Top 5 centers in NBA history

[Sticksboi05]

Same as the point guards thread. I hope we can stave away from the PF vs. C arguments. Name your top 5 all-time. These have been fantastic discussions, really.

[CrypticVillain]

Hakeem

Shaq

Kareem

~~~~~~~

Russel

Wilt

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

Might as well get the Bullets/Wizards post out of the way...

1. Gheorghe Muresan

2, Ben Wallace

3. Brendan Haywood

4. Javale McGee

5. Jim McIlvaine

So many for that #5 spot: Jahidi White, Ike Austin, Kevin Duckworth, Manute, **** Ralph Sampson. The list goes on and on. But I'm going with Jim McIlvaine as he got a HUGE contact for $30+ mil so he was obviously a beast.

[CrypticVillain]

I don't know how you are putting Wallace over Haywood and McGee. I don't remember him doing anything when with us. And this isn't an age thing because I remember him playing for us before he went to the Magic and Pistons.

[earl]

Pervis Ellision!!!

seriously

1.Russell

2. Wilt

3. Kareem

4. Shaq

5. Olajawon

#5 can be debated but the top 4 are a lock.

in my life time

1.kareem (although tail end is all i saw)

2. shaq

3. the dream

4. Ewing

5. Admiral

6. sabonis * probably higher if he came to the US in his prime

7. morning

8. lambeer

9. parish

10. mutumbo

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

I don't know how you are putting Wallace over Haywood and McGee. I don't remember him doing anything when with us. And this isn't an age thing because I remember him playing for us before he went to the Magic and Pistons.

I'm just going overall career. The most-talented centers to play for the Bullets/Wizards. And Wallace DEFINITELY showed flashes here. Averaged 8+ boards and 2 blocks a game his last year here. In only 26 mpg. Which is why dumping him for Ike mother****ing Austin was so ****ing stupid. Ughhhhhhhhhhh

BTW, you could easily add Webber and 'Sheed to the list, among others, but that woulda been too easy.

[Sticksboi05]

My list is.

1. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

He led two teams to titles. He won six total. He has a record 6 MVPs. He has multiple Finals MVPs. He possessed the most unstoppable shot in NBA history. He was great on both sides of the ball. He is the all-time leading scorer and was 11x All-NBA Defensive Team. The most impressive thing though is the longevity. He was a 20/10 center for 12 seasons and after 20 years in the league, to maintain averages of 24.6/11.2 is a feat. Best center to play the game.

2. Bill Russell*

Maybe the best defensive player ever. Yes, he did play at a time where some guys at Rucker Park were better than NBA players but the comical amount of rings, the leadership, dealing with racism and he was dominant rebounding the ball. 11 rings. Count 'em.

3. Hakeem Olajuwon

1994 MVP. Dominant on both sides of the ball. Fantastic defensively. Two-time champion (thank MJ for retiring) and he had a well-crafted offensive game also.

4. Shaquille O'Neal

Most dominant player ever physically. A beast offensively. His numbers in the 2000 NBA Finals (38/17) are video game quality. He's got 4 rings, an MVP, was the focal point of 3 titles with Kobe (no question). Not as good defensively as the other centers on my list though. But man, what a powerhouse The Diesel was. And when he was on Orlando, he could run too.

5. Wilt*

For some reason I'm knocking Wilt down more than Russell for playing in a "limited" NBA. The records speak for themselves so I won't go into much detail

*Hard to compare that era to the modern era. If I take Wilt and Russell off, I put in David Robinson and Moses Malone who is always forgotten. In my lifetime seeing them in their prime, Shaq's by far the best. Hakeem I saw near the end of his career. Howard when he develops a real offensive game will be up here one day.

[CrypticVillain]

True.

I guess your are saying that Wes was a PF.

[deejaydana]

Kareem/Shaq/Mikan/Bynum/Nevitt. I don't really buy this but figured I may as well go all Lakers with my list.

[CrypticVillain]

I wanted to put Mikan 5th sooo bad. But Wilt numbers are too good for me to ignore.

[stwasm]

I can't believe no one mentioned Wes Unseld for this list. VERY underrated player. GM/coach, not so much.

[RonArtest15]

Just going off of who I've seen...

1. Shaq

2. Hakeem

3. David Robinson

4. Patrick Ewing

5. Robert Parish

*Can't wait for the SF thread to pop up...yes, I'm gonna say Lebron is the best in NBA history. Come at me bros.

[Sticksboi05]

I can't believe no one mentioned Wes Unseld for this list. VERY underrated player. GM/coach, not so much.

Great player but tough to put him top 5 or even top 10. all-time.

