No matter how big of a star a player was in college, high school, or overseas, there’s always a learning curve to playing in the NBA. Whether it’s the athleticism, speed of the players, or pace of the game, rookies have to make adjustments quickly to find success at this ultra-competitive level.
Rasheed Wallace 's adjustment to the NBA game was a bit different. As he recalled in an episode of “Sheed and Tyler,” he had to battle some physical specimens every day in practice, which sharpened his skills and prepared him for the rigors of the pro game.
The Washington Bullets’ humongous frontline
When Wallace joined the Washington Bullets (now Wizards) after being drafted fourth overall in the 1995 NBA Draft, he found himself going up against Chris Webber, Juwan Howard, and towering center Gheorge Muresan on a daily basis. Add to that the bull-strong 7-foot-1 center Jim McIlvaine, and Wallace had his fill of battles in the paint.
But instead of being intimidated or overwhelmed, Wallace embraced the challenge and used it to his advantage. As a rookie, he knew he wasn’t going to get plenty of minutes of shots, so he used practice as his platform to showcase his skills and get his reps in.
“I got drafted by the Washington Bullets. I had to go practice against Chris Webber every damn day, right? Juwan Howard every damn day, right? George Muresan, 7-foot-7 ass, every damn day. Jim McIlvaine—every damn day. So I knew I had to be in tip-top shape to get my reps in,” Wallace stated .
Additionally, Sheed knew every practice would be a battle, so he had to ensure his mind and body were prepared.
“It wasn't enough for me to just be like, 'Alright, go to practice half an hour early, get a couple shots up.' No, let me get my reps in somehow, some way because I knew I wasn't going to get the ball,” the 6-foot-11 power forward with the soft touch added.
Related: "That's not a goal I want to achieve. That's not something I think I'll be good at" - Allen Iverson on why he would never want to be a coach
Mad Max had stiff competition
Vernon Maxwell also shared his experiences as a rookie for the San Antonio Spurs. Although he had a solid first-year campaign, averaging 11.7 points, opportunities were hard to come by, as he had to compete against a veteran shooting guard named Alvin Robertson.
“When I came in the league, I got drafted by the San Antonio Spurs. They had a crazy motherf***** there—Alvin Robertson, man. I mean, he had shoulders on shoulders on top of shoulders, and his arms were swole. He was just a... oh man, he's a freak of nature type ni***,” the man known as “Mad Max” shared.
A 6-foot-4 guard from Arkansas, Alvin holds the distinction of being the only guard in NBA history to record a quadruple-double. He tallied 20 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists, and 10 steals in a match against the Phoenix Suns on February 18, 1986.
“I knew when I was a rookie—that's when I knew—I said, 'You better get your little ass in that weight room, boy.' So I had to go and put on some goddamn pounds for this, so I knew it was going to be tough for me, man, 'cause this ni** plays hard as hell. I mean, every second of the game, man. I mean, grown man strength,” Vernon added.
Transitioning to the NBA isn’t as easy as some players make it look. The physicality and athleticism of the game at the professional level can be a shock to even the most talented players. Both Rasheed and Vernon learned this the moment they got drafted into the pros. Fortunately, they were equipped with the mentl fortitude to overcome the usual challenges that come with being a rookie in the NBA.
Related: Rasheed Wallace says Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is his GOAT: "That man was a winner at every level"
Local News
