Top 10 NBA Centers of All-Time
TweetThe center position is not always the most flashy or highlight-worthy position on the court, but it’s importance to winning in the NBA cannot be underestimated. A great big man has been a key player on most championship teams sans Michael Jordan.
Missed the Cut:
Alonzo Mourning: 2-time Defensive Player of the Year and a 7-time All-Star.
Robert Parrish: 4 NBA titles, 9-time All-Star, good free throw shooter, & a low 1.98 turnovers per game.
Bill Walton: 2 NBA titles, 1 MVP, 1 Finals MVP, and was a great passer with 3.8 assists per game.
10.) Dwight Howard – Orlando Magic
Dwight defines the center position today. He is the best that the Association has to offer right now and will continue to dominate for years to come. I can see him moving up this list as time goes on. He has already won Defensive Player of the Year and is currently leading the league in rebounds (13.2 RPG) and blocks (2.8 BPG), and has been for two years now. He is a big time shot blocker and a excellent rebounder, but his downfalls are his terrible shooting ability, poor free throw shooting, and Dwight has a problem with foul trouble early in games.
9.) Patrick Ewing – New York Knicks
He’s the only retired player on this list without a ring. He had two chances to win a ring, but he was beat by Olajuwon in the first Finals, and missed the second due to an Achilles injury. Although he is a 11-time All-Star, Ewing had a lot turnovers and, just like Howard, was always in foul trouble. Ewing averaged 21.0 PPG, 9.8 RPG, and 2.4 BPG, which is just good enough to make this list.
8.) George Mikan – Minneapolis Lakers
Mikan is a true pioneer to the position. He was the first of these giants and should definitely be on this list. He won 7 titles and should be the silhouette of all centers to follow. He helped the NBA gain popularity in the 1950’s with his size and skill. He was one of the first superstars in basketball history and one of the most dominating player of his time. He averaged over 23 PPG and 13 RPG, but committed 4.2 fouls per game, which is too many to be any higher on the list. On top of that, Mikan’s competition was very limited at this time in NBA history.
7.) Moses Malone – Houston Rockets/Philadlephia 76ers
One of the best offensive rebounders of all-time, averaging 5.1 ORPG (12.2 RPG total). He also holds 3-time MVP, 12 All-Star appearances, and won a championship. He wasn’t a slouch offensively either, scoring 20.6 PPG. Malone only had problems on the defensive side of the ball. He averaged .8 SPG and 1.3 BPG (the lowest block total of the top 10).
6.) David Robinson – San Antonio Spurs
I personally loved watching this guy play. A fierce physical specimen, Robinson was a stat machine, doing anything and everything he could to help his team win. His efforts weren’t enough to win a ring until Tim Duncan (who is too much of a power forward to be on this list) arrived in San Antonio and finished the job for him. He did play a big enough role though earn those (as opposed to going along for the ride) 2 titles and also accumulated a blocking, rebounding, scoring, and MVP title in his Hall of Fame career.
5.) Hakeem Olajuwon – Houston Rockets
He truly was a dream for the Houston Rockets and a nightmare for anyone else. You don’t have to believe me, just ask David Robinson how fun he was to play against. He outplayed half the guys on this list with his 21.8 PPG, 11.1 RPG, and a outstanding 3.0 BPG. He is a 2-time champion, former MVP, 2-time Finals MVP, 2 -time Defensive Player of the Year, and a 12-time All-Star. He really was the focal point of the team, sometimes controlling the ball more during a possession than the point guard (which is extremely unusual for a center) and setting up the offense from the post.
4.) Shaquille O’Neal – Orlando Magic/Los Angele Lakers/Miami Heat
It’s a bird, it’s a plane, no, it’s the real Man of Steel! Arguably the most dominating figure in sports history, O’Neal stands at 7’1” and weighs over 340lbs at some times. He was intimidating to all players. He overpowered and bullied every opponent en route to 6 Finals appearances and 4 titles. This 15-time All-Star averaged over 24 points, 11 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.3 blocks per game. He also has an all-important 58.1 FG%. O’Neal has also one a regular season MVP, and 3 Finals MVP awards. With so many accomplishments, he’s still not number one. Why? He is one of the worst free throw shooters of all-time and when you get fouled over five times a game, missing almost half of them is a huge problem, especially when O’Neal was the main scorer on most teams. The “Diesel” also has way too many injury problems, playing in over seventy games in only seven of his eighteen seasons.
