Every team needed a huge man in the center to battle for the championship, as the NBA was established in the late 1940s. In a game that continues to grow after 70 years, there were many excellent centers to play pro basketball.
Historically, the central position was indeed a major position in the NBA. The role is central to the success of many NBA teams and features some of the most productive and talented players in basketball history. Centers are defensively responsible for the defenseof the rim and for rebounds.
Of all shapes and sizes, the centers exist. Seven footers, such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Wilt Chamberlain, topped and overshadowed their colleagues. On the other hand, the five footers, such as Dave Cowens and Wes Unseld, used their pace and speed to excel. Let’s find out theTop 13 Centers of All-Time.
13. Bob McAdoo
Miami Heat assistant coach Bob McAdoo (centre) celebrates with LeBron James (left). (Getty)
McAdoo earlier in his career was one of the highest-scoring players, leading the league in scoring three seasons. McAdoo has won ROY honors, 18 points, and 9.1 rebounds. Since he was a rookie. McAdoo averaged over 30 points and 12 rebounds per game over the next three seasons.
The Hall of Fale consists of two champion rings and one and MVP award that he earned in 1974.
12. Bill Walton
Sportscaster and former NBA player Bill Walton poses in 2019. (Getty)
Walton enjoyed an impressive career as a graduate student at UCLA before injuries swept his career to a halt. He earned the NBA championship only in 1977 and the Finals MVP. Walton was the MVP of the league next season. The average records of Walton’s career are 13.3 and 10.5 rebounds a game and more than 50 percent in shooting.
11. Robert Parish
Robert Parish attends State Farm All-Star Saturday Night in 2015. (Getty)
The nine-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA member, Robert Parish, won four championships with the Celtics, with an average of 14.5 and 9.1 rebounds a season.
Parish didn’t have a much remarkable career but he had four NBA wins.
10. Dwight Howard
Dwight Howard in action against the Brooklyn Nets in 2020. (Getty)
Howard was a permanent All-NBA member of the Orlando Magic until injuries and poor play briefly disrupted his job. In the NBA all-time rebounding and block charts, the Eight-time All-Star has earned 3 Defensive Player of the Year awards in his career.
Howard led the league in rebounding five times and twice in blocks, both as a member of the Orlando Magic. The ‘Superman’ has an overall career score of 16.8, 12.3, and 1.9 blocks for each game.
9. David Robinson
David Robinson of the San Antonio Spurs against the Dallas Mavericks. (Getty)
Robinson is a 10 All-Star and All-NBA participant. In spite of the fact that Robinson missed the NBA for two years due to serving in the US Navy, during the 1989 season, he received the ROY.
Robinson won the MVP in 1994 with the distinction of Defensive Player of the Year at home in the same year. In a Spurs jersey, Robinson played all his career and was finally included in the NBA Hall of Fame.
8. Patrick Ewing
Patrick Ewing of the Orlando Magic sulks during the NBA game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. (Getty)
Ewing is one of his generation’s most overlooked stars and was an integral part of some fantastic Knicks squads, who challenged the Bulls in the Eastern Conference.
The 11-time All-Star won the 1985 Player of the year and averaged nearly half its lifespan (21 PPG & 9.8 RPG). The Hall of Famer finished his career with the record of being the 23rd of all-time in scoring.
7. Moses Malone
Moses Malone while playing for the Philadelphia 76ers. (NBA)
Malone is the best-decorated 76er ever who has won three MVP awards. Malone went on to play 20 seasons in the NBA after two seasons spent in the ABA. In career rebounds, he finished 5th and six times led the league in rebounds.
Malone featured in the All-Star 13 times, averaging 20.3 points for each game and 12.3 rebounds for the lifetime. Malone ended his career as the 9th highest all-time League scorer (27,409 points).
6. George Mikan
George Mikan during his time at the Los Angeles Lakers. (NBA)
Mikan is known as the first NBA superstar, and he also got the nickname “Mr. Basketball”. One of the biggest Lakers stars of all time won five championships in ABA/NBA.
In 1952, Mikan got the MVP award and he is a triple winner. Mikan averaged 27.4 points in his first NBA season and only score less than 20 PPG twice in his career.
5. Hakeem Olajuwon
Hakeem Olajuwon of the Houston Rockets drives the ball down the court during a game against the Los Angeles Lakers. (Getty)
“The Dream” is one of the best NBA two-way players of all-time. Olajuwon made a 12-time All-Star Team 9 times and led the league three times in blocks. Offensively, Olajuwon was 11th overall in his career and averaged 21.8 points in a game of 51.2 percent shoot.
He also won Defensive Player of the Year two years, becoming an all-time leader in blocks (3,830. Olajuwon brought the Houston Rockets two NBA championships and he won the 1993 MVP award.
4. Bill Russell
NBA great Bill Russell gets introduced to the crowd during the NBA Europe Live Tour in 2006. (Getty)
Russell joined the league in 1956 and quickly dominated, after leading the league in rebounds. Five times throughout his career, he continued leading the NBA in rebounds.
He also has five MVPs (along with Michael Jordan) and made the All-Star team 12 times (every season except his rookie year). Potentially the greatest ever (22.5 RBPG) rebuilder, Bili Russell is known to be the best Celtic in franchise history.
3. Shaquille O’Neal
Shaquille O’Neal of the Miami Heat walks back up court after he was called for an offensive foul in 2007. (Getty)
Even as a rookie, Shaquille was one of the most outstanding players in the NBA. In 1992, Shaq joined the NBA and received the honorary Rookie of the Year with the Orlando Magic by playing 23.4 points, 13.9 rebounds and 3.5 blocks a game.
Later O’Neal joined the Los Angeles Laker where, along with Kobe Bryant, he won three consecutive championships. During his 20-year career, O’Neal finished 8th and 15th overall in scoring.
2. Wilt Chamberlain
Wilt Chamberlain of the Los Angeles Lakers. (NBA)
Wilt has a record of 30.1 PPG and 22.9 RPG for the highest total points of his career in a single game (100). He is a 13-time All-Star and won 2 NBA championships in his distinguished career.
Chamberlain’s four-time MSP in the game lead him to two titles in 1967 and 1972, with the exception of free-throw shooting in both regions.
1. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during a game. (Getty)
Abdul-Jabbar, the NBA’s most famous scorer, is a recording, six-time MVP winner who also has the most All-Star games. In Milwaukee, though he was the focal point of some great squads such as theLakers, Abdul-Jabbar was even better at leading the Bucks League twice.
Kareem never missed the All-Star game once in his 20-year career due to any sort of an injury. He was not only dominating in the offense, but Kareem had eleven All-NBA Defensive teams and was a four-time leader in the league in blocks.
