The Los Angeles Lakers are taking small steps to fix the mess they got themselves into. They hired Darvin Ham to replace Frank Vogel and now are about to add Rasheed Wallace to his coaching staff.
Wallace will bring in another defensive-oriented veteran to the bench. His impact is expected to go way beyond just shouting “Ball Don’t Lie” at the referees after every missed free throw, but actually pick the players’ brains and make them better.
Still, Wallace has had some interesting takes about two of the Lakers stars in the past. For starters, he once claimed that LeBron James wouldn’t dominate in his era, and later called Russell Westbrook the best player in the NBA.
Rasheed Wallace Said LeBron James Wouldn’t Dominate In His Era
“He probably would’ve done good with his physical stature, with him being bigger than the majority of the rest of the players. So he probably would’ve held his own, but I don’t think he would be as successful as he is now. It’s a whole different era back then. I couldn’t necessarily say that he would’ve been a beast, but I think he would’ve held his own,” Wallace said.
Wallace Also Called Russell Westbrook The Best Player In The World
“Did anybody else just read those numbers that was put up?” he asked. “I mean, goodness gracious, this man is right now — I gotta say, Russ is the best player in the NBA right now. That’s no disrespect to KD, and Kyrie and LeBron. But, aye, right now… what this kid is doing?” Wallace said.
It’s funny how life can come at you fast, especially in the internet era. No one is safe and people will hold you accountable for your words. Sometimes, the context won’t even matter at all.
It’ll be interesting to see whether Wallace still feels the same way about Westbrook and LeBron at this point in their careers. But regardless of personal preference, all that matters is that he and Ham find a way to turn this team around.