We have taken our HoopsHype 80 list and split it into five positions: point guards, shooting guards, small forwards, power forwards and centers.
We wrap things up with the 20 greatest centers of all time in the NBA, in our opinion, led off by a GOAT candidate in his own right, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
1. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Top accolades: Six NBA titles, two Finals MVPs, six MVPs, 10 All-NBA 1st Team selections, 19 All-Stars, five All-Defensive 1st Team selections
Regular season ranking: 2nd in scoring, 3rd in rebounds and blocks, 51st in assists, 113th in steals
Playoffs ranking: 2nd in blocks, 3rd in scoring, 6th in rebounds, 33rd in assists, 36th in steals
The GOAT debate is considered a two-horse race in the NBA, but if there is a strong third candidate, it’s Kareem Abdul-Jabbar,
who dominated for almost two decades thanks to his skyhook shot and overall greatness as a scorer, rebounder and shot-blocker. The longevity argument is strong with Abdul-Jabbar, as the all-time big man won his two Finals MVP awards 14 years apart, first in 1971 and then again in 1985. Most players’ careers don’t last anywhere near that long, yet Kareem was dominating at the highest level for that long.
2. Bill Russell
Top accolades: 11 NBA titles, five MVPs, 11 All-NBA selections, 12 All-Stars, one Olympic gold medal
Regular season ranking: 2nd in rebounds, 123rd in assists, 180th in scoring
Playoffs ranking: 1st in rebounds, 30th in assists, 43rd in scoring
Bill Russell’s record for most NBA titles will never be beaten, as no one has come, or will come close to his 11 career championships. Russell’s resume is actually hurt because many accolades, like Finals MVP or Defensive Player of the Year didn’t even exist in his heyday. What’s more, since blocks weren’t recorded as a stat back then, there’s no way to know how many Russell had for his career. There’s a chance he would be at the top of the blocks standings along with the player coming up next on our ranking. That’s one of the reasons we consider him the greatest defensive player ever.
Russell may not have had the longest career, but boy, was that run successful. Just as a curious note: Russell had more MVPs than All-NBA 1st Team selections in his career (three).
3. Wilt Chamberlain
Top accolades: Two NBA titles, one Finals MVP, four MVPs, seven All-NBA 1st Team selections, 13 All-Stars, two All-Defensive 1st Team selections
Regular season ranking: 1st in rebounds, 8th in scoring, 86th in assists
Playoffs ranking: 2nd in rebounds, 21st in scoring, 39th in assists
The most dominant big man offensively in NBA history, though that partially had to do with the level of competition Wilt Chamberlain faced in his era. Still, when you dominate at the level Chamberlain did, who cares who he did it against?
Chamberlain did come a little short in the team success department as he was usually better in the regular season than in the playoffs, something that many believe had to do with an unwillingness to get fouled late in close games due to his unreliable free throw.
Chamberlain’s single-season rebounding and scoring records are unassailable. Plus he has the second-best scoring average behind only Jordan. And had MJ played one more year with the Wizards, Chamberlain might actually be No. 1 in that stat. Chamberlain is also the only guy to lead the league in total scoring, rebounds and assists for a season, and retired as the all-time leader in scoring and rebounding at the time.
4. Shaquille O'Neal
Top accolades: Four NBA titles, three Finals MVPs, one MVP, eight All-NBA 1st Team selections, 15 All-Stars, three All-Defensive 2nd Team selections, one Olympic gold medal, one World Cup gold medal
Regular season ranking: 8th in blocks, 10th in scoring, 15th in rebounds, 240th in assists, 365th in steals
Playoffs ranking: 4th in blocks, 5th in scoring and rebounds, 53rd in assists, 93rd in steals
The most dominant physical specimen in the NBA since the days of Chamberlain, Shaquille O’Neal was an absolute freak with his blend of size, strength and unreal explosiveness. During O’Neal’s peak years, teams were making moves with the sole intention of containing the big man. Many ho-hum centers made a killing thanks to that, just because they were another huge body to throw at O’Neal.