3.) Bill Russell – Boston Celtics
I know many people think he should be number one on this list, but I disagree. Even with 11 titles, 5 MVPs, and 12 All-Star appearances, he averaged a list-low 15.1 PPG and only shot 44% from the field. Russell also played with the most dominate team ever, which included 8 Hall of Famers such as Bob Cousy, Tom Heinsohn, Sam Jones, K.C. Jones, and John Havlicek. Oh, and he was coached by Red Auerbach, one of the best coaches all-time. Even though he’s not number one, he is still high on this list and will probably remain here forever.
2.) Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – Milwaukee Bucks/Los Angeles Lakers
It was very hard to put this guy at number two because he is the all-time scoring, field goal, and All-Star appearance leader. He has 6 MVPs, 6 championships, 2 Finals MVPs, and 3 NCAA titles. He was just a pure winner without a doubt. He averaged over 24 points, 11 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 2.5 blocks per game. He had a very low turnover rate, not many fouls, shot a fantastic field goal percentage, and was a excellent free throw shooter for a big man. What more could you ask for? One hundred points, maybe?
1.) Wilt Chamberlain – Philadelphia (Warriors) 76ers/Los Angeles Lakers
I know you might not agree, but just listen to his line. He averaged a list-high 30.1 PPG, 22.9 RPG, and 4.4 APG. These numbers are just ridiculous. One year, he averaged a mind-boggling 50.4 PPG. Wilt is the only player to score triple digits in a game (100). Some of the things he did were so unreal and bizarre, such as averaging over 20 RPG ten years in a row, over 33 PPG seven years in a row. In 1967, he even led the league in assists, which never been done before or repeated as a center since. He also has 2 championships, 4 MVPs, and 13 All-Star appearances. Wilt played in over seventy games all but one year in his super natural career. If these numbers and accolades don’t equal number one then what does?
Gotta go with Russell. If it was fantasy then I would go with Wilt. Russell was the best defensive center to ever play the game. He won way more titles as u know. He dominated Wilt in the matchups. If it wasnt for Russell keeping everyone (including Wilt) out of the paint then how many titles would the celtics have won? How many did they win before Russell? How many did they win after Russell but before Bird? Wilt played with west and Baylor for a few years, I think they won one title.
My all time favorite center was left off the list. The smallest to ever play the game. Wes Unseld. All 6′ 7″. He won a title with probably one of the weakest casts of any of them. Earl the Pearl and Gus Johnson were decent. Kevin Loungery and Tom Hammonds were ok, the rest were not that good. Wes could clear out the middle better then most 7 footers. He was always giving up 3 to 7 inches.
Then there was the Big E Elvin Hayes he was very tough. Him and Lew Alcindor (kareem) sold out the astrodome in the 60′s. Unheard of in that time.
Your list was pretty good though. Nice work.
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Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is still #1 in my book
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hakeem olajuwon should be at least be no.3 coz he is great at both ends of the court and he is one of truly big game players of all-time.His Combination of skills,strength,grace and footwork is unmatched by these guys on this list
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the order should be near like this: 1.Kareem, 2.Wilt Chamberlain,3.Olajuwon, 4.Russel, 5.Oneal, 6.Malone, 7.Ewing, 8.Robinson, 9.Bill Walton,Ralph Sampson (before injury) 10.Robert Parish
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OK, I am sick of hearing about these old timers on the top of your list. Don’t get me wrong, I give them props for being pioneers in the game and yes they could probably play with the big men of now. But talk to anyone older than you, and the first thing they would say would be, Wilt, Kareem and Bill R, didn’t have much competition. Its far more easy to average 50 points a game when everyone’s average height was only 5’10-6’2. Maybe you should look into the stats a little deeper, and realize that Hakeem Olajuwon is in the top 10 of all time for steals, that is including guards and forwards, also he is the all time shot block leader, top 10 in scoring all time, top 11 in rebounding unless Shaq passed him up, and he also is a great passer. I have the utmost respect for the older centers, also they didn’t have the best stat keepers as far as some stats were not counted that well back in the 50′s-60′s, but like I said before, there were no competition for the older centers. At least in the 80′s-now, centers started to get more fluent, that’s why I think Hakeem should be first, then Kareem then Shaq. Look at the competition that Shaq, Hakeem have played aganist, From David Robinson, Shaq, Parish, Hakeem, even Ewing And if you look at it, Ewing and Hakeem are the only 2 that played against them all for more than a year or 2. So how you wouldn’t put the all time shot block leader, the best assist center, and one of the top scorers along with the best thief in any position on the court at number one, its just absurd to be, Hakeem should definitely be first.
