Who’s Better: Rasheed Wallace or Elton Brand?
We argue. You decide…
RASHEED WALLACE (by Aron Phillips)
When it comes to matchups among forwards, it comes down to versatility. For example, Rasheed Wallace’s name was mentioned in the Top-10 Most Versatile NBA Players list; Elton Brand’s name was not.
The reason is that you can just as easily find ’Sheed on the block as you can beyond the three-point arc. Clutch baskets come in bunches for Wallace, whereas Brand seems to disappear late in games. Besides Robert Horry in his prime, I can’t think of a more clutch big man that can stretch the D and knock down a game-changing triple.
If we’re talking who’s better in the locker room, in the huddle, or on the bench, Wallace’s vocal approach puts Brand to shame. Just look at the development of the other young bigs on the Pistons’ roster. Amir Johnson, Jason Maxiell, Kwame Brown and Walter Herrmann have all benefited from ’Sheed’s tutelage. Just check out the video below.
Despite the Pistons losing ways since parting with Chauncey Billups, Detroit is still a force to reckon with in the East. Sure he’s been quiet in his last two games, but on the year, Wallace has stepped up when it counts. For example, in Detroit’s win over the Lakers in Los Angeles, Wallace posted a season-high 25 points and 13 rebounds; and in a win over the Cavs, he notched 21 points and a season-high 15 rebounds.
At the end of the day, Wallace is a four-time All-Star and an NBA champion — two feats that Brand wishes he had on his resume. Sure he’ll never win the NBA Sportsmanship Award, but who cares?
ELTON BRAND (by Andrew Katz)
Even if you judge Elton Brand purely on what he’s doing in Philly right now, which is most definitely hindered by his transition and the generally unimpressive play of his teammates, I’d still rather have him than Rasheed Wallace. But if you don’t want a high-character guy who gives you everything he’s got night in and night out, and actually plays D, then maybe you should go for ‘Sheed.
Elton BrandI was at our shoot with Elton Brand in Philly in September (Dime #45), and I was in the Pistons locker room on Sunday afternoon. Not that I was looking, but you couldn’t help but notice Brand had been working on his physique over the summer. He looked like he just stepped off a bench press. On the other hand, ‘Sheed doesn’t know what the inside of the Pistons’ weight room looks like. I saw him changing out of his jersey yesterday, and he’s fat. This isn’t the kind of fat that you get from going hard at dinner last night. It’s the kind of fat that you get from never, ever lifting.
After ‘Sheed got dressed, mumbled incoherently under his breath and stormed out of the locker room, the media swarmed Allen Iverson, who said something that gets at the core of this debate. When asked about the team’s energy level, he said: “We get paid a lot of money to come out here and perform, a lot of money to play to our highest ability. There’s no reason, none, not to do that every night.”
Maybe A.I. wasn’t directing that at Wallace specifically, but it’s obvious that ‘Sheed doesn’t bring everything he’s got every night. In the middle of November, he put up 25 and 13 in a big game against the Lakers. But in his last two games, he’s combined for 13 points and 14 boards against Philly and New York. Dude’s got the talent, but he doesn’t always use it.
On the other hand, Brand is a blue collar workhorse whose effort is consistent. That’s far more valuable than many people realize, especially over the course of an 82-game season. Teammates need to rely on each other, and if they’re going to build anything real and lasting, it’s going to happen by coming to play every night — not just when visiting the Lakers.
To that effect, the great coach of St. Anthony High School (Jersey City, N.J.), Bob Hurley Sr., once said that the quality he appreciated most in his players is that he knows what he can expect from them day-to-day. That’s Brand in a nutshell.
Who do you think is better?
“Who’s better?” archives
12/5 — Kevin Martin vs. Vince Carter
12/4 — Brandon Roy vs. Joe Johnson
12/3 — Dwight Howard vs. Yao Ming
12/2 — Paul Pierce vs. Carmelo Anthony
December 8th, 2008 at 3:57 pm
Amar says:
elton brand = longer armed, more consistent, more injured version of loy vaught.
yeah, I said it.
sheed = NBA champeen.
December 8th, 2008 at 3:57 pm
Michorizo says:
North Carolina or Duke?
December 8th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
SayItAintSo says:
I’m a little biased and will likely be the only one who says it but Brand is better.
I think Rasheed is immensely over-rated.
December 8th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
Dagomar says:
Good debate this time: Sheed’s more talented and knows more about the game. Brand is a high-character guy who will give you points and boards every night. I’d prefer Brand on my team, but Sheed is better (just ask KG or Duncan).
