Best centers all time nba

Big men have defined basketball since its inception. These are the NBA's 25 best centers who ever graced a court with their supreme skill. The center position is arguably the most important position in the game of basketball.

The center position has historically featured some of the most productive, tall , and talented players in basketball history, making it central to the success of many NBA teams. Defensively, the best NBA centers of all time have been responsible for protecting the rim and rebounding. From the seven-footers like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Wilt Chamberlain that towered over their peers and dominated, to the smaller fives like Dave Cowens and Wes Unseld that used their speed and quickness to make an impact, centers comes in all shapes and sizes. A few players such as Pau Gasol and Tim Duncan were considered but left off of this list due to their time playing primarily outside of the center position. Both played center for huge portions of the latter stages of their careers, but at their peak, they were power forwards. Join us as we take a look at the greatest centers of all time, ranked. He played for the Rockets for his entire NBA career, which lasted from to

Best centers all time nba

By HoopsHype staff October 20, We have taken our HoopsHype 77 list and split it into five positions: point guards , shooting guards , small forwards , power forwards and centers. NBA rank: 2nd in scoring, 3rd in rebounds and blocks, 49th in assists, th in steals. If anything, the longevity argument may still be with Abdul-Jabbar, as the all-time big man won his two Finals MVP awards 14 years apart, first in and then again in Russell may not have had the longest career, but boy, was that run successful. The most dominant big man offensively in NBA history, though that partially had to do with the level of competition Wilt Chamberlain faced in his era. Still, when you dominate at the level Chamberlain did, who cares who he did it against? Chamberlain did come a little short in the team success department as he was usually better in the regular season than in the playoffs, something that many believe had to do with an unwillingness to get fouled late in close games due to his unreliable free throw. Plus he has the second-best scoring average behind only Jordan. Chamberlain is also the only guy to lead the league in total scoring, rebounds and assists for a season, and retired as the all-time leader in scoring and rebounding at the time. The fact the Big Artistotle won only one MVP was kind of ridiculous in hindsight, as there were various seasons he was the most dominant player in the league. NBA rank: 1st in blocks, 10th in steals, 12th in points, 14th in rebounds, th in assists. The best international player ever, Hakeem Olajuwon competed and produced at an elite level on both ends of the floor with outstanding low-post moves and defensive skills to match.

Mutombo dominated in college and went on to be one of the greatest shot blockers of all-time. Artis Gilmore. He has a shooting drill named after him.

Click here for our 5-on-5 debate. Then our ESPN expert panel voted on thousands of head-to-head matchups, with voting based on both peak performance and career value. The result is our all-time NBA Top The Top will begin to roll out Wednesday. Meanwhile, we are presenting the top 10 by position.

In fact, between and the award went exclusively to centers. Born: August 21 , in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania us. Died: October 12, Aged d. College: Kansas. High School: Overbrook in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Best centers all time nba

The center position has historically featured some of the most productive, tall , and talented players in basketball history, making it central to the success of many NBA teams. Defensively, the best NBA centers of all time have been responsible for protecting the rim and rebounding. From the seven-footers like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Wilt Chamberlain that towered over their peers and dominated, to the smaller fives like Dave Cowens and Wes Unseld that used their speed and quickness to make an impact, centers comes in all shapes and sizes. A few players such as Pau Gasol and Tim Duncan were considered but left off of this list due to their time playing primarily outside of the center position. Both played center for huge portions of the latter stages of their careers, but at their peak, they were power forwards. Join us as we take a look at the greatest centers of all time, ranked. He played for the Rockets for his entire NBA career, which lasted from to Unfortunately, Yao Ming's career was plagued by injury problems, particularly to his feet and ankles. These injuries ultimately led to his retirement from professional basketball in Johnston led the NBA in scoring for three consecutive seasons , and also led the association in rebounding during the campaign.

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He set records that no one will ever come close to breaking. Unfortunately, Yao Ming's career was plagued by injury problems, particularly to his feet and ankles. Russell was the first player in NBA history to average 20 rebounds in a season. His legend would only grow when he teamed up with Kobe Bryant on the Los Angeles Lakers and ended up winning three titles in a row, and he'd later win a fourth title with Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat. Simply put, there might not be a more complete career than Abdul-Jabbar's. Waiver wire pickups: Let's talk about double-doubles. Malone might be the only superstar player who identifies as an NBA vagabond of sorts. Lakers vent at refs' 'inconsistency' after Suns loss. There is no other choice to top this list. Despite standing just 6-foot-7, Wes Unseld was one of the most physically imposing centers ever thanks to his incredible strength and stout frame. A smooth player on the court, Olajuwon had every move in the post, making opponents look foolish.

NBA Players. The centers have been a cornerstone of basketball since its origin.

Then our ESPN expert panel voted on thousands of head-to-head matchups, with voting based on both peak performance and career value. We don't have the tools to truly measure Mikan's on-court impact, but it's visible more than a half-century after he quit playing: the second clock came into being because of him. Malone was also a monster scorer in the paint, using his brute strength to batter smaller foes down low. And at just 28 years old, he shows no signs of slowing down. The starting center on those legendary Celtics teams of the s, Robert Parish was a great complement to the likes of Bird and McHale, willing to do all of the dirty work down low while still providing a solid scoring punch in the paint. August 24, 13 min read. Hakeem Olajuwon. Nate Thurmond. Despite that, he still made his mark playing for 14 years on his way to eight All-Star selections and an eventual induction into the Hall of Fame. One of the most legendary players to ever play the game of basketball, his legacy is still felt even today. O'Neal would become the most dominant force in the NBA in the late s and early s. Waiver wire pickups: Let's talk about double-doubles. A Basketball Hall of Fame inductee, Lanier was a skilled all-around center with the ability to rebound, score and defend. It's a testament to his athletic abilities that Olajuwon himself declared that "The Dream Shake" was actually something he came up with while playing soccer, not basketball.