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I just have to say that if you want to look at all time most dominate center ever, that has to go to Wilt Chamberlain, and if you want to talk about different era’s to make the weak argument that the talent was not as great, then you must also consider that fewer teams than today would only be half of the story. I guarantee that the watered down version of only having to play the real dominant centers of today only happens at best 5 times in a year unless they play in the extended season. Some match ups are only limited to twice a season. Back in the day if you realize that you would be playing Wilt maybe 15 or 20 times a season, your statement looks kind of silly. Because I will tell you that Wilt was for real, and would dominate in any era. The rules now days have been altered to help make the game easier for some of these current players, such as shaq, Wilt never fouled out of a game in his entire carrier, amazing. He average over 50 points a game for an entire season, and the rules were changed to take away his physical advantages, not like today , where they give Shaq and company extra steps, longer camping rights in the key, and a get out of jail free card for pushing and shoving your way to the basket, Wilt had grace and skills at both ends of the floor. The single most dominate Hooper to ever play is Wilt Chamberlain , no question. So to take anything away from Mr. Bill Russell who had to guard this man sometimes 20 odd some games a season, is crazy not to realize his accomplishments as a team player who defined what it is to win at every level. These two players would have been just as good today as they were back in the 60′s. The next level of player and not that far behind these two are certainly Kareem Abdual Jabbar, then artis gilmore, moses malone, hakeem, walton, Miken, bob lanier, etc…
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You are out if your mind! Howard in and Parish out? You are nuts. And wilt as #1? Insane. Akeem is the greatest center to ever play fool.
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Howard is more of a prediction than an actual spot on this list. I think at this stage in his career, Howard is better but I guess we will see. As for the dream… numbers don’t lie. Hakeem played 4 more years than Wilt but had 4,500 less points, 1,500 less assists, and a whopping 10,000 less rebounds. It would be even more if Wilt didn’t start his career so late. Wilt also averaged over 30 ppg 7 times in his career. Hakeem, not once. I’m sure you don;t want to talk about rebounds either cause it’s really like comparing McDonald’s to Outback. Not even close….Hakeem also averaged 3.5 PF a game. Wilt..just 2. Did i mention that Wilt led the league in assists one year. You can’t say the guys a ball hog. I do think hakeem is the better defender but it doesn’t help Wilt’s plea when they didn’t keep the stats. Oh and i didn’t forget about you either @mike
. About wilt’s competition…I thought I would build a little list of big men that Wilt had to compete against throughout his amazing career. They played most, if not all, their career in the paint. The list is made of centers only, but they get matched up against C/F in the block constantly. This competition list consists of the player’s name and how many years they competed with Wilt. Here they are:
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: 4yrs
Bill Russell: 10yrs
Bob Pettit: 6yrs
Dolph Schayes:5yrs
Elvin Hayes: 5yrs
Jerry Lucas: 10yrs
Willis Reed: 9yrs
Dave Cowens: 3yrs
Billy Cunningham: 4yrs
Wes Unseld: 5yrs
Nate Thurmond: 10yrs
Spencer Haywood: 3yrs
Walt Bellamy: 12 yrs
Bob Lanier: 3yrs
Please go look at these guys then decide for yourself. I know he played against awesome competition but i was even more impressed the deeper I dug it out. There is no doubt in my mind that Wilt is the best center ever. I want to thank you guys for the comments, though. It’s all opinion and everybody has one
. I respect yours just as much as anyone’s. Thank you everyone for reading.