The fact that the Big Aristotle won only one MVP was kind of ridiculous in hindsight, as there were various seasons he was the most dominant player in the league. O’Neal wanting to be a star off the court probably took away a bit of impact on the court, but he was devastating throughout his career regardless, even despite being a poor free-throw shooter.
5. Hakeem Olajuwon
Top accolades: Two NBA titles, two Finals MVPs, one MVP, six All-NBA 1st Team selections, 12 All-Stars, two Defensive Player of the Year awards, five All-Defensive 1st Team selections, one Olympic gold medal
Regular season ranking: 1st in blocks, 10th in steals, 14th in rebounds, 15th in scoring, 235th in assists
Playoffs ranking: 3rd in blocks, 13th in rebounds, 16th in scoring, 21st in steals, 74th in assists
The first international player on the list, Hakeem Olajuwon was one of the greatest big men ever, and he competed and produced at an elite level on both ends of the floor with outstanding low-post moves and defensive skills to match. Olajuwon ranks first in blocks on record, though there’s a bit of an asterisk on that because they didn’t keep track of those before 1973-74. Also, he is the only player to rank Top 15 in four different major statistical categories: points, rebounds, blocks and steals.
6. Moses Malone
Top accolades: One NBA title, one Finals MVP, three MVPs, eight All-NBA selections, 12 All-Stars, two All-Defensive Team selections
Regular season ranking: 5th in rebounds, 12th in scoring, 30th in blocks, 139th in steals
Playoffs ranking: 32nd in rebounds, 39th in blocks, 65th in scoring, 159th in steals, 410th in assists
Perhaps the most underappreciated superstar ever, Moses Malone was as dominant as it gets at the center spot with physical toughness as a rebounder, leading the league in nightly boards an astounding six times, including once at 17.6 rebounds per game. Malone was also a monster scorer in the paint, using his brute strength to batter smaller foes down low. Many consider Malone the greatest offensive rebounder the league has ever seen, as his timing and instincts to chase boards on offense were second to none.
7. Nikola Jokic
Top accolades: One NBA title, one Finals MVP, three MVPs, one Conference Finals MVP, six All-NBA 1st Team selections, eight All-Stars, one Olympic silver medal, one Olympic bronze medal
Regular season ranking: 41st in assists, 61st in rebounds, 84th in scoring, 170th in steals, 240th in blocks
Playoffs ranking: 31st in assists, 37th in rebounds, 42nd in scoring, 83rd in steals, 101st in blocks
The best passing big man of all time, Nikola Jokic, is only the ninth player in league history to win three NBA MVPs. What's more, along with winning an NBA championship in 2022-23, Jokic also carried Serbia to a bronze medal in the Paris Olympics, becoming the first man ever to lead the Olympic tournament in scoring, rebounds and assists, showing his output is hugely impactful to winning.
Jokic finished second in the MVP vote last season for the second straight year, tying him with Russell and Bird for the most consecutive Top-2 MVP finishes in league history at six apiece. That's right, for the past six seasons, Jokic has finished no lower than second in the MVP vote, showing a rare level of sustained utter dominance the likes of which we have rarely ever seen in the NBA.
Jokic can legitimately do it all from the center spot, creating for teammates like a point guard, posting up with incredibly high efficiency as a finisher, spacing the floor from three and rarely missing on his signature floater. Even his defense has improved, as he rebounds like a monster and has quick, intelligent hands to rack up steals.
Still just 31 and with a game that will continue to age well, we could easily envision a future in which Jokic makes a solid-sized leap further up this list, especially if he and the Nuggets can snag more championship hardware in the years to come.
