Scouting Report

Gerald Wallace’s sterling play on the defensive end brought much deserved attention to himself. The six-foot-seven small forward out of the University of Alabama used his terrific athleticism and never stopping motor (evident by his average of 41 minutes per game) to produce excellent results for a hard working Bobcats team.

Wallace allowed just .87 points per possession overall last season, ranking 118th in league according to Synergy Sports Technology. That’s not a terrible impressive number, but the overall number is a bit skewed by his below average performance against spot-up shooters but that was mostly because players made tough shots in his face rather than him contesting shots poorly. Against his man one-on-one, Wallace allowed just .77 points per possession while holding his man to 38% shooting and forcing them to commit a turnover 18.3% of the time.

According to Basketball Prospectus, Wallace possessed a defensive multiplier of 85%, yet another metric that proved his success on the defensive end of the floor. Defensive multiplier measures what percentage of a player’s production is actually reached against a specific defender. Wallace’s 85% means he held his man to 85% of his production, which shaves anywhere from three to five points off of a player’s averages.

Wallace was named to the first team all-defensive team last season at a crowed forward position. Wallace was in the top 10 in blocks and steals at the small forward spot thanks to his excellent anticipation skills and his exceptional athletic ability that allowed him to recover on players that got past him and block shots as a help defender. His strength in isolation sets, brains when reading an offense and athleticism when blocking shots makes Wallace one of the most complete defensive player in the league. His focus on passing lanes and helping on the weak side does tend to make him leave his man open for a brief second but his recovery is normally fast enough for him to make a solid contest.

Rebounding is also an area that Wallace excels in. At one point last season, Wallace was averaging 12 rebounds a game and ended the season averaging a career high 10.1 rebounds per game. Wallace was far and away the best rebounder at his position last season and was number one in rebound rate at small forward, snatching 14.7% of the boards available when he was on the floor.

This is yet another area of the game in which Wallace’s athleticism helps him succeed but rebounding at that rate for a small forward also requires a strong amount of dedication. Wallace’s rebounding rate is likely to decrease this season because an increase from his previous season’s rate of 12.8% was a bit too good to replicate but his ability on that end of the floor is simply superb for someone of his size.

Wallace’s performance on defense and on the boards often overlooks the solid job he does offensively. According to Synergy, Wallace scored 1.01 points per possession last season, which ranked 64th in the league. In Isolation sets, Wallace was even better, scoring .99 points per possession and shooting 43% from the field, the 22nd best mark in the league. And on hand offs and pick and rolls? Well, Wallace continued to impress. Scoring 1.07 points per possession on hand offs (13th best in the NBA), 1.12 points per possession as the roll man in the PnR (40th in the league), and .99 points per possession as the ball handler in the pick and roll (11th best in the association), Wallace was surprisingly one of the most efficient players in all of the league last season.

In transition is where Wallace is most effective, something to be expected from someone so athletic. Wallace’s quick first step and excellent hops make him pretty good when he decides to put his head down and go to the basket as well. In fact, Wallace averaged 7.2 free throws per game last season, the 12th most in the entire league and the fifth most at his position.

Wallace can also post-up with his size and strength at the forward position. Synergy rated him as the 92nd best post-up scorer in the league, a solid ranking for a non-power forward or center, scoring .85 points per possession. Wallace shot 42.3% from 10 feet and in, according to HoopData, which isn’t great, but its solid considering his tendency to shoot an ineffective jumper off his post moves.

Likes his jump in rebounding numbers, Wallace also saw a big leap in his three-point percentage. Wallace shot 37% from three last season, an 8% increase from two seasons ago. This area of his game may be less of a fluke than his rebounding numbers and more of Wallace just adding something to his offensive repertoire.

Wallace is easily one of the top 10 defenders in the league, at least at the wing position, and as he enters into another season at the prime age of 28, expect him to continue to dominate the game on the defensive end of the floor while also contributing efficiently on offense, something the Bobcats will need to have any success at all this season.