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Dikembe?????
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The order should be Kareem, Wilt, Russell, Olajuwon, Robinson. Then everybody Else. All good free throw shooters except Wilt, but this was his only weakness, so he automatically makes everybody’s list. Kareem won at college and Nba, all around center and his great sky hook. All were great defense centers and made their teamates better. Shack sucks, now he gets posterized by everybody…and he is injured alot for the biggest, strongest guy in the NBA. Can’t shoot a free throw. He can dunk, like Wilt but Wilt stretched his game with assists and defense.
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Wilt? He was obsessed with his own game so much he hogged the ball and dropped his team’s offensive efficiency. Hakeem made O’Neal look silly in the ’95 finals. Seriously.
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@mike says “But talk to anyone older than you, and the first thing they would say would be, Wilt, Kareem and Bill R, didn’t have much competition. Its far more easy to average 50 points a game when everyone’s average height was only 5’10-6’2.” That is BS. I am older and I saw the competition. Your height information is bogus.
The average height of NBA players in the 60′s was 6’6″ and today it is 6’7.” Little does Mike know when Wilt came into the league there were 4 Hall of Famer centers in an 8 team league. Every other night Wilt was playing against a Hall of Famer. By 1965 Wilt had faced off against centers like Walt Bellamy 6’11”, Willis Reed 6’11”, Bill Russell 6’9”, Nate Thurmond 6’11 and Bob Petit 6’9” and Jerry Lucas 6’9″ all Hall of Famers and 6’10″ Zelmo Beatty who almost made the Hall of Fame. He’d also faced off against Walter Dukes 7’0”, Daryl Imhoff 6’10”, Mel Counts 7’0”, Joe Strawder 6’10”,” Ray Scott 6’9” and Svede Halbrook 7’3″. in a non watered down 9 team league. These were real heights not exaggerated like today where players are measured in shoes. Dwight Howard for instance is 6’9″ not 6’11 as NBA draft express (right online) points out. Ben Wallace is between 6’6″ and 6’7″ not 6’9.” HAKEEM was 6’10″ and Ewing 6’9″ not 7′.
In Wilt’s career he also faced Hall of Famers Kareem abdul Jabbar 7’2″ and dominated Kareem in the ’72 Western Conference Finals. Kareem outscored him but I watched that series with great interest because I thought Kareem , who was coming off his first NBA title was already considered better than Wilt. An aging Wilt at 36 tears of age blocked a skyhook and I was amazed but even more so when he blocked about 15 more of Kareem’s skyhooks in that series. Wilt was MVP of that series and the MVP of NBA league finals that season against the Knicks with Willis Reed , Walt Frazier , Dave DeBusschere , Earl “the pearl” Monroe , Jerry Lucas ,and Bill Bradley all hall of famers.
Wilt also played against Bob Lanier 6’11″ , Wes Unseld 6’7”, Elvin Hayes 6’9″ and Dave Cowans 6’9 all Hall of Famer centers. He also played against 7’1″ whose name comes up every year when the Hall of Fame balloting takes place.Wilt faced more Hall of Fame centers in NBA history.
Hakeem was good but Wilt would have dominated him easily. Wilt got the majority of his points on his 15′fallaway jumper. Wilt could bench over 500 pounds and Shaq’s trainer brags that Shaq is able to bench 450.
There was no vertical jump measurement in those but Wilt says he had a 48″vertical. When one considers that he high jumped 6’6″ in high school that doesn’t seem too far fetched.
He was an avid track and field athlete: as a youth, he high jumped 6 feet, 6 inches, ran the 440 yards in 49.0 seconds and the 880 yards in 1:58.3, put the shot 53 feet, 4 inches, and broad jumped 22 feet. He was an athlete. Remember that when Wilt high jumped they did the old Western roll where they juat jumped over the bar not a Fosbury flop. He was a far superior athlete than Howard , Olajuwon or any other center.
Bill Russell was also a track star. Besides basketball, Russell represented USF in track and field events. He competed in the 440 yard (402 m) race, which he could complete in 49.6 seconds.[ He also participated in the high jump; Track & Field News ranked him as the seventh-best high jumper in the world in 1956. That year, Russell won high jump titles at the Central California AAU meet, the Pacific AAU meet, and the West Coast Relays. One of his highest jumps occurred at the West Coast Relays, where he achieved a mark of 6 feet 9¼ inches (2.06 m).
