Episode 73 – Garrett Boorojian and John Wallace discuss relationship building in a team environment.
https://www.legendsofbasketball.com/alumni/john-wallace/
https://www.legends-mag.com/for-john-wallace-hard-work-mental-health
Garrett and John spoke about John’s dominant performance in the 1996 NCAA Division I Men’s National Championship Game as a starter for the Syracuse Orange. Although the University of Kentucky won the game, 76-67, John finished with an incredible stat line of 29 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block, with a total field goal percentage of 57.9% (66.7% from three point range), and a free throw percentage of 100.0%.
In 127 career games (126 starts) in four years at Syracuse playing for Basketball Hall of Famer / College Basketball Hall of Famer, Jim Boeheim, John averaged 16.7 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.6 blocks, and 1.1. steals. John’s total field goal percentage was 53.3% (39.0% from three point range).
John was drafted by the New York Knicks in the first round (18th selection) in the 1996 NBA Draft. He played for five NBA teams (Knicks, Toronto Raptors, Detroit Pistons, Phoenix Suns, and Miami Heat). John talked about playing with Basketball Hall of Famer / College Basketball Hall of Famer Patrick Ewing, Larry Johnson, Allan Houston, and other notable Knicks on the legendary Knicks’ teams of the mid-to-late 1990s. John also played overseas in Greece and Italy, and cited the importance of phenomenal overseas talent entering the NBA from the 1990s and 2000s, such as Arvydas Sabonis (Lithuania) and Dirk Nowitzki (Germany), to present day’s NBA stars’ Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece / Nigeria), Nikola Jokić (Serbia), and Luka Dončić (Slovenia). Tony Parker (Belgium / France) and Manu Ginóbili (Argentina) were also mentioned as great examples of foreign-born players who played and excelled as NBA Champions during the the 2000s and 2010s. Nowitzki played in the 2010s as well.
John also spoke about his admiration for the greatest basketball player of all time, Michael Jordan, especially when he witnessed Michael’s iconic 51-point performance at Madison Square Garden (MSG) on January 21, 1997, during John’s rookie year as a Knick; the 1996 NBA First Round Draft Class’ photo shoot in Orlando; two of Spike Lee’s movies (He Got Game and Bamboozled) that John was featured in; friendship with his former Raptors’ teammate Kevin Willis (1984 NBA First Round Draft Pick – 11th selection) who’s also a friend of Garrett’s; friendship with Joseph Fiorie of Pittsford, New York – who’s Garrett’s wife Angela’s uncle; great appreciation for the Knicks’ organization that drafted him, and hired him to work for the NBA franchise as a MSG broadcaster; and philanthropic / public service background as an Executive Board Member with the Heavenly Productions Foundation.
John shared his final thoughts about relationship building. John stressed the importance of communicating with your team about what’s on your mind. John said a team has to work together and be on the same page to know how to approach a difficult situation or solve a problem. Whether it’s a CEO or another person on the team, John added that everyone has a vital role to play. Essentially, the right people have to be on the team, starting with the CEO, to be very successful.