Southern Raptor
Page 2 Gerald’s trophies, pictures, hats, shoes, and everything else he has accumulated in his young basketball career take up nearly half of the living room floor. It is all neatly arranged on display for visitors to the Wallace home. For a 17-year-old, Gerald is very much his own man. He doesn't follow the crowd, shies away from the limelight and, despite the national exposure and VIP treatment, still runs with his old crew. And although Gerald says he has no regrets about not entering the draft, a few people close to him say he was a little shaken after learning how high Darius Miles was picked. Gerald dropped 27 points and snagged 14 boards while holding Miles scoreless during a head-to-head match up at last year’s AAU Junior Championships. "I didn’t think that he would go that high, but I am happy for him," Gerald says. He adds "Good luck in L.A.," with a slight grin. But Gerald, what about the money you're passing up? "It’s not about the money," he says. "It’s about the love of the game.... I don’t want to play if it’s not fun," Is this kid serious, a baller willing to pass on the loot? Yes. But he’s no idiot, and admits that if his stock rises by the end of next season then he’s out. People around town say Gerald is just like his mom, and why wouldn’t he be? It was she alone who cared for Gerald and his older brother Courtney after she divorced Jerry Wallace 14 years ago. It’s Alice who has supported Gerald every step of the way. This often meant being his biggest critic. "He still needs to make more free-throws," she says. And it was Alice who encouraged her son to attend the University of Alabama rather than enter the NBA draft. "I suggested that he go for at least one year," Alice says. "He’s only got one chance to grow up with other kids his age."
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