Top 5 centers of all time?

[jonathanlambert33]

Just to name a few: Alonzo Mourning, Dikembe Mutombo, David Robinson, Ben Wallace, Dwight Howard were the top centers when Shaq won his 4 rings.

Are you serious? Shaq's four rings came in 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2006. Here's the numbers for all those guys:

Mourning:
14-8-2
16-8-3
8-2-0.5
Played in Miami with Shaq

Mutombo:
10-14-3
12-11-2
6-6-2
3-7-1

Robinson:
14-9-3
12-8-2
9-8-2
No longer in league

Wallace:
6-13-2
8-13-4
7-15-3
6-11-2

Dwight:
Not in league
Not in league
Not in league
18-12-2

Either I'm missing it, or you didn't include the great centers that played in Shaq's era. I mean, where are they? I see some good guys, but I don't see any great guys. Certaintly nobody as good as Bill Russell, who Wilt averaged 29 and 29 against for his career. Of the three best centers on that list, one of them was finishing up his career, one had no offensive game whatsoever, and the other was only in the league for one of Shaq's championship years. Of the 16 stats listed, only 3 are double doubles. Where is Shaq's great competition? I clearly see where I'm getting owned. Wilt is the best ever, followed by Russell.

 

[CameronCrazy06]

Can I just say that the averaging 48.5 minutes per game for Wilt isn't something you can take against him, it's actually to me another reason why I think he's the best center of all-time. No one else compares with that stamina.

 

[jonathanlambert33]

Can I just say that the averaging 48.5 minutes per game for Wilt isn't something you can take against him, it's actually to me another reason why I think he's the best center of all-time. No one else compares with that stamina.

Not to mention how he measures up against a guy like Dwight, todays best center. Taller, weighs more, stronger, more athletic. I know your a Dwight fan, but still.

Wilt would still be one of the best players in the game today.

 

[CameronCrazy06]

I agree 100%. I hate when people make the arguement that he just dominated smaller competition. Wilt would be the best center in the league no matter what era he played in.

 

[jonathanlambert33]

I agree 100%. I hate when people make the arguement that he just dominated smaller competition. Wilt would be the best center in the league no matter what era he played in.

Exactly. Alot of people want to say that Dwight is the prototypical NBA video game center, but it's really Wilt.

7'1, 275 lbs, with a vertical of between 55-60 inches.

 

[.infamous]

Exactly. Alot of people want to say that Dwight is the prototypical NBA video game center, but it's really Wilt.

7'1, 275 lbs, with a vertical of between 55-60 inches.

god damn I didnt know he had that kind of vertical holy shit lol. that would've been insane to watch him play lol.

 

[jonathanlambert33]

god damn I didnt know he had that kind of vertical holy shit lol. that would've been insane to watch him play lol.

Lol yeah, I find it hard to believe but that's what I've heard.

 

[.infamous]

Lol yeah, I find it hard to believe but that's what I've heard.

I also read that he never fouled out of a game in his career.

 

[CameronCrazy06]

Olympic high-jumper.

 

[.infamous]

ALso just read that he could bench press 550 pounds god damn. this dude was a physical freak lol. And both of his parents were only 5' 7"

 

[cruzg24]

I agree 100%. I hate when people make the arguement that he just dominated smaller competition. Wilt would be the best center in the league no matter what era he played in.

I agree, you cant hold something against a great player because he was a physical specimen never seen before. Same couldve been said for Shaq and how much bigger he was than his other competition in terms of just pure muscle. You know someone is a legendary player when you play and rules are made just because of you.

Offensive Goaltending? Wilt.
Widening the lane? Wilt.
Shooting free throws? Wilt.

And all those rules were implemented to stop Wilt from being so dominant.


1. Wilt
2. Kareem
3. Russell
4. Shaq
5. Hakeem

 

[jonathanlambert33]

ALso just read that he could bench press 550 pounds god damn. this dude was a physical freak lol. And both of his parents were only 5' 7"

Alot of people believe that he's the strongest player to ever play the game.

 

[werebarret]

guarantee Shaq/Kareem/Hakeem could put up the same numbers Wilt did in that era

 

[lakerfan]

Exactly.

But it isn't Russell because those Celtic teams were stacked. I won't go out and say it was his fault and he should be penalized for it, but it should be taken into account. Yes, he helped contribute to that... But back the, there literally was no competition for the Celtics. They were as dominant as any of the great Yankee teams. Plus, I have a huge problem with calling someone #1 at their position if they are a career 44% shooter (at center).

SHAQ. 4 titles (3 finals MVPs) in the most competitive era of sport. He carried Kobe, a player many consider to be the #2 SG of all time, and possibly the best active player, to three titles... And then took D-Wade to win one. He's got the titles, and if you want stats just scroll up.

