BEN WALLACE/Pistons Center
ON PRO WRESTLING I've been a fan a long time. "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan, Andre the Giant, King Kong Bundy. I go back. I've got an exact replica of the WWE championship belt, because every heavyweight needs his own belt.
ON GROWING UP IN WHITE HALL, ALA., IN A HOUSE WITH 10 SIBLINGS You always had someone to play with and never had trouble getting a game of four on four. My family looked out for each other and made sure everyone did what he was supposed to do. It was like having three other moms and seven other fathers.
ON HIS WIFE, CHANDA, AND SONS BEN JR., 8, AND BRYCE, 22 MONTHS (above) I always want to be there for my kids. It's hard for a woman to teach a man how to be a man. There are certain times in a kid's life you need to sit him down and talk to him. It's important to let him know that just because he's starting to grow hair under his nose, that doesn't make him a man.
ON HIS HAIR When I was with Washington, in 1997-98, me, Darvin Ham and Chris Webber had a bet on who would be the first to cut his hair. The little bush got bigger. Finally Darvin cut his, then Chris cut his. I was braiding it up, but the braids started looking bad so I let the 'fro loose. Now the way I wear it depends on how my wife feels, if she wants to braid it up that day. If she doesn't want to get involved with it, I'll wear the 'fro.
ON CUTTING FRIENDS' HAIR AS A TEENAGER I was the best, a self-taught master. I could cut anything. I made some mistakes, but I made most of them on myself and my nephews.
ON HIS NICKNAME Body? When I got to Detroit [in a 2000 trade], I was in the weight room and guys started calling me Big Body. It got shortened, and it stuck. I lift a lot in the off-season. Hit the weights for a couple of hours, play some pickup, go home to the weight room in my garage and lift some more.
ON MAJORING IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE AT VIRGINIA UNION IN THE MID-'90S I don't think I want to do law enforcement, but law school definitely. Being a lawyer is one way that I can give back. I'd have to be a defense lawyer, though. I'm a pretty good defender.
ON PLAYING DEFENSE There are so many great offensive players. On any night a guy can step out and drop 30. You have to accept that you are not going to shut a guy down, but if you play him tough and make him work, he'll have a tough night. It's more mental than physical. If you go out and don't believe you have what it takes to slow a guy down, you're probably right. But if you believe in yourself and force your man to do something he doesn't want to do, you have a chance to keep him under control. --As told to Chris Mannix
THE 6'9", 240-POUND WALLACE, 30, IS SECOND IN THE NBA IN REBOUNDS PER GAME (11.9) AND FIFTH IN BLOCKS (2.52)
"When  I got the call from my agent... I had to pull over.  I needed a moment to just exhale." --Horace Jenkins, Pistons Guard
NBA's Oldest Rookie, page 34
"THERE ARE TIMES IN A KID'S LIFE YOU NEED TO SIT HIM DOWN AND TALK TO HIM"
COLOR PHOTO
Photograph by Clay Patrick McBride
COLOR PHOTO
TOM PIDGEON/GETTY IMAGES (WALLACE HEAD)
COLOR PHOTO
JEFFREY SAUGER (JENKINS)