Basketball Who is the best center of ALL TIME?

[Hands]

Who is the best center EVER?

Wilt Chamberlain?
Kareem Abdul Jabbar?
Shaq in his prime?
Hakeem Olajuwon?
Bill Russell?


My vote goes to Bill Russell.
Defence is WAY too underrated in basketball.
The man is a proven winner... how many rings does he have?
11 rings baby!

I know Lakers fans love him lol

 

[GotGibson?]

I gotta go with Bill Russell also.

Enough rings for all fingers, thumbs, and one toe...'nuff said.

 

[Hands]

One toe! lol

Wilt's 100 points game is just legendary!
I think I have only played in a team that has scored 100 once

 

[heath23]

thats a tough question, the game is so much different now then back when russell and wilt played, back then those 2 guys were so much bigger than every one else, so they had to dominate, and shaq's over all size was just crazy stupid .the over all player today is faster and can jump higher than the old days which makes playing defense tougher now, but those 11 rings count for something, so i will go with russell , but it sure would be a collision if he had to try and post up shaq. i think shaq will be the greatest of his era, but those free throws will always be in the back of peoples minds.

 

[practizionear]

wilt's the dude. lol.

 

[glendavis]

Has to be Russell with the rings. The games changed SO MUCH. Also Russell got it done on both sides of the court.

 

[Ground Support]

I'm going to outside the box, and go with Shaq. You can not look at Shaq now and call him the best ever. You gotta look at shaq 4-5-6 years ago when no one could guard him. I remember Ben Wallace would play against him and have to buy a new pair of shoes because he couldn't stay planted on the ground, why shaq was backing him down. Shaq would actually damage the souls of his defender shoes.

Wilt has the best record in all of sports.

Russell was good, but is no Shaq.

Hakeem? No Shaq.

David Robinson deserves some love too.

 

[ac-n-mike]

Hakeem OWNS Shaq.... but best ALL-AROUND CENTER? hmmmm lets see

BEST ALL-AROUND ALL in their PRIME... I have to say I'd LOVE to see

RUSSELL -vs- HAKEEM

Russell---6'10"...220lbs
Hakeem--7'0"...255lbs

Russell would more than likely be a Power Forward in todays game

he is AMAZING, no doubt about that....

just in pure SIZE Russell would have issues against the rest of the guys...and before anyone says it...Russell was NOT close to as agile as HAKEEM and there is NO WAY he could muscle Shaq in the paint

Chamberlain---7'1"...275lbs
Shaq---------7'1"...325lbs (he has to be 350 atleast LOL)
Abdul-Jabar---7'2"...265lbs


my top 5 centers of all time (from the names listed above)
I may throw Magic (yes he played center), Ewing, David Robinson, Mikan, Moses Malone in teh mix as well....

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


heck, give Dwight Howard 5-7 years and he may very well be on this list as well... his stats are RIDICULOUS

but ALL-AROUND best center...I'd pick Hakeem...his agility...blocks...passing etc was FAR beyond the other 4 guys...

 

[Ground Support]

I used to own a pair of Hakeem Olajuwons! Spaulding Baby! Kmart shoes.

 

[iLikePie]

I have to go with Bill Russell.

 

[NewOrleanSaints25]

i'll go with Wilt Chamberlain

 

[Hands]

Nice answers guys!

The poll is close between THREE guys

Get those votes/opinions in!

 

[RaptorzRule]

Im not hating on Wilt or anything, but back then he was like the tallest player, and they didn't have 3 point lines, so there was no point shooting from far distance, so all the guards just dished to Wilt, and then got 100 points. It's tough choice but I would have to go with Bill Russell, those rings count for something.

 

[Steve_O_21]

I'm gonna buck the trend here and say David Robinson. The man did EVERYTHING!! The Admiral was everything you want as your Center and he did it with class at all times. Gave up his first 2 seasons to finish his obligation to the Navy and still finished his career with amazing numbers. He gets my vote.

* NBA Champion (1999, 2003)
* NBA MVP (1995)
* NBA Defensive Player of the Year (1992)
* NBA Rookie of the Year (1990)
* All-NBA First Team (1991, '92, '95, '96)
* All-NBA Second Team (1994, '98)
* All-NBA Third Team (1990, '93, 2000, '01)
* All-Defensive First Team (1991, '92, '95, '96)
* All-Defensive Second Team (1990, '93, '94, '98)
* 10-time NBA All-Star
* Only player in NBA history to win the Rebounding, Blocked Shots, and Scoring Titles and Rookie of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and MVP
* One of only four players to have recorded a quadruple-double
* NBA Sportsmanship Award (2001)
* Third player in NBA history to rank among the league's top 10 in five categories (7th in scoring (23.2 ppg), 4th in rebounding (12.2 rpg), 1st in blocks (4.49 per game), 5th in steals (2.32 per game) and 7th in field-goal percentage (.551))
* First player in NBA history to rank among the top five in rebounding, blocks and steals (per game) in a single season[6]
* Fourth player ever to score 70+ in an NBA game
* 3-time Olympian (1988, '92, '96)
* One of 50 Greatest Players in NBA History (1996)
* Led NBA in Scoring (1993–94 season) - 29.8 ppg
* Led NBA in Rebounding (1990–91 season) - 13.0 rpg
* Led NBA in Blocked Shots (1991–92 season) - 4.49 bpg
* Holds record for most IBM Awards (1990, '91, '94, '95, '96)
* His 10,497 rebounds and 2,954 blocked shots are the most by any
player wearing a San Antonio Spurs jersey, and his 20,790 points are second most only to George Gervin's 23,602. (Had only Gervin's NBA numbers been taken into account, Robinson would be #1 in this category; Gervin scored 4,219 of his points while the franchise was in the American Basketball Association.)
* Gold Medal in 1986 FIBA World Championship.[12]
* Member of Dream Team #1 during Olympic Games at Barcelona.

 

[bhelser]

I used to own a pair of Hakeem Olajuwons! Spaulding Baby! Kmart shoes.

Payless Baby!