December 8th, 2008 at 3:59 pm
Jason says:
sheed. no competition imo.
December 8th, 2008 at 4:03 pm
Tyrone says:
Ain’t no doubt y’all that Elton Brand is better. Sheed’s an overrated wannabe-gangsta – dude’s got game, but his head ain’t right. Cat’s ain’t nothin more than a glorified loser y’all.
True thugs NEVER lie.
Tyrone
December 8th, 2008 at 4:05 pm
fallinup says:
Versatility. And a penchant for dropping daggers from 15ft to beyond the arc. Sorry Elton, you’re a workhorse…but Sheed is a leader. I loved him in his Portland pothead days, and I still love him now.
December 8th, 2008 at 4:05 pm
steven says:
Sheed’s definitely better than Brand, but Brand is consistent day in and day out. The question is does Brand’s injuries equal the same amount of days Sheed takes off? Brand gets injured a lot and misses games in bunches- so I’m going to have to go with Sheed and suck up his occasional laziness, plus I hate DUKE!
December 8th, 2008 at 4:06 pm
JCARR says:
Elton Brand, he plays “D”. Elton brand can put up numbers too. maybe not as versitile as sheed but he’s still a leader, not vocally, but by example (weight room).
@Aron Phillips
“we’re talking who’s better in the locker room, in the huddle, or on the bench, Wallace’s vocal approach puts Brand to shame”
He’s good by getting thrown out of games??? I dont think his vocal approach is a positive one.
aron won the argument overall though. That youtube clip def. supported your argument. I am sure there is more negative sheed youtube clips out there too.
December 8th, 2008 at 4:08 pm
George W Kush Sr says:
Sheed takes it.
There is no doubt that Brand is more consistent, but that’s not always a good thing. Brand get injured more. Brand’s teams lose more. Brand is not as clutch as Sheed.
If you could morph Sheed and Brand together, you would have the perfect power forward. Something like a angry, 3 point shooting, loud mouth Duncan. Wouldn’t that be something to watch?
December 8th, 2008 at 4:12 pm
fallinup says:
One must look at these two careers as well. Elton was killin’ on a lousy bulls team, lousy Clippers team, and now, a Philly team that is surprising (gulp) lousy.
Sheed went from a lousy Bullets team, to an important part of a dysfunctional Blazers team that was one of the best out of the west right next to the championship lakers squads until the blazers imploded. He then went to Detroit and was the most important piece to the championship there. ATL doesn’t count.
December 8th, 2008 at 4:18 pm
Mamba says:
Sheed all day – such a clutch player, has that killer instinct
December 8th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
MSkittle says:
Brand, by far
December 8th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
D A says:
I can’t believe this even a serious question. Sheed = G.O.A.T
December 8th, 2008 at 4:29 pm
Ses says:
SHEED, hands down! Has Brand even know how to spell p-l-a-y-o-f-f-s??!! Lol…
December 8th, 2008 at 4:30 pm
Phil says:
sheed.
December 8th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
Elton Brand says:
palyoffs
December 8th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
Ian says:
youngfed
dont hate me man hehehe but i think sheed is overrated and he cant be the best player on a team if i had to choose one to be the man of a team im taking the 20 10 guy easy. who cares if my talented big man can shoot thress i dont want him there and avg 6boards a game.
someone said sheeds teams win and brands dont well brand has played the bulls ans clipps and he took the clippers to a second round game 7 a place they havent been in years sheed has had super talented team mates.
george w
good post
December 8th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
JCARR says:
@ses
yeah he did when he was on the clips the year before he got injured
EB for sure.
December 8th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
G says:
Brand. Dude’s nickname is MR 20 & 10. Say what you want about the lousy teams hes been on but only 4 or 5 guys put up those numbers throughout their career. What does Sheed really bring over Brand other than the outside shooting? He’s not a better rebounder, not a better defender. Sure he can stretch the defense but what happens when you need someone to post up down low and muscle it in? You gonna ask your PG to do it cuz Sheed is chillen at the top of the arc?
December 8th, 2008 at 4:32 pm
Ian says:
ses
he took the clippers to the second round
December 8th, 2008 at 4:44 pm
Drink the Haterade (KB24 Chip 09) says:
I gotta go with Brand… He plays night in and night out. The only time I remember him being injured was last year. But seriously dude is a beast. I like Sheed, but come on dude doesn’t bring it every nite.
December 8th, 2008 at 4:50 pm
jeremy says:
katz basically said sheed is better but brand tries harder…so to the answer question it’s sheed.