It kills me when people say the athletes of today are better than yesteryear. That applies to the average Joe not the elite athletes. Russell and Wilt were truly elite athletes. Wilt would jump over , around and through Hakeem.
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@Chris above says “Wilt? He was obsessed with his own game so much he hogged the ball and dropped his team’s offensive efficiency. Hakeem made O’Neal look silly in the ’95 finals. Seriously.’
In Wilt’s early career he had very little help because the other Philly guys had little talent. Year in and out he played against a Celtic team that always had at least 4 Hall of Famers. One year they had 9 , count ‘em, 9 hall of Famers on the same roster. In Wilt’s rookie year the Celts had Russell,
Cousey, Heinsohn, Sam Jones, KC Jones , Frank Ramsey and Bill Sharman. Only 7 that year.The next year the Celts stlil had 6 HOFers and Wilt lost to them to in a 4-3 series. Wilt did have 2 hall of famers Gola and Arizin but not near the artillery the Celtics did so HE HAD TO DO THE SCORING.
The next season they again were eliminated by Boston 4-3 in the playoffs with 6 Celtic Hall of Famers versus 3 HOF 76ers (including Wilt).
In the 62-63 season the Celitcs added Clyde Lovellete and John Havlicek two more Hofers to go with Russell, Cousey, Heinsohn, KC Jones, Sam Jones , Lovellette and Ramsey. They were one hall of famer short of having a first and sevond string team composed of all hall of Famers.Satch Sanders was also an excellent player who nearly made the Hall of Fame. They also had “Jungle Jim” Luscatoff who was an enforcer who would often come into games just to rough up the opponents.
Wilt moved to San francisco that year and didn’t make the playoffs. The next year his team lost the NBA finals versis the Celts 4-1.In ’64-’65 Wilt also had a second year HOFer , Nate Thurmond with him and they had a 17 win season. Wilt called Hannum the stupidest coach in the NBA. Wilt was then traded back to Philly at mid season.
The first full season back with Philly (now the 76ers) he against lost against the Celts. In 66-67 Philly added Billy Cunningham, and had Hal Greer 2 hall of famers along Chet walker and Luke Jackson Wali Jones and set the record for most wins in a season with a 68-13 record as Wilt got his first NBA title. By the way, Alex Hannum , who Wilt had so many problems with out west was the coach of that team. Wilt downplayed his scoring and had only 24 points per game as well as 24 rebounds per game. They beat the Celtics who at this time only had 5 hall of fame players on their roster They also had Wayne Embry who was a hell of a player and did make the Hall of Fame as an executive.
When you hear people saying that Wilt didn’t get many rings , you might want to consider the level of the competition that he faced every year. When he played with good teams he dominated the post and picked up his assists ans shot for phenominal FG percentages. Wilt did what he had to do and he did it better than anybody before or since.
Hakeem would have had to run for cover as Wilt would have demolished him!
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I am sorry that I listed Lovellette twice but 8 hall of Famers on the same team are you kidding me?
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“I don’t know haw one can even consider Howard as one of the best 10 centers of all time. This is almost undeniably the worst crop of centers since the 50′s.
Look at these “beasts ” (sarcasm) Bargnani a true 7′ player who weighs in at a whopping 225, Andrew Bogut (actualy 6’11″), Brook Lopez (he is actualy 6’11″ and 1/4 without shoes)but is soft, Mehmnet Okur another powerful(joke) European center better suited to forward, Camby 6’9″ and past his prime, Joakim Noah 6’10″ , Al Jefferson 6’8″ 1/2 inches without shoes, Bynum a true 6’11″ ( who may turn out to be okay ),Nene 6’10″. This is why Howard is considered the best center today. The only guy out there who ever was much is Shaq and he is far past his prime.
If you think that the centers of today are bigger than before (look at heights above) and you have to be flat out silly if you think that are more talented than the Bob Laniers, Kareem’s, Hakeem, Wilts,Ewing , Robinsons , Russells that preceded them.
