The Greatest NBA Centers of All Time: Top 10 List

An elite center is the ultimate building block of any NBA franchise. With a dominant big man, teams can control the paint at both ends of the floor, win closely contested playoff battles, and ultimately bring home championships. The game of basketball is stacked with center lore: Bill Russell blocking shots to himself, Bill Walton throwing outlet passes, Kareem on the skyhook, and Shaquille O'Neal tearing down the basket support on a tomahawk jam.

Offensively, the greatest NBA centers of all time were unstoppable on the low block. A top-flight center would establish position in the post, pin you on his back, and receive a lob entry pass for the easy score time and time again. To go with an unreal combination of size, speed, and agility, each great center could reach into his bag of tricks to wheel and deal down low with a collection of spin moves, drop steps, hooks, and turnaround jumpers.

At the other end of the floor, the greats were all intimidating rebounders and shot blockers. The ultimate enforcer, a great center was the embodiment of the no-layup rule. As the last line of defense, a top center would either swat your shot into the stands, or get physical at the point of attack to knock you on your backside and into next week on the floor.

As rebounders, the best centers would box out, climb the ladder, and secure the basketball before whipping an outlet pass out to their speedy point guard. From there, the big man would hustle down court, and be rewarded for his tough defense with a sweet pass that leads to yet another rim rocking dunk.

Poetry in motion.

#10 Greatest NBA Center of All Time: Bill Walton

Bill Walton, in his own unorthodox, hippie way, is the ultimate winner. At UCLA, The Big Red Head bookended the dynasty's 88 consecutive victories. As a Bruin, Walton brought two consecutive National Championships back to Westwood -- to finish off two back-to-back 30-0 seasons between 1972 and 1973. For his efforts, Bill Walton was selected as the first overall pick in the 1974 NBA Draft by the Portland Trailblazers. At the NBA Level, the Grateful Dead's biggest fan went on to win one championship each with the Blazers and Boston Celtics in 1977 and 1986, respectively.

A tragic hero, Bill Walton's litany of complicated foot and ankle injuries sabotaged his star-crossed career. Despite apparently meager career averages of 13 points and 10 boards per game, Bill Walton stands tall as one of the greatest centers of all time. At his best, Walton was one of the most technically proficient centers of all time, as he could play the angles to knock down outside shots, power to the goal, and lay the ball in. As an unselfish gamer, Walton was a master of both the outlet to ignite the break and interior passing from the low block to get his teammates involved. In 1977, Bill Walton dropped 19 points per game, while also leading the League in rebounding (14) and shot blocking (3.2) averages. In 1978, Bill Walton put up similar numbers -- to go alongside 5 assists per game and one NBA MVP trophy.

#9 Greatest NBA Center of All Time: Patrick Ewing

Pa-Trick Ewing.

Drafted as the number one overall pick in the conspiracy-theory-filled 1985 NBA Draft, Patrick Ewing descended upon the Big Apple as the savior for the New York Knicks franchise. As a rookie, Ewing did not disappoint when he logged 20 and 9, which were good for Rookie of the Year honors. A model of consistency, Patrick Ewing rarely missed games during his 17-year career, as he went on to average 21 and 10 in New York and brief one-season stints in Seattle and Orlando. In his prime, Ewing was a force, who could bang bodies down low for lay-ups and dunks, but also step outside to knock down sweet mid-range jumpers. In 1990, Patrick Ewing put it all together to start all 82 games and snag 11 boards, 4 blocks, and 29 points per game. That year, Patrick Ewing finished third in scoring -- behind Karl Malone and Michael Jordan.

A perpetual bridesmaid, Ewing could never get past Michael Jordan. During the heated 1990s Bulls - Knicks rivalry games, New York goon ball always came up just short in the clutch. In 1994, New York exploited the brief window of Michael's first retirement to reach the NBA Finals versus the Houston Rockets. This asterisk series, however, was to be remembered as Starks 2 for 18 in Game 7. As a subplot to Starks' bomb, Hakeem Olajuwon was once again unstoppable, as he thoroughly outplayed Patrick Ewing throughout the NBA Finals.

Your franchise center should never be a subplot in the NBA Finals.

#8 Greatest NBA Center of All Time: George Mikan

George Mikan is basketball's original superstar, who changed the game.

A giant for the 1950s, the spectacled one would park directly beneath his own basket to swat away jump shots from opposing players at DePaul University. As a professional Minneapolis Laker, Mr. Basketball would simply camp out near the rim and knock down hook shots from his eponymous drill to destroy the competition. At the other end of the floor, opposing coaches would order their teams to play keep away on offense for long stretches of game time, as if they were matching up against Peyton Manning. To speed up the action and limit Mikan's impact on the game, the NBA began to enforce goaltending violations and also installed the 24-second shot clock alongside a wider 3-second lane.

George Mikan's statistical dominance of his era is similar to that of football's Don Hutson. Between 1948 and 1951, this gentle giant led the League in scoring with averages of at least 27 points per game. In each season, only two other players averaged more than 20 a game.