I would argue that the same argument of lack of competition can be made, really, for all of these players. O'neal in particular had most of his success in the early 00's, in which disparity in the league talent-wise was significantly bad. Surely you remember the Eastern Conference's repeatedly mediocre Finals teams -- the Iverson led Sixers, aging Reggie Miller's Pacers, Jason Kidd's Nets headlined by the likes of Todd McCollough and Keith Van Horn (which made the Eastern Conference finals three years in a row!); these are teams that no one will particularly remember as elite years down the line. This was an era where the post-Jordan era of basketball players were entering their peak, and we all know how bad basketball truly was from a talent perspective after his retirement. And even the good teams, like the Sacramento Kings and Portland Trailblazers, had no alpha-dog player. This is, let's remember, a period of basketball in which two teams-- the Spurs and the Lakers-- monopolized championships.

While the talent level discrepancy has been documented for Russell's era, he did play against Wilt's Lakers, who many on this very thread consider to be one of the most dominant Centers in the era. That team also had Jerry West and Elgin Baylor, who weren't all that bad themselves. For him to win 9 against that core is a significant accomplishment.

 

[lakerfan]

Its still amazing that he never fouled out of a game.

It was a feat he was proud about, but I'm not sure I would be. It has been documented extensively that when he was on the cusp of fouling out, he stopped playing hard defensively. He valued his personal statistics more than winning.

 

[bestkeptsecret13]

Are you serious? Shaq's four rings came in 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2006. Here's the numbers for all those guys:

Mourning:
14-8-2
16-8-3
8-2-0.5
Played in Miami with Shaq

Mutombo:
10-14-3
12-11-2
6-6-2
3-7-1

Robinson:
14-9-3
12-8-2
9-8-2
No longer in league

Wallace:
6-13-2
8-13-4
7-15-3
6-11-2

Dwight:
Not in league
Not in league
Not in league
18-12-2

Either I'm missing it, or you didn't include the great centers that played in Shaq's era. I mean, where are they? I see some good guys, but I don't see any great guys. Certaintly nobody as good as Bill Russell, who Wilt averaged 29 and 29 against for his career. Of the three best centers on that list, one of them was finishing up his career, one had no offensive game whatsoever, and the other was only in the league for one of Shaq's championship years. Of the 16 stats listed, only 3 are double doubles. Where is Shaq's great competition? I clearly see where I'm getting owned. Wilt is the best ever, followed by Russell.

The dudes Yanks listed are some of the best defensive centers we've seen in recent years. I think that was his point.

 

[Yankees2772]

The dudes Yanks listed are some of the best defensive centers we've seen in recent years. I think that was his point.

Thank you >_<

 

[.s31t]

Thank you >_<

Ill have to agree with that too Yanks... +2...

Its hard to honestly make a list of the top 5 but Shaq played in a weak crop of centers but he did face some of the best defensive centers ever which Yankees pointed out... Heres a fabulous list of centers I can name: Brad Miller, Dikembe Mutumbo, Jermaine ONeal, Ben Wallace, Alonzo Mourning, Eddy Curry, Horace Grant, Vlade Divac, Tyson Chandler, cant forget Shawn Bradley, Yao Ming)... Not too many HoFers and too many interchangeable All-Stars (1 good season and fall off) he faced... Alonzo in the 90's was a beast, Hakeem and David Robinson were the three best Centers before Dwight he really faced and Dwight is still hasnt from peaked...

 

[RipCity32]

1. Shaquille O'Neal
2. Wilt Chamberlain
3. Bill Russell
4. Hakeem Olajuwon
5. George Mikan

To be honest, I had Wilt at #1 before I read what Yankees said in this thread. But after seeing all his posts, I agree 100% with what he has said.

 

[lakerfan]

Are you serious? Shaq's four rings came in 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2006. Here's the numbers for all those guys:

Mourning:
14-8-2
16-8-3
8-2-0.5
Played in Miami with Shaq

Mutombo:
10-14-3
12-11-2
6-6-2
3-7-1

Robinson:
14-9-3
12-8-2
9-8-2
No longer in league

Wallace:
6-13-2
8-13-4
7-15-3
6-11-2

Dwight:
Not in league
Not in league
Not in league
18-12-2

Either I'm missing it, or you didn't include the great centers that played in Shaq's era. I mean, where are they? I see some good guys, but I don't see any great guys. Certaintly nobody as good as Bill Russell, who Wilt averaged 29 and 29 against for his career. Of the three best centers on that list, one of them was finishing up his career, one had no offensive game whatsoever, and the other was only in the league for one of Shaq's championship years. Of the 16 stats listed, only 3 are double doubles. Where is Shaq's great competition? I clearly see where I'm getting owned. Wilt is the best ever, followed by Russell.

I could not agree with you more. I won't dispute the fact these players were above average defenders (though I do think their talents are being overstated historically), but the scope of their careers simply didn't coincide enough within O'Neal's peak for it to be a game-changing argument against the likes of Wilt, Russell or Jabbar.