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Wilt and Kareem hated playing against Willis Reed!
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why do you have dight howard in there dwight howard is not even in the top 25 Gasols better than dwight howard
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everyone has their opinion and beleives themselves to be write this is it ppl based on stats and rings : wilt , bill russel, kareem , hakeem, and shaq round out the top five then u have david,patrick,moses,parish,and…..zo yes i heard of george,bob, and walton but i’d pick dikembe before them but them guys before dwight
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and @John G needs to broaden ur horizons logically ur statements are not sound wilt was almost an olympic athlete he competed in hurdles and things of that nature so take dwights hops and think of wilt thats why he was so good cause the guy was fast agile and big thats why he had 100 points and 30 rebounds he was not slow but bill slowed him down so that means bill was very smart and good like hakeem before hakeem i love hakeem the best i ever saw kareem and he its hard to pick but all their skill set was better than shaq’s but shaq is more dominant than the rest and up till 5 years ago would kill anybody out today but hakeem housed him he was so smart and he housed david and pat……peace out.
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[...] Walton assists stats: [...]
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I think about it like this, if you had to get one center in their prime to play against the best centers of all time who would it be?
Russel, Chamberlin, Jabar, (excuse my spelling) Hakeem are great and of the best. But I would take shaq. He dominated that position. If they played against eachother, shaq would muscle them both defense and offense.
All centers have frequent injury due to height, so that is with everyone. The one thing Shaq suffered in was free throws. But besides that he dominated all in that position.
Now team wise russel owns with titles
Stats wise chamberlain
But both have other factors to consider, for titles you need a good/great supporting cast. Russel had a fantastic team backing him. Stat wise, many arguements can be made that Chamberlain would have won more if he shared more. But you need good players around you to do that.
So i digress, I feel that I would take Shaq on my all time allstar team. For he would, for lack of better words, bully everyone else. That I feel is the decision factor for whose the all time best center.
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Thank you @ricky warner for the back up. I tried to tell them.
As for Dwight, yes the NBA center position is down big-time, but I don’t think Dwight would be a different player in the other eras. A monster is still a monster no matter what era he’s in. Dwight is a freak of nature. He’s the most athletically gifted big man ever. Putting him on the list is actually more of a prediction since he’s only been playing for a short time thus far. He’s been phenomenal and an MVP candidate so far this year (2010-2011). I thought tenth as a prediction is fair for Howard, but time will tell.
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@John G you are an idiot. You say Wilt was skinny. Yeah , he was skinny at Overbrook High in Philly. Look at his massive shoulders at the and of his career. He benched over 500 pounds. He weighed over 300 at that time. He was stronger, faster, could jump higher and run much faster than Shaq. Wilt’s favorite shot was his 15′ fall away jumper. Shaq would poop in his pants if he was forced to take a 15′ shot. He surely wouldn’t make it.
I was watching an ESPN Classic show today wih Red Auerbach. He is the best NBA coach of all time. He claims that Russell was a better athlete than Wilt.
Russell was responsible for all of those Celtic championships that Auerbach won and obviously Auerbach was very loyal to him.
Right on youtube you can see Wilt high jumping 6’6′ and change doing the old western roll. You can see him dribbling all the way down court in high school at 7’1″. He would have slaughtered fat Shaq!
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@John G says “Whomever thinks that Russell and Chamberlain would have dominated today is mistaken. They’d be good, but both had flaws. They were skinny. And lots of people move like they did now. Great competitors, well one of them, but there are lots of Wilts now.”
You obviously never saw him as when he dominated Kareem in the ’72 WCF. Wilt was aging but still managed to block about 15 of Kareem’s skyhooks in that series. There ain’t a center out there today who could block a Kareem Abdul Jabbar skyhook. I suppose there also lots of Kareems now too.
There has only been one Wilt and I have been waiting 50 years to see his equal. Personally , I wasn’t a Wilt fan but I must be objective when it comes to his talent. These bo-bo’s out there couldn’t carry Wilt’s, Kareem’s nor Russell’s jocks. I must give the author credit as he listed the top 3 centers of all time 1,2 and 3.