#7 Greatest NBA Center of All Time: David Robinson

Mr. Robinson was almost too nice for his own neighborhood.

A physical specimen, David Robinson could score at will. At 7'1 and 235 pounds, Robinson could post up, knock down open jump shots, and even put the ball on the floor. The Admiral was especially dangerous in space -- where he would assume the triple-threat stance. Out of the triple-threat, Robinson would either rise up for a mid-range jumper, or jab step and drive past lumbering stiffs and into the lane for the jam. As an offensive force, David Robinson averaged 21 points per game over his 14-year career. Robinson's scoring average includes one scoring championship in 1994 -- when he dropped 30 a game. In the final game of that season, Robinson went ham to torch the Los Angeles Clippers for 71 points and claim the scoring title over Shaquille O'Neal.

In 1995, Mr. Robinson claimed MVP honors, when he dropped 28 per game and led the League in total rebounding with an even 1,000. That post season, however, Mr. Robinson's lack of a killer instinct was exposed by Hakeem Olajuwon in the Western Conference Finals. In these playoffs, an agitated Olajuwon destroyed Robinson to the tune of 35 / 12 / 5.

In 1998, the San Antonio Spurs hired some help and brought power forward Tim Duncan into the fold out of Wake Forest. From there, the twin towers and the Spurs Dynasty were born. As part of an imposing front line, David Robinson was to team up with the greatest power forward of all time to bring home two NBA Championships to San Antonio in 1999 and 2003.

#6 Greatest NBA Center of All Time: Moses Malone

Moses Malone was a workhorse.

As a prep-to-pro athlete, Moses was to go on to log 21 seasons between 10 different teams in the NBA and ABA. Statistically, the numbers are staggering, as Malone finished his career with 29,580 points, 17,834 total rebounds, 9018 free throw conversions, and 1,889 blocks. In terms of accolades and awards, Moses Malone made 13 All-Star appearances and won MVP honors on three separate occasions. As a champion, Malone was the missing link to a talented 1983 Philadelphia 76'ers ball club that included Julius Erving, Maurice Cheeks, and Andrew Toney.

For big men, Moses Malone is the Gold Standard for the 20 and 10 double-double club. A ferocious rebounder, Malone led the League in total boards for five separate seasons. At center, Moses was especially effective on the offensive glass, as he was always in the right place at the right time through anticipation. As a professional, Malone led his League in offensive rebounding during nine separate seasons. Moses Malone was a banger, who also topped the NBA in free throw attempts five different times. At the charity stripe, Malone knocked down free throws at a 76-percent clip throughout his career, which is Robert Parish-esque.

#5 Greatest NBA Center of All Time: Hakeem Olajuwon

Unstoppable.

Hakeem Olajuwon took on and dominated all comers during his 18-year career. His list of felled opponents include an over matched Patrick Ewing, bamboozled David Robinson, and a young pup Shaquille O'Neal. As a point guard trapped in a center's body, Hakeem Olajuwon used his natural agility, speed, and explosiveness to school plodding opponents in the post. With his Dream Shake, Olajuwon had moves on moves, where he could put the ball on the floor, cross over, spin, shake, and fake you into oblivion before dropping an easy deuce on your head. With two back-to-back Championship titles in 1994 and 1995, Hakeem Olajuwon helped put the Clutch in Clutch City.

Defensively, Olajuwon's bag of tricks was equally as impressive. In 1990, Olajuwon starred as the League's top rebounder and shot blocker. For a big man, Olajuwon patrolled the front court with cat-like instincts to steal the basketball. In terms of his total body of defensive work, Olajuwon finished his career atop the all-time blocks list with 3,830 total rejections and ninth best in steals with 2,162 career swipes.

In one of the greatest athletic sequences of all time, Hakeem The Dream abused David Robinson. From the baseline, the 7-foot Olajuwon faced-up Robinson and went between the legs, before shimmying into another crossover and spin move. On the low block, Olajuwon wheeled and up-faked twice to lift the Admiral off his feet, before laying up the basketball.

Unstoppable.

#4 Greatest NBA Center of All Time: Shaquille O'Neal

Shaquille O'Neal is a beast.

Standing at 7'1 and weighing in at 325 pounds, Shaquille O'Neal is one of the largest men to ever pick up a basketball. Contrary to Gheorge Muresan, Mark Eaton, and Manute Bol, however, Shaq actually had the talent to do something about it. An unreal combination of size and explosiveness, Shaq in his prime would devastate defenders with his deep post positioning, quick drop steps, and earth-shattering dunks that would tear down the goal. A man amongst boys, the opposition had no answer for Shaq, other than to double-team, flop, scratch, claw, put him on the line, and hope for the best.

In Orlando, a young Shaquille teamed up with sidekick Penny Hardaway to beat back a #45 Michael Jordan and lead the Magic to the Big 1995 Finals Stage versus the Houston Rockets. The young Magic, however, were schooled, swept, and spanked by Hakeem Olajuwon and his Clutch City Houston squad. After the loss, Shaq had grown too big for his britches and talked his way out of town and onto the next flight for Hollywood, California.

