Only a handful of players can say they've blocked the legendary Shaquille O'Neal, and even fewer can claim a monster block against him. Ben Wallace is one of those rare players.
In a 2006 matchup, the iconic 6'9" center produced that standout play after Shaq brushed off his defender, Rasheed Wallace, thinking he had an easy path to score in the Pistons' paint. However, the Heat star didn't account for 'Big Ben,' who suddenly swooped in and powerfully swatted the shot away.
"Once I elevated and saw that he hadn't raised the ball above his head yet, I felt like I was in a perfect position. Then he went into his move, and I sort of caught him off guard a little bit. Once I got my hand over the top of the ball, I knew it was a wrap from there," Wallace recalled the play, per Pistons Talk .
Epic big men clash
The 2006 Eastern Conference Finals featured a thrilling matchup. The Pistons , who had previously reached the NBA Finals twice, faced a talented Heat team led by Hall of Fame coach Pat Riley. The series gained additional excitement due to the clash between two legendary big men.
While not as dominant as at his peak in the early 2000s, O'Neal averaged 20.0 points and 9.2 rebounds during the regular season, earning his thirteenth All-Star selection.
Wallace, however, aimed to shut that down. The multiple DPOY winner had already contained Shaq in the 2004 NBA Finals, with many considering it one of the best defensive displays ever against the superstar center.
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Shaq didn't give props
The series was tied 2-2 as it headed to South Beach for Game 6. In the third quarter, "Shaq had it going," as Ben pointed out. This made Detroit's legendary no. 3 was even more attentive, especially after 'Diesel' was about to score another bucket.
"When I turned and saw he had shoved 'Sheed' off and, you know, no whistle, what was going through my mind then was, I've got to get to this ball before we get to the rim," explained Wallace.
This was followed by Big Ben making a perfectly timed block that led to a jump ball. After the game , a female reporter asked the NBA icon about it, and he curtly responded, "That was a foul, young lady. You know that was a foul. Don't ask dumb questions."
That sentiment resurfaced years later in one of Shaquille's many petty moments. Under a photo of the block on social media, he reportedly commented, "That's a f***ing foul," adding , "and they even lost the series."
Indeed, the series ultimately ended 4-2 in favor of Miami . Shortly after, things got even better for the Florida franchise as Diesel and his teammates defeated the Mavericks to win the championship title .
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