Johnny G also says My all time favorite center was left off the list. “The smallest to ever play the game. Wes Unseld. All 6′ 7”. He won a title with probably one of the weakest casts of any of them. Earl the Pearl and Gus Johnson were decent. Kevin Loungery and Tom Hammonds were ok, the rest were not that good. Wes could clear out the middle better then most 7 footers. He was always giving up 3 to 7 inches”
Number 1 – I am from Washington DC and when the Bullets won their one and only title in ’77-’78, Gus Johnson (left DC in ’72) and Earl Monroe (went to Knicks in ’71) were long gone. I loved Unseld because he brought the only NBA title to Washington during my lifetime. Washington had (C)Unseld, (PF)Elvin Hayes and a rookie Greg ballard , (SF) Kevin Grevey along with Mitch Kupchack and Bobby Dandridge a defensive specialist who neutrelized Dr. J in the playoffs their starting point guard was Tommy Henderson and they had Charles Johnson , Larry Wright (the waterbug from Eastern High in Washington DC). They also had Joe Pace a 6’10″ shot blocker from Coppin State in Baltimore. His supporting cast wasn’t too bad.
Ben Wallace by his own admission is only 6’7″ and I have seen reports of 6’6″. Check Ben Wallace and Wikipedia and you will see this. You just make up things like they are facts and you are full of it. The stupidest thing that you say is that there are lots of Wilts today.
@Sush – You too are sadly mistaken – nobody ever outmuscled Wilt. Don’t mistake Shaq’s fat as stronger than Wilt’s muscle. Wilt would have jumped over him, moved around him and outmuscled him as well.
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@Jason Lamb your list is a really good one – maybe the best I have ever seen. However to say that Howard is the most athletically gifted big man of all time is completely wrong.
He does his annual all star game “superman” crap. His dunks are not on a 12′ bucket but somewhere between 11’6″ and 12′. Wilt did this frequency when UK was experimenting (Phog Allen) with 12′ buckets.
Kareem and Wilt both were better shooters from distance than Howard. Russell and Wilt were track high jumping champs. Russell was the 7th best high jumper in the WORLD at one time. Wilt ran the hundred yard dash in under 10 seconds.
Howard can leap but athletically he doesn’t hold a candle to Wilt or Russ. He cannot even leap as high as Russ nor Wilt.
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I can admit I have a bias, since Shaq is my favorite player. Even though he is old, fatter, and on the celtics; I am loyal. The original ranking of the centers for the most part, I can agree with, however, I feel shaq should be 3rd instead of forth, possibly second.
If I had to pick a center for my team I would pick him, and as far as rankings I feel
1. Wilt
2.Jabar
3. Shaq
4. Russell..
Like I said, Russel had a great team which helped him attain many championships. While he is one of the best I feel Shaq should be placed before him. Since shaq is horrible at free three which is a weakness, I have to admit that he cant be 1st and i guess not 2nd.
Disagreements?
Plus, i want to throw out a hypothetical. What if shaq was good at free throws? Where would he rank?
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First and foremost, I agree with the author on 1,2,3. Wilt was the greatest center/player/athlete to ever play this game(the 10 straight seasons of 20+ rpg and 7 straight of over 33 ppg with the unbreakable 50.4 ppg league record, as well as being the only center to EVER lead the league in assists). His statistical feats will never be matched, and he played against better competition. People that say the centers of today are better simply havent looked into it. If you’ve grown up idolizing guys, you have to think that there competition is sufficient in order to maintain that image, but come on. The old 8 team league was comprised of all superstars, and anyone was liable to make the allstar team in any given season. The fact that Wilt dominated EVERY player in the league(with the exception of Russell, who he usually outplayed, but didn’t have the cast to step up and bridge the gap) at a time when the talent level was so much more concentrated is what is amazing, not just the numbers that he put up. Imagine a league where there are no pushover teams like the Clippers or Bobcats, where ever night you are facing a team with 20 ppg scorer(some teams had 2 guys that poured it on every night). Every time in the 60s and early 70s was was the Celtics, Heat and Lakers are today. Combination of great players and great role players around them. The league of today has been over saturated, Rookies overrated, and guys overhyped and overpaid. There is no 10 game stretch of bad, sub .500 teams. You played FIERCE competition, night in, night out. Opinions can vary, but numbers don’t lie, especially when they are put into context. I also think that Dwight Howard’s physicality would make him an excellent player in the era of Chamberlain and Russell, but he wouldn’t have been as good. I believe he honestly will suppress the rest of this list someday, but Wilt and Russell are numbers 1 and 2(and respectfully 2 and 3 on the updated “50 all time Greatest NBA Players” list done by Slam magazine in 2009, behind only Jordan). Jabbar was the most consistent player in nba history, closely followed by the league all time greatest PFs in Tim Duncan and Karl Malone. Nobody showed up night in, night out, and played as well as Kareem. All three of those guys would be just as good, if not better in today’s 30 team league. I disagree with Shaq being 4 just because he had little competition and never put up the numbers he should have been capable of in today’s league. This is one of those things thats impossible to settle, so I’ll just say this: If I was trying to start a dynasty, would I want olympic quality athletes that have 20+ RPG avgs over their careers, or the fattest guy in the league?