With the Showtime L.A. Lakers, O'Neal joined forces with Phil Jackson and sidekick du jour Kobe Bryant to claim three consecutive titles and Finals MVP trophies between 2000 and 2002. In Los Angeles, Shaq was at his best, as he finally began to play with an insatiable hunger -- behind the motivational tactics of the Great Zen Master. In 2000, Shaq dropped 30, snagged 14 boards, collected 4 assists, and blocked 3 shots per game. In L.A., of course, simply winning without drama was never enough. After a contentious feud with Bryant, O'Neal was shown the door and forced to accept a one-way ticket to Miami.

With the gas tank losing fuel by the season, Shaq was still able to lay claim to the 2006 NBA championship while playing Robin to Dwyane Wade's Batman. In the twilight of his career, Shaq has degenerated into an unabashed ring chaser at Phoenix, Cleveland, and Boston, who can still dominate, but for increasingly limited stretches of time.

#3 Greatest NBA Center of All Time: Bill Russell

Bill Russell is a winner.

At center, Bill Russell served as the focal point of a Boston Celtics dynasty that won eleven championships during his thirteen-year career. In Boston, Russell was the undisputed leader of stacked ball clubs that included the likes of Bob Cousy, Bill Sharman, Tom Heinsohn, Sam Jones, and John Havlicek. For three seasons, one of the greatest centers of all time doubled as a player-coach, who was responsible for doling out minutes, plotting strategy, and managing a group of head strong personalities.

Bill Russell revolutionized the concept of team defense. Because of his speed and athleticism, Russell could leave his man as a help defender, rotate back, protect the rim, excel as a shot blocker, and secure the basketball. With the basketball in his control, Russell would outlet to The Cooz and be off to the races in Boston's high octane fast break offense. This scene repeated itself often, as Bill Russell starred as the NBA's top rebounder four separate seasons. Remarkably, Russell completed his 13-year career with 21,620 total rebounds, which translated into 22 rebounds per game.

Bill Russell and his stoic demeanor were the perfect contrast to the flash of prolific scorer Wilt Chamberlain. In historical clashes of titans, Bill Russell often prevailed as a Champion and the one man who could ever claim to have Wilt Chamberlain's number.

#2 Greatest NBA Center of All Time: Kareem Abdul-Jabaar (Lew Alcindor)

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is that rare athlete, whose career body of work actually exceeded the outlandish hype. As a schoolboy legend, Lew Alcindor led his Power Memorial Academy to three consecutive New York City Catholic School Championships and a 79-2 record. In college, Alicindor took home three National Championships and served as the original building block for the UCLA 88-win Dynasty. In the professional ranks, Lew Alcindor earned Championship hardware for the 1971 Milwaukee Bucks, before changing his name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and moving on to Los Angeles. As a Laker, Abdul-Jabbar was to establish a formidable one-two punch with Magic Johnson and bring home five more championships.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the all-time NBA scoring leader -- with 38,387 total points.

Classic Kareem would receive the post-entry pass from Magic Johnson on the left block. From there, Abdul-Jabaar would pound the basketball for two counts, before rising up and pushing off his left leg. His seven-foot frame and right arm extended, Kareem would then sweep a skyhook into the net -- from 15 feet away from the basket.

The sky hook is the most devastating move in NBA history.

#1 Greatest NBA Center of All Time: Wilt Chamberlain

Wilt Chamberlain is the greatest NBA center of all time.

The Stilt's mastery of the game and statistical output were literally comical. For his career, Chamberlain averaged 30 points and 23 rebounds per game. These averages include a 1962 season for the Philadelphia Warriors, where the Big Dipper slapped up 50 points and snagged 26 boards per contest. In his prime, Chamberlain took home seven straight scoring titles. Perhaps most impressive is Wilt's excellence as a seven-foot playmaker. In 1967 and 1968, Chamberlain padded his stats even further -- to dish out 8 and 9 assists, respectively. With Chamberlain, however, the astronomical numbers were a double-edged sword.

Does Wilt Chamberlain care about winning, or is he only concerned with stats and looking pretty?

Although Chamberlain was often on the losing end of the Bill Russell war, this man could never count upon the likes of Bob Cousy, Tom Heinsohn, and John Havlicek as teammates. As a winner, Wilt Chamberlain did take home two championships with the 1967 Philadelphia 76'ers and 1972 Los Angeles Lakers. With the 1972 Lakers, The Stilt joined forces with a Dream Team lineup of Gail Goodrich, Jerry West, and Elgin Baylor to win a then record 69 regular season games. As an elder statesmen on a stacked squad, Chamberlain collected Finals MVP honors on the strength of his 24-point / 29-rebound in Game 5.

Wilt Chamberlain got it done.

The Greatest NBA Centers of All Time, Sources:

Basketball-Reference.com: NBA & ABA Basketball Statistics & History

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame: Hall of Famers Index

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