December 8th, 2008 at 4:50 pm
dukesman2000 says:
Wow, Dime for the first time you guys have stumped me. If I were to start a team, as much as I love Rasheed, he does not play hard every night. So for this simple fact I would have to go with Elton Brand.
December 8th, 2008 at 4:52 pm
Big V says:
This isn’t even close. There’s no point in brining up Sheed’s past accomplishments at all in a discussion about who’s the better player right now.
EB all the way.
December 8th, 2008 at 4:55 pm
Vinny says:
sheed by far!!
December 8th, 2008 at 4:59 pm
Gerard says:
I agree with Tyrone, Sheed is overrated. But did y’all see him against the Spurs the other night? He took over…
Right now Brand is in a bad situation, his game doesn’t fit the team’s. He’d be better off in LAC.
December 8th, 2008 at 5:09 pm
JA says:
I don’t get the whole Sheed is super-clutch or anything. Tried looking at 82games.com (http://www.82games.com/CSORT11.HTM) and saw that Sheed shot 25.9 FG% and 16.7 3pt% for last season (Brand didn’t have comparables due to injury).
Perhaps he’ll hit some clutch shots, but at least last year it looks like it was only because he shot so many.
December 8th, 2008 at 5:12 pm
ITZMR2U says:
Sheed.
when all is said and done, ‘Sheed will get more HOF consideration than Brand. He’s a better baller. period.
December 8th, 2008 at 5:19 pm
junior says:
sheeds better
but you would want brand on your team.
straight up.
rasheed has gone for games when he has only gotten 1 reb.
rasheed is more talented, but i;d take brand
over him for a team situation
December 8th, 2008 at 5:31 pm
Ian says:
itzmr2u
thats not really a good measure point hes been in better situations u think sheed woulda carried the 99 00 bulls or done a better job bein the man on the clips?
December 8th, 2008 at 5:45 pm
dagwaller says:
Brand. Saying someone has potential is like saying someone is overrated currently. And unless anyone here thinks that Sheed is getting better at this point, he’s always been overrated. Funny how Sheed is “clutch” and “versatile” and “tough”, while Dirk (third last year in clutch buckets, better shooter, and never mentally snaps as such a tough guy like Sheed) gets no such love.
Or how European players (in general) that come in with hype, play a career while getting hyped, and get hated on all along, while Sheed has the exact same career arc but for some reason gets love.
December 8th, 2008 at 5:46 pm
method526 says:
i would pick sheed if he ever decides to play seriously. he can be a top player cause he can basically do it all.
but brand might have an edge due to consistency and he just really wants to win since he’s always on a losing team.
December 8th, 2008 at 6:00 pm
K Dizzle says:
Sheed.
Didn’t see Detroit tryin to get Brand to put them over the top to get that chip. I like Elton’s work ethic but dude just can’t ever seem to win which gotta count for somethin. Now, in the east, should be at the very least, the 2nd best power forward and can’t win with a squad that has a legit point, athletic wings in Iggy and Thad and a legit big man in Sammy. What’s the problem? This lineup is what Raps fans are wishin for and I KNOW Bosh would be a better fit in Philly just like Sheed would.
See how I brought it all the way back around to Sheed?
Basically, EB is the dude you bring in when you buildin a squad, but Sheed is the dude you bring in when you need to get over the hump…
December 8th, 2008 at 6:20 pm
Big Shot BOB says:
I’d take TD or Kevin Garnett…LOL
December 8th, 2008 at 7:30 pm
kukuth says:
Elton Brand is better. Next please.
December 8th, 2008 at 8:19 pm
Reverend Paul Revere says:
Sixers fan and Philly boy here, so I know both players well and watched them both a ton. That said, Sheed hands down. He can do more, is a better teammates and much more of a matchup problem. Elton is good. Shee is better.
December 8th, 2008 at 8:29 pm
Austin Burton says:
@K Dizzle — Sheed was very available that year. The Blazers wanted to get rid of him since they had Zach waiting in the wings at PF.
December 8th, 2008 at 9:33 pm
Trey says:
Brand no doubt.
December 8th, 2008 at 9:59 pm
yoda says:
since this is not debate who could bring more, but who brings more, id go with brand. sheed has more talent, but having more talent means nothing if you don’t bring it and use it every night.
December 8th, 2008 at 10:21 pm
Luigi says:
heres a debate…Caron Butler or T-Mac. or something.
