Top Five Shot Blockers of All Time

The game of basketball is one where many amazing individual plays happen quite often, but one of the most impressive is a blocked shot. Maybe it is because I am defensive-minded person when it comes to basketball, but I can't help but enjoy it when a guard goes screaming into the paint only to get their seemingly easy bucket denied by an athletic big man. Shot blockers play a huge role in the outcome of each game since they change the way the opposing offense has to get its points. The statistics don't tell the whole story when it comes to the men who patrol the paint and keep opposing offenses at bay. Additionally, it is important to remember that when some of the best big men played years ago, blocked shots were not an official statistic. Let's take a look at the top five shot blockers of all time.

5. David Robinson- The Admiral was a big man who could do it all, including block shots on a consistent basis. Robinson averaged 2.99 blocks per game over his career in the NBA. Robinson was a great help side defender who erased a lot of mistakes made by his teammates on the defensive end.

4. Mark Eaton- Eaton wasn't nearly the overall player most of the guys on this list are, but his 3.5 blocks per game are the best in NBA history and he deserves a spot on the list. He possessed the natural ability to time his jump better than just about any other big man during his career.

3. Dikembe Mutombo- The big man from Africa always had the popular finger wag, which told opponents to stay out of his paint. Mutombo was the ultimate guy to change shots and affect a game without scoring a single point. He revolutionized the game during his era.

2. Hakeem Olajuwon- Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon was a terrific all-around center. In his career he averaged 3.09 blocked shots per game. The Rockets star won two NBA titles in the 1990's and was a great team leader on both sides of the ball.

1. Bill Russell- Russell played before the NBA kept statistics on blocked shots, but he is no doubt the best defensive center to ever play the game. The quintessential team player, Russell did everything he could to help his team win. Russell won 11 rings during his NBA career, and much of that is due to his terrific shot blocking ability.

Sources:

NBA.com Regular Season Record: Blocked Shots

Hakeem Olajuwon Career Stats- NBA.com

David Robinson Career Stats- NBA.com