Who are the best centers in NBA history?
In an era of positionless basketball, it can be hard to remember the days of what a powerful, back-to-the-basket center looked like.
The days of when the biggest man on the court would manhandle his smaller opponents, walk him down to the basket, and easily dispose of him.
Nowadays, it seems as if every lineup is required to have a stretch-five, as the game has evolved into more of a shooting and space equation, and less of a brute force bare-knuckle brawl.
That’s not to say the centers of today’s game don’t stack up to those of the past. In fact, there is a big man on this list that has become one of the game’s most dominant and efficient players the NBA has ever seen.
It just looks different now.
For the purpose of this exercise, Tim Duncan is classified as a power forward, therefore not on the list.
Honorable mentions: Dwight Howard, Dikembe Mutombo, Bob McAdoo, George Mikan, Robert Parish
Without further ado, here are the top 10 centers in the history of the NBA.
10. Bill Walton
Averages and accolades: 13.3 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.2 blocks, two-time champion, 1978 MVP, two-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA, two-time All-Defensive, 1986 6MOY
The late Walton one was one-a-kind, both on and off the court. Known for his exuberant personality, Walton was dominant when he stepped on the hardwood. He led the Portland Trailblazers to their only championship in franchise history.
Unfortunately Walton’s career was marred by injury, leaving everyone to ponder just how much more he would have accomplished if he stayed healthy.
9. Patrick Ewing
Averages and accolades: 21.0 points, 9.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 2.4 blocks, 11-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, three-time All-Defensive
Ewing led the New York Knicks to great success during his time with the iconic franchise. Unfortunately for him, he played in the era, and conference, that Michael Jordan played in.
Ewing is the only player on the list without a championship to show for.
8. Moses Malone
Averages and accolades: 20.6 points, 12.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.3 blocks, one-time champion, three-time MVP, 13-time All-Star, eight-time All-NBA, two-time All-Defensive
Malone was as dominant a player there was in the 70’s and 80’s. Originally coming over from the ABA, along with teammate Julius Erving, Malone dominated the Association.
In his peak, Malone averaged 26.8 points and 15.4 rebounds per game while winning three MVPs and the Philadelphia 76’ers last championship, in 1983. title.
Malone has his number retired by both the Houston Rockets and 76’ers.
7. David Robinson
Averages and accolades: 21.1 points, 10.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 3.0 blocks, two-time champion, 1995 MVP, 10-time All-Star, 10-time All-NBA, eight-time All-Defensive, 1992 DPOY
The Admiral was the OG big man in San Antonio before it became cool.
Before the Tim Duncans and Victor Wembanyamas, it was Robinson.
He led San Antonio to great success in the 90’s, before winning two titles after Duncan was drafted, proving to be the perfect pairing.
Robinson is still the last player to record a quadruple-double, recording 34 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists and 10 blocks in a game against the Detroit Pistons in 1994.
6. Nikola Jokic
Averages and accolades (through 2023-24 season): 20.9 points, 10.7 rebounds, 8.1 assists, one-time champion, three-time MVP, six-time All-Star, six-time All-NBA
The only current player on this list, Jokic has proven to be the perfect modern day big man. He can handle the ball, he’s regarded as the greatest passing big man of all-time, and can score when he has to.
Jokic has the fourth most triple-doubles ever, behind only Magic Johnson, Oscar Robertson and now current teammate, Russell Westbrook.
He makes the game look effortless and most importantly, makes everyone around him infinitely better.
There’s a reason the big man from Serbia has three MVPs and a Finals MVP in his trophy case.
Oh yeah, he’s only 29-year-old, leaving him plenty of time to move up the list.
5. Hakeem Olajuwon
Averages and accolades: 21.8 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 3.1 blocks, two-time champion, 1994 MVP, 12-time All-Star, 12-time All-NBA, nine-time All-Defensive, two-time DPOY
Olajuwon patented one of the most unstoppable moves in league history, ‘The Dream Shake.’
He was a nightmare on both ends of the floor.
When Jordan briefly retired in the middle of the 90’s, it was Olajuwon and his Houston Rockets who swooped into the power vacuum, winning back-to-back titles and cementing his legacy as one of the greatest big man to ever do it.
4. Bill Russell
Averages and accolades: 15.1 points, 22.5 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 11-time champion, five-time MVP, 12-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA
The ultimate winner.
If winning was the lone criteria, Russell would be number one, and it wouldn’t be close.
Russell has eleven world championships to his name, the most in NBA history, and nearly doubling Jordan’s six.
He was as dominant as he was a winner.
3. Shaquille O’Neal
Averages and accolades: 23.7 points, 10.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.3 blocks, four-time champion, 2000 MVP, 15-time All-Star, 14-time All-NBA, three-time All-Defensive
The Big Diesel, the Big Aristotle, Superman, call O’Neal what you want, just make sure you call him dominant.
Regarded as arguably the most physical imposing force an NBA court has ever seen, O’Neal entered the league and immediately laid waste to everyone in front of him.
However, it wasn’t until he left the Orland Magic and came to the Los Angeles Lakers, where he soared into the upper echelon of NBA greats.
Paired next to a young Kobe Bryant, O’Neal and the Lakers rattled off the NBA’s last three-peat, where the big man just destroyed everything in his path.
2. Wilt Chamberlain
Averages and accolades: 30.1 points, 22.9 rebounds, 4.4 assists, two-time champion, four-time MVP, 13-time All-Star, 10-time All-NBA
If you to ever actually examine Chamberlain’s stats, you wouldn’t believe them.
You would have to do a double-take.
Chamberlain put up gaudy, video game-esque numbers.
Not even mentioning his legendary 100-point performance, if there is a record or list of points and rebounds, Chamberlain’s name is probably at or near the top.
The only stain on Chamberlain’s career, would be that he lost to Russell seven out of eight times in the playoffs.
1. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Averages and accolades: 24.6 points, 11.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 2.6 blocks, six-time champion, six-time MVP, 19-time All-Star, 15-time All-NBA, 11-time All-Defensive
Regarded by many as the greatest basketball player of all-time, regardless of position, and at worst, number three, Abdul-Jabbar is in a class of his own when it comes to centers.
His signature skyhook gave defenses nightmares, as he dominated the league for the better part of two decades.
Not to mention, the three straight NCAA championships at UCLA he won, where he was so dominant that the skyhook had to actually be outlawed on the collegiate level.
Abdul-Jabbar was the leading scorer of all-time when he retired in 1989, and only recently surrendered the crown to LeBron James last season.
The championships, the MVPs, the All-Star appearances, All-NBA nods, there was no one like the Captain, and never will be again.
There you have it.
The top 10 centers of all-time.
It’s a mountain of a list, filled with men the size of mountains.
As the game evolves and moves further away from the traditional big man, this list is an important reminder, of what the game used to be.