December 8th, 2008 at 11:27 pm
tim says:
I’m gonna say this…you can’t really understand what Sheed brings until he’s on your team…you can hear everything, and it might drive you crazy, but when he’s draining 3s and posting up folks its a gem to have…and I would say he has more better nights than bad…he just doesn’t rebound like a monster…
I wont agree with his clutch shots though, all the ones i remember smoked the rim and bounced out…
December 9th, 2008 at 7:14 am
imungloloupaw says:
is everybody forgetting that — everywhere sheed has went, he’s had quality teammates? brand just had one season with a legit crew and that season he took the clippers to the brink of the western conference finals.. Also, sheed has neveer been “the man” anywhere..
December 9th, 2008 at 9:56 am
Lanfeas says:
brand can’t win games. he puts up 20 and 10, and his team loses…that’s not helping. zach randolph with d, but same result as zach.
December 9th, 2008 at 11:20 am
matt says:
Look at the stats!!!
Here are Elton’s career numbers.
20 points , 2.6 assists 2.1 blocks, 1 steal, 10 rebounds and a .503 fg%
Sheed’s
15.2 points, 1.9 assists 1.4 blocks, 1 steal, 7 rebounds. and a .473 fg%.
Now you say 5 points 3 boards a block and almost an assist more per game have to be discounted because Elton has played on the Clippers(!!!) and the Bulls when they were rebuilding.
Or is it just because Sheed like’s to hang out around the three point line and shoots a pretty three pointer? To say he could play inside is essentially theoretical, because it doesn’t happen. Yes his size is such that he could play inside and get more rebounds, but so what. He doesn’t.
In what way is Sheed better? Sheed did not lead his team to a championship. That was a great team. One of the only teams in the history of basketball to have no superstar. He was a key part, no doubt but he was not the reason they won solely. He played for a solid Portland team. He also led meltdowns that caused the Blazers to blow up in the playoffs and nearly drove the Blazers into oblivion and resulted in him being traded for nothing.
So the argument would have to be that he is somehow more talented and therefore is really better, just not quite motivated. That is convenient and ridiculous. You are what you are, Sheed is what he is and Brand is what he is, which is a better, more productive and more consistent player.
December 12th, 2008 at 10:13 am
Adolf Hitler says:
SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHED wins.. better teamate and thats what wins!! ps i hate all of you and u will burn.
December 12th, 2008 at 10:13 am
Adolf Hitler says:
shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhheeeeed**
December 12th, 2008 at 11:21 am
SoulOnIce says:
@ Matt
I feel ya on the numbers; like people say all the time, numbers don’t lie. HOWEVER, we all watch the games, and from what I see, there’s no way in hell Elton Brand is better than Rasheed Wallace.
He’s a 20/10 machine, but with the exception of the 2006 season, I can’t honestly think of a time he has made a team better, in terms of production AND presence.
While Rasheed may always be known as the man who has never lived up to his potential, he’ll always be known as someone who can change the dynamic of the game (just by being out there), someone who shows up in big games (ask damn near any PF who has played against him), and someone who is a leader. Plus, he’s more durable (no need to look at games missed, due to injury).
Sheed in a HEARTBEAT.
December 12th, 2008 at 5:05 pm
Ben says:
I love sheed he is the reason the pistons were champions and if the league hadn’t changed the game after the 05′ season to be more offensive the pistons and their lock-down defense would have been a dynasty. But he is unfortunately offensively anti-clutch, his defense is defiantly clutch but offensively he may be one of the most unclutch players of all time. Still I think he is the backbone or was the backbone of what made detroit what it was defensively. But in my mind sheed will always be the most dynamic big man in the league, as long as he isn’t taking the game winning shot.
December 13th, 2008 at 3:18 am
scarface56 says:
how about we look at it like this, sheed and brand against each other, ONE ON ONE. i know, bball is a teamsport, but WHAT IF. in that case ill take sheed. he’ll rape brand. besides i read all this talk bout brand playing d… who anchored detroit’s defense when ben was gone???
December 14th, 2008 at 6:16 pm
Morrow says:
Hey ben i see you say rasheed wallace is the most unclutch player of all time… well i think hes telling you to shut up after this shot…
http://need4sheed.com/videos/december_13_08_sheed.html
which is so funny because this happened the next night after you said that. Im from detroit and you obviously dont watch our regular season cause hes done it plenty of times. Also a good amount this year. The bottom line in the playoffs we had 2 all star gaurds who can shoot the rock so we would go to them in those situations. just because he doesnt get the rock all the time in the clutch doesnt mean he isnt.
January 8th, 2009 at 12:13 am
elton brand says:
Sheed’s better than me