And can we please stay on topic. This isn't a review of the Wasington Bullets franchise. There's a Wizards thread for that.

[CrypticVillain]

The top 5 all potential list:

1.Yao Ming

2.Greg Oden

3.Javale McGee

4. Michael Olowokandi

5.Dwight Howard (He is on the list because he can do better)

[Sticksboi05]

Just going off of who I've seen...

1. Shaq

2. Hakeem

3. David Robinson

4. Patrick Ewing

5. Robert Parish

*Can't wait for the SF thread to pop up...yes, I'm gonna say Lebron is the best in NBA history. Come at me bros.

Larry. Bird.

But LeBron will be #1 by the end of his career.

[deejaydana]

Why no love for Shawn Bradley?

[Going Commando]

I thought I'd be able to rattle off a top 5 for this position but looking at the different eras is really tough. Hard to say who was a true center and who was a tweener. Hard to place a value on guys like George Mikan who were complete game changers but in an era so long ago that it's like they played a different sport. I'd almost have to break it down by like 15 year increments.

Here's who I think the list should be using my gut:

1.) Russell

2.) Kareem

3.) Wilt

4.) Hakeem

5.) Moses

From my lifetime, starting around the mid 80's excluding Kareem and Moses since I barely remember them at all. I'm also leaving Dwight off as he's active.

1.) Hakeem

2.) Robinson

3.) Shaq

4.) Ewing

5.) Alonzo

---------- Post added July-17th-2012 at 11:37 AM ----------

The top 5 all potential list:

1.Yao Ming

2.Greg Oden

3.Javale McGee

4. Michael Olowokandi

5.Dwight Howard (He is on the list because he can do better)

Shaq should be on there. Shaq left a lot on the table during his career.

Darrell Dawkins probably should be too. I think the media forgets how much of a freak he was when he first came into the league.

EDIT: Wilt should be too. Honestly, there should be no debate about Wilt being the runaway GOAT player in NBA history. He'd be a dominant athlete in today's NBA, there was just nothing on Earth like him in his time. But he's certainly not the GOAT. He underachieved.

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

Great player but tough to put him top 5 or even top 10. all-time.

And can we please stay on topic. This isn't a review of the Wasington Bullets franchise. There's a Wizards thread for that.

Yeah I was just getting it out of the way. My bad. I'm done on that.

That said, I definitely think there's an argument to be made for Wes being at least in the top 10.

[Going Commando]

Kareem/Shaq/Mikan/Bynum/Nevitt. I don't really buy this but figured I may as well go all Lakers with my list.

They've been fortunate over the years. I'd put Wilt on there ahead of Bynum or Nevitt though.

Better legacy at C, Lakers or Celtics?

[CrypticVillain]

Shaq should be on there. Shaq left a lot on the table during his career.

You are right. But I can't put him on because he won 4 rings. Now if he only had like 1 and kept losing in the Finals, maybe.

---------- Post added July-17th-2012 at 11:46 AM ----------

Better legacy at C, Lakers or Celtics?

Lakers in a laughter

[Die Hard]

I'm dumbfounded by the omission of Tim Duncan from the discussion... anywhere in this conversation!

People would rank Dikembe Mutombo and Alonzo Mourning ahead of Duncan? I don't get that.

[deejaydana]

Just how fortunate have the Lakers been regards Centers? Mikan>Wilt>Kareem>Shaq and to a lesser degree now Bynum.

[Predicto]

I'm dumbfounded by the omission of Tim Duncan from the discussion... anywhere in this conversation!

People would rank Dikembe Mutombo and Alonzo Mourning ahead of Duncan? I don't get that.

Because he's not a center? He is the first or second best power forward in NBA history, along with Karl Malone.

My list

1. Wilt

2. Kareem

3. Hakeem

4. Shaq

5. Russell

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

I wanted to put Mikan 5th sooo bad. But Wilt numbers are too good for me to ignore.

Putting Mikan in the top 20 is stupid.

---------- Post added July-17th-2012 at 11:09 AM ----------

1. Kareem

2. Russell

3. Moses

4. Wilt

5. Shaq (should be 1 but was a lazy fat ass)

(I want to put Hakeem in the top 5 but I don't know where. Shaq at his peak was the second easiest two points ever. Hakeem was more skilled than Wilt but I'm already pushing it by dropping Wilt to 4. And I love Moses).

---------- Post added July-17th-2012 at 11:09 AM ----------

I'm dumbfounded by the omission of Tim Duncan from the discussion... anywhere in this conversation!

He's not a center.

[deejaydana]

Putting Mikan in the top 20 is stupid.

.

Actually it's not at all but it just points to the problemmatic nature of comparing players who are generations apart. Every list compiled by "experts" ( that is sports writers ) WOULD include Mikan and probably within the top 10.