8. David Robinson
Top accolades: Two NBA titles, one MVP, 10 All-NBA selections, 10 All-Stars, one Defensive Player of the Year award, eight All-Defensive selections, two Olympic gold medals, one World Cup gold medal
Regular season ranking: 6th in blocks, 37th in rebounds, 46th in scoring, 67th in steals, 356th in assists
Playoffs ranking: 5th in blocks, 31st in rebounds, 54th in steals, 57th in scoring, 162nd in assists
One of the best bodies in NBA history, David Robinson’s physique looked like it was molded out of clay in his prime. He used his frame and strength to torture opponents on both ends for years, doubling as a high-level scorer and freakishly impactful defender, especially protecting the rim. Still, Robinson didn’t get over the hump until Duncan came around, which hurt his spot on this list.
9. Patrick Ewing
Top accolades: Seven All-NBA selections, 11 All-Stars, three All-Defensive 2nd Team selections, two Olympic gold medals
Regular season ranking: 7th in blocks, 26th in rebounds, 28th in scoring, 125th in steals, 410th in assists
Playoffs ranking: 7th in blocks, 26th in rebounds, 38th in scoring, 84th in steals, 165th in assists
One of the legendary big men of the ’90s, Patrick Ewing was a beastly shot-blocker who had great size and strength down low, but who also had soft touch as a scorer in the post and out of the mid-range. Was never able to win a title, however, due mostly to the Rockets and Bulls, but he’s still remembered as one of the best centers in league history, as he was a beast shot-blocker and scorer from the 5-spot.
10. George Mikan
Top accolades: Five NBA titles, six All-NBA 1st Team selections, four All-Stars
Regular season ranking: 399th in rebounds, 407th in scoring
Playoffs ranking: 102nd in scoring, 127th in rebounds, 360th in assists
The first truly dominant NBA big man, George Mikan used his massive size to his advantage along with the unusually soft touch he had for a player of his era. Mikan could finish ably with either hand in the paint. There’s a reason the Mikan Drill is still used to this day.
Something not many may realize is that Mikan has the best playoff winning percentage of any All-Star (minimum: 50 games played) at 70 percent. For context, Jordan is at 66.48.
11. Bob McAdoo
Top accolades: Two NBA titles, one MVP, two All-NBA selections, five All-Stars
Regular season ranking: 72nd in scoring and blocks, 80th in rebounds, 352nd in steals, 497th in assists
Playoffs ranking: 37th in blocks, 97th in scoring, 107th in rebounds, 200th in steals, 442nd in assists
A monster-scoring big man who led the league in points three consecutive seasons, including once at 34.5 points per game, Bob McAdoo had a pristine mid-range jumper and a plethora of post moves to torment opponents with. McAdoo was special because he was a big man who could shoot and do his damage with his face-up game, something that was unheard of in his era. The Hall-of-Famer was quietly quite influential.
12. Wes Unseld
Top accolades: One NBA title, one Finals MVP, one MVP, one All-NBA 1st Team selection, five All-Stars
Regular season ranking: 13th in rebounds, 148th in assists, 378th in scoring, 422nd in blocks, 468th in steals
Playoffs ranking: 8th in rebounds, 75th in assists, 166th in blocks, 182nd in scoring, 227th in steals
Despite standing just 6-foot-7, Wes Unseld was one of the most physically imposing centers ever thanks to his incredible strength and stout frame. Unseld was one of the best rebounders in NBA history, averaging 14.0 for his career and leading the league in boards in 1974-75, and was extremely efficient at finishing down low.
13. Robert Parish
Top accolades: Four NBA titles, two All-NBA selections, nine All-Stars
Regular season ranking: 8th in rebounds, 10th in blocks, 32nd in scoring, 96th in steals, 424th in assists
Playoffs ranking: 6th in blocks, 9th in rebounds, 37th in scoring, 63rd in steals, 208th in assists
The starting center on those legendary Celtics teams of the 1980s, Robert Parish was a great complement to the likes of Bird and McHale, willing to do all of the dirty work down low while still providing a solid scoring punch in the paint. Parish ranks in the Top 10 in both career rebounds and blocks and was a beast in both respects in his prime. Without Parish, the ’80s Celtics might not have been as successful as they were, as he was the perfect role player for what they needed.
