Rasheed Wallace on Why the NBA Prioritizes Scoring, Perception vs. Reality With Media Narratives, and Winning a Title With the Pistons | Real Ones
Nov 16, 2023
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Former NBA champion and four-time NBA All-Star Rasheed Wallace joins Logan and Raja to discuss how the league prioritized scoring over defense and how that changed how games were officiated. They also talk about Wallace's experiences with media narratives, the differences between his Portland and Detroit teams, today's NBA big men modeling their game after him, and their Real Ones of the Week.
The NBA prioritized scoring over defense, affecting refereeing and players like Raja Bell.
Media narratives created a negative image of the 'Jail Blazers' while the team focused on winning.
Rasheed Wallace's father's resilience through open-heart surgery inspired him to fight through adversity.
Deep dives
Offguard podcast moves to own feed
Austin Rivers and Pasha Givi announce that their podcast, Offguard, is moving to its own podcast feed. They will now release two episodes per week, discussing the biggest stories in the NBA. Listeners can tune in on the new Offguard feed on Spotify or their preferred podcast platform.
Rasheed Wallace discusses refereeing and player standing
Rasheed Wallace joins the podcast and discusses a clip in which he talks about Raja Bell's standing in the league being affected by the way he was refereed. Wallace explains that Bell's skill as a defender put him at odds with the league's desire for high-scoring games. He believes that the NBA prioritized offense over defense, leading to Bell getting quick fouls and limited playing time.
Rasheed Wallace reflects on his career and the 'Jail Blazers' narrative
Rasheed Wallace shares his experience of being traded early in his career and arriving in Portland with the reputation of the 'Jail Blazers'. He clarifies that, contrary to the portrayal, the team was not involved in legal troubles. Wallace emphasizes that the media perpetuated a negative image while the team focused on winning. He also discusses the changing perception of marijuana in the NBA, highlighting how players like himself were stigmatized while today's players are accepted for their cannabis use.
Defying the Odds: CJ Stroud's Impressive Performance
CJ Stroud has been defying the odds and proving his critics wrong with his exceptional performance on the field. Despite facing doubts and skepticism, particularly as a young black quarterback, he has consistently found ways to lead his team to victory week after week. CJ's determination and resilience are commendable as he continues to silence his naysayers with his impressive skills and results.
Rasheed Wallace shares a personal story about his father, who recently underwent open-heart surgery and had a pacemaker implanted. Despite the challenges and uncertainties associated with such procedures, Sheed's father showed immense strength and a refusal to give up. With his continued sense of humor and resilience, he became an inspiration to Rasheed and a reminder of the importance of fighting through adversity.
Logan and Raja are joined by four-time NBA All-Star Rasheed Wallace to discuss how the league prioritized scoring over defense and how that changed how games were officiated (1:26). Next, the former NBA champion explains what it was like getting traded by the Washington Bullets after his rookie year, adapting to life in Portland and playing for the Trail Blazers, and perception vs. reality with media narratives (7:28). Along the way, Wallace breaks down the differences between his Portland team that lost to the Lakers in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals and his Detroit Pistons team that won the Finals in 2004 (27:48). Later, he talks about what it’s like to see today’s NBA big men model their game after him and how the style of play has changed (44:17). Finally, the guys close with their Real Ones of the Week (65:13).
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