The Last Dance thread got me thinking, who's the 'greatest', 'most dominant, and 'most talented' big man/men of all-time. Those are three different qualifiers. Could be the same guy, in your opinion, or three different guys. So, Russell, Kareem, Shaq, Wilt, Hakeem, Robinson etc? Walton if he stayed healthy?
Best All-Time Big Man
- Thread starter SemperFiCat
- Start date
I’m sure you’re talking about dominant careers after the NBA but I’m gonna give props to the Greg Oden we saw in college. The dude was a monster. I remember watching Ohio St and Florida in the title game and although Florida won, Oden single handedly outplayed the second best center and best power forward in college basketball that year and did it as a freshman. I’ll always wonder what might’ve been with him.
It’s hard not to go with Shaq. Guys would just bounce off of him when he went up. He was a tank. Plus he played against guys closer to his size than some of the others although you can’t go wrong with any of them.
It’s hard not to go with Shaq. Guys would just bounce off of him when he went up. He was a tank. Plus he played against guys closer to his size than some of the others although you can’t go wrong with any of them.
Wilt may have been even better now. Russell Kareem Shaq Duncan would have been great in any era.
Jabbar,he could score,he could defend,he could rebound,he played from start to finish,he could pass and make his team mates better.He also had unstoppable shot,the sky hook yeah I heard someone blocked one think about that one in how many years.Their are other great big men but IMHO no one does it better than Jabbar the complete package.
Bill Walton has to be in the mix if we’re talking college.
Also Christian Laettner ...
(ducks)
... though he was somewhat positionless. Sort of a stretch center with guard skills.
Also Christian Laettner ...
(ducks)
... though he was somewhat positionless. Sort of a stretch center with guard skills.
It’s hard to go against Kareem when you look at everything. Russell and Shaq a two way tie for second, imo.
Wilt and Russell played at the same time in the NBA. Wilt was 7 time 1st Team, Russell was 3 time.
Wilt averaged 30 points his entire career. Shot 54% from the field for his career. Averaged 23 rebounds a game. Led the league in assists one year. He was truly the most dominant player.
Wilt averaged 30 points his entire career. Shot 54% from the field for his career. Averaged 23 rebounds a game. Led the league in assists one year. He was truly the most dominant player.
Greatest: Kareem
Most dominant: Russell
Most talented: Wilt
Most dominant: Russell
Most talented: Wilt
Comparing players from different eras is so difficult. Old timers, when I was young, said Alex Groza was one of the best they had seen, but the point shaving scandal ended his career prematurely. He was more of a point-center, very good passer. And had a great hook shot. But, there's just not much to go on, and that was so long ago. Wilt, Russell, Kareem, all very good. Modern era, I'd almost have to say Hakeem Olajuwan.
Russell at 6’9, 215 pounds would have no chance against Shaq.
Greatest is Kareem
Most dominant is Shaq
Most talented is Hakeem
Greatest: Kareem
Most accomplished: Russell
Most dominant: Shaq
Most talented: Wilt
Most underrated: Hakeem
Did you watch Shaq in college? Shaq might have had more points in their head to head game but Laettner was able to score on Shaq when the game mattered. I remember watching and Laettner was way better. Shaq also was very foul prone perhaps because of his physical size and perhaps unfairly being called for some of those fouls. Now if we are talking about Pro's obviously betweent those two not even close.
Jabbar probably was the best college center although I could argue Walton because he had a slighly better all around game.
Jabbar probably was the best college center although I could argue Walton because he had a slighly better all around game.
If I’m starting a team, the first center I take is Wilt in his prime.
Wilt Cahmberlain was the most dominate basketball player that ever lived. He dominated Russell every time they played. Russell won all those championships because he had more great players around him than other great players of the area. Russell was not that great player that he is cranked up to be today. He was not as good as Chamberland, he was not as good as Rick Barry, he was not even as good as his own teammate John Havilechek. Russell was about the same level of player as Nate Thurmond. The Celtics of those days were treated like Jordan's Bulls and college basketball's duke. Like Jordan never won a championship without Pippen, and Russell would not have won all those championships if he didn't always have 2 or 3 other hall of famers playing with him. Russell was a 12 to 14 point 12 rebound guy, while Chamberlain was leading the league in rebounding 10 or 11 years in a row along with 30 to 40 points a game and even leading the league in assists. If Chamberlain would have had the same teammates Russell had, he would have won even more championships, And no Russell would not have been a very good player against today's players. Oh and by the way the league changed the rules of the game to try and take away Chamberlains tallents, no other players have the rules of the game to thy and stop them. 50.4 points and 27.3 rebounds a game, that was not that Chamberlain's stats, not Russell's, and yes This wasagainst the same compition that Russell was getting his 13 points and 12 rebounds a game against.
I’d love to see Chamberlain vs. Shaq at their peak facing each other.
He did not dominate Russell every time they played,Russell was the only one that could check him. Wilt earned every thing he got against Russell.
You might be right.
But let me ask: did you see Russell play?
...He averaged 22.5 rebounds a game.
...He averaged 8 blocked shots a game.
...Wilt Chamberlain and Russell went toe to toe.
Wilt was incredible too.
But head-to-head Russell won every time it was important.
Chamberlain had a season where he averaged 50 points and 26 rebounds per game. Those stats will never be touched.
Obviously, a lot of people on this board didn't see Russell and Wilt play. IMHO, Russell, Wilt, and Kareem are in a category all their own - heads and shoulders above the rest. And, just a reminder, Russell has ELEVEN N.B.A. Championships.
led the league in assists in 67. Only center ever
Russell had a better team, also.
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Not saying he was the best but Wes Unseld was a pretty good big man.