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There are alot of you who say Wilt would have dominated Hakeem, that is a joke! Wilt or Russell for that matter never saw nor played against a player of Hakeems talent. How were they going to defend Hakeem. Hakeem would have had them dizzy by the end of the first quarter with his footwork and leaping ability. Hakeem may not have stopped Wilt this is true but there is no way Wilt would have stopped Hakeem. BTW, Wilt avereraged 3 points less then Hakeem in the playoffs and Hakeem retired as the no 5 top steals guy of all time. Since then he has dropped to no 7. Wilt and Russell are legends no doubt about it and they could have played against the great centers of the 80′s and 90′s, but if you asked them they would both admit they would have had a tough time handling Hakeem!
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Why isn’t Sabonis anywhere close to this list?
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People who are saying that Wilt would have dominated any era doesnt make sence. Wilt is the best center statistically but he played in an era with no offnesive 3 seconds and he was taller than everyone which proves his 50 point season and 100 point game.
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When looking at Wilt’s amazing regular season stats(and yes they were amazing!), realize to what level he fell off in the playoffs(playoffs?!? Playoffs?!?!?! I just hope we can win a game!
. He was #2 in ppg all time only behind the G.O.A.T. M.J. @ 30ppg. In the playoffs when competition got tuff he’s not even in the top 20! Let me repeat NOT IN THE TOP 20!!! He is #29 at 22ppg!!! I felt the same way as alot of you for well over 20yrs that Wilt was #1, but after reading Bill Simmons book “The Book Of Basketball”(the greatest book I’ve ever read but I’ve only read like 5 lol) and doing alot of my own research I have to put him @ #2. Granted Simmons is the biggest Boston Homer you could ever meet, but that doesnt change the facts stated woderfully in chapter 2 pages 57-83! What a great read!!! Then after that just log on to the greatest web sight on the planet basketball-reference.com and look at the stats yourself.
My opinion of top 10 centers of all time would go 1. Russell 2. Wilt 3. Kareem 4. Hakeem 5. Shaq 6. Moses 7. Robinson 8. Ewing 9. Howard 10. Reed If Howard never played another game in his career he would go down as the 3rd best def center in the top 10 only behind Russell and Hakeem. He’s 8th all-time in ppg in the playoffs among all center and 13th ppg for the regular season. If you add in his amazing rebounding, shot blocking, and athleticism he is one of the top 10 all time to me! That 10th spot could go to a handful of people incl Mikan(played against nobody), Walton(had 2 good seasons 76-77&77-78 never avg 19ppg and for his career 13 & 10 lol), Cowans(mvp 7 time allstar and won allstar mvp all nba player 3, all defense 3x, and 2x nba champion), Parish(OVER RATED! 14pts 9 reb 1blk avg for his career! He’s top 20 centers all time but not a lock for the top 10). So by weeding through those guys I put Willis Reed. Yeah he made the all star game 2x less then Parish (he played half the years), but he was MVP, 2x Finals MVP, made 5 all nba teams, and the all Def team) I love the list you put on here and I love the competitive banter about the topic! Nothing better then top 10 lists! Especially basketball ones!
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