wallace belonged on the NBA’s All-Defensive team. He just wasn’t so sure the other 29 head coaches would agree.
"When I see the all-defensive team – who makes it – a lot of times I scratch my head," Brown said last week. "I think a lot of times guys who don’t have a reputation as a great (overall) player get overlooked as far as the impact they have defensively."
If that’s the politics, then maybe Wallace is emerging as a great defender and a fine overall player.
He was named first-team All-Defensive Wednesday, along with Orlando’s Dwight Howard, Boston's Rajon Rondo, Cleveland's LeBron James and Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers.
All five first-teamers were also All-Stars this season, Wallace for the first time. He turned the coaches’ heads by finishing ninth in rebounding (10 per game), 14th in steals (1.54 per game) and 28th in blocks (1.09 per game).
Brown gushed about Wallace’s performance during his post-season press conference last week, expressing surprise Wallace wasn’t a factor for most-improved player.
"He was third-leading vote-getter (for defensive player). That’s pretty incredible, being a non-center," Brown said.
"I remember when they were talking about most-improved. The guys who were selected were deserving, but I thought his name should have come up. Maybe they thought he was already (developed). Maybe that’s a compliment in itself."
The distinctions continue this summer: Wallace and Charlottean Stephen Curry, a Golden State Warriors rookie, have both received invitations to the Team USA tryouts in July.
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