Ben Wallace wasn’t heavily recruited out of high school in Alabama. Nor was his name called in the NBA draft following a career at Virginia Union University.

Despite that, he goes down as one of basketball’s all-time greats on the low post.

“Big Ben’s” No. 3 jersey was retired last Saturday by the Detroit Pistons — the franchise he helped to the 2004 NBA championship.

Wallace was joined at the gala event (the Pistons defeated Golden State at the Palace at Auburn Hills) by his wife, Chanda, daughter Bailey, and youngest son Bryce.

Detroit fans that hadn’t seen Wallace in years were surprised at his close-cropped hair. As a Piston, he was famous for his Afro and headband.

“It still grows big and fluffy,” he told his adoring audience, “but it’s very, very white.”

As a nice touch, the public address system sounded the deep chime — a play on the iconic Big Ben clock tower chime in London — that was a trademark during his career in the Motor City.

Wallace began college at Cuyahoga Community College near Cleveland. It was a tip from former VUU great Charles Oakley that led to him transfer to VUU.

Oakley had met Wallace years before at a camp, was impressed with his potential and notified VUU Coach Dave Robbins, who kept in touch.

Wallace helped VUU to a 28-3 record and a trip to the NCAA Division II Final Four as a senior.

He wasn’t drafted, however, and played in Italy before hooking up with the NBA Wizards in 1996.

The 6-foot-9, 225-pounder joined the Detroit Pistons in 2000, where he developed into one of the NBA’s most feared interior defenders.

The four-time All-Star finished with 6,254 points, 10,482 rebounds and 2,137 blocked shots and is Detroit’s all-time leader in blocks.

He was named four times the NBA Defensive Player of the Year. Only Dikembe Mutombo has won the award as many times.

The only other numbers retired by Detroit are those of Joe Dumars (4), Dennis Rodman (10), Isaiah Thomas (11), Vinnie Johnson (15), Bob Lanier (16), Dave Bing (21) and Bill Laimbeer (40).

Wallace, who finished his NBA career with Detroit in 2012, is considered a legitimate candidate for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame when he becomes eligible. Not bad for a kid that was twice overlooked.