Like most UNC fans I like Rasheed Wallace as a player. Wallace plays great defense, hits big shots, and is generally a good NBA player. That being said, during Game 6 last night in a loss to Cleveland Wallace received his seventh technical of the 16 playoff games this season and had there been a Game 7 he would have been suspended for it. In general he is probably the worst former Tar Heel basketball player in terms of representing UNC in the NBA. Not that he has one shred of obligation to represent UNC but in one respect it also creates an interesting dilemma among UNC fans who are often deal with the criticisms from rival fans for things former players might do. As much as we love to talk about Michael Jordan for his accomplishments on the court as arguably the best player to ever lace up sneakers, there is also some negative aspects of his persona which are harped on by Duke or NC State fans. For the most part UNC alumni in the NBA have been some of the most productive and positive members of the league. However given the sheer number of UNC players in the pros over the last 40-50 years it is inevitable there are going to be some bad moments and bad eggs along the way.
So in respect to Rasheed let me just say, he is what he is and while we all wish he would learn to carry himself in a more responsible manner on the court in an effort represent UNC better, it could be worse, he could think he is amphibious.
Tar Heel Fan 
From all accounts, Rasheed is a good and devoted Father, liked and respected by team-mates, and other NBA peers (excepting the officials), and was (and presumably still is) thought of fondly by Dean. He hasn’t (allegedly) raped anyone, is unselfish almost to a fault, doesn’t have a VIP member card to the local strip-club, hasn’t had an affair with a coach’s wife, does plenty of local “low-profile” charity work, no drug/steroid dealer on speed-dial, no DUI’s on record, etc, etc. A self-control problem with the Zebra’s hardly qualifies him as a “bad-egg”, in this day & age.
I disagree. As an avid Piston fan, I think Sheed is probably the guy the fans relate to the most. Yes, he gets T-ed up at ridiculous intervals. However, many of those come from his reputation alone. The T he got in game 4 was downright silly. With the lethargic, entitled, spoiled brand of basketball that the Pistons have played under Flip Saunders, it is refreshing to see Sheed out there, because though he can be over the top at times, he’s the only guy that seems to care.
Sheed is a great person in the community here, and his worst “crimes” seem to be excessive emotion on the court. I appreciate that, and think he’s a fine representative of UNC.
Unfortunately the side that people see the most is what happens in the game.
His reputation is what hurt him the most in receiving those foul calls. How is it all of that contact can take place throughout the game and Varajou (spelling?) falls to the floor as Sheed is turning AWAY from him and Sheed gets called for a foul (which had much less contact than some of Varajou’s defense on Sheed in earlier plays. Beats me, but I think Sheed’s historical animated fury towards the officials earned him easy ejections that others may have gotten the “benefit of the doubt”. Bad time for Sheed to blow up. It will be interesting to see how the finals play out. To me, there was no doubt the nba wanted to promote LeBron and the Cavs to the finals to the point that officiating heavily favored them, and understandibly so, Lebron is so marketable for the nba they needed him in the finals. But that will soon change when the Cav’s face the “face of David Stern’s NBA” the Spurs. You will NOT see the Cavs getting love from officials in this series-I PROMISE! The Spurs are what the nba commissioner want to develop all teams and players to become, for marketing’s sake right now. I say Spurs in 5-6.
Good write up and excellent points THF
I, personally, consider Rasheed to be probably my favorite Tar Heel in pros right now. About 6 years ago when he was still an actual troublemaker with the Trail Blazers (insert marijuana joke here), I wouldn’t have said that, because he was generally out of control.
Since then, however, he’s calmed down and turned into a genuine leader with one of the best all-around games in the pros. He’s become, more or less, the leader of a team that has been in the conference finals each of the last four years, albeit in the very weak east. The biggest problem for Rasheed with T-fouls these days is his penchant for arguing with refs on their calls, which became an automatic technical beginning this year. And considering that NBA refs are even more blind than ACC zebras, I can hardly fault his disputes with their calls.
Rasheed plays hard, understands the game, and has a genuine passion. He isn’t coddled by the media, which I attribute as a bias (thanks in large part to his Portland days). There have been more Carolina players in the pros than other program save UCLA (I think the number is 70 UCLA 68 UNC). It is a safe bet to say that nearly all of those guys have not only represented UNC well, but the NBA as well. I liken Rasheed’s temperment to Charles Barkley’s. Barkley knew how to work the media,which is to say, be frank and humerous (after a while they won’t know the difference). ‘Sheed is more low key with the media. His unselfish ways (as a player) should be championed, but they’re not because the NBA is obsessed with offensive explosions and undisciplined defense. In “A Coach’s Life” Dean said that thought well of BOTH Rasheed Wallace and Jerry Stackhouse (contrary to popular beleif). The endorsment of the Almighty is all one needs.