14. Willis Reed
Top accolades: Two NBA titles, two Finals MVPs, one MVP, five All-NBA selections, seven All-Stars, one All-Defensive 1st Team selection
Regular season ranking: 72nd in rebounds, 286th in scoring
Playoffs ranking: 81st in rebounds, 164th in scoring, 379th in assists
Best known for limping out onto the court for Game 7 of the 1970 Finals for New York and hitting his first two shots on a bad thigh, Willis Reed is now widely considered one of the greatest Knicks of all time, a big man slightly short on stature but not on talent and sheer will. Reed was a monster rebounder and shot-blocker despite standing just 6-foot-9.
15. Dwight Howard
Top accolades: One NBA title, five All-NBA 1st Team selections, eight All-Stars, three Defensive Player of the Year awards, four All-Defensive 1st Team selections, one Olympic gold medal
Regular season ranking: 10th in rebounds, 13th in blocks, 57th in scoring, 148th in steals
Playoffs ranking: 13th in blocks, 19th in rebounds, 81st in scoring, 131st in steals, 378th in assists
At one time, Dwight Howard was the best big man in the NBA, a run that spanned multiple seasons with the Magic. Howard was an awe-inspiring athlete for his size, who would often sky for rebounds, block shots or finish alley-oops. Like Gasol, Howard was another glaring omission from the NBA75 list despite being a Top 10 rebounder ever, ranking 15th all-time in blocks and having three Defensive Player of the Year awards. But that might have to do with him not being that well-liked by coaches and teammates during his time in the league.
Howard was also a huge playoff performer, coming up big both when he was a star with the Magic (he impressively led them to the Finals in 2008-09) and as a role player with the Lakers, finally winning a title in 2019-20.
16. Dave Cowens
Top accolades: Two NBA titles, one MVP, three All-NBA 2nd Team selections, eight All-Stars, one All-Defensive 1st Team selection
Regular season ranking: 40th in rebounds, 219th in scoring, 264th in assists, 301st in blocks
Playoffs ranking: 33rd in rebounds, 100th in scoring, 124th in assists, 161st in blocks, 178th in steals
Florida State legend Dave Cowens is one of just two players ever to win league MVP in a season they weren’t voted 1st Team All-NBA along with another Celtics legend, Bill Russell. He was a bundle of energy in his prime, one who was a monster rebounder, averaging 15.2 rebounds over his eight-year prime, and helped the Celtics win two championships during his time in the league.
17. Joel Embiid
Top accolades: One MVP, five All-NBA selections, seven All-Stars, three All-Defensive 2nd Team selections, one Olympic gold medal
Regular season ranking: 165th in blocks, 217th in scoring, 255th in rebounds
Playoffs ranking: 71st in blocks, 110th in scoring, 115th in rebounds, 223rd in assists, 324th in steals
On a per-minute basis, few players in NBA history produce as much statistically as Joel Embiid. When ready to go, he's one of the most unstoppable big men ever thanks to his massive frame, mobility and deep bag.
The problem with him is that he doesn't play that many minutes considering he misses a lot of time due to health reasons regularly. Plus his track record in the playoffs is spotty as well.
If he manages to stay in shape and healthy, he could move up in this ranking. We’re not holding our breath at this points, though.
18. Bill Walton
Top accolades: Two NBA titles, one MVP, one Finals MVP, two All-NBA selections, two All-Stars, two All-Defensive 1st Team selections, one Sixth Man of the Year award
Regular season ranking: 100th in blocks, 298th in rebounds
Playoffs ranking: 108th in blocks, 233rd in rebounds, 386th in assists, 500th in points
One of the least accomplished players on this list in terms of overall individual accolades and statistical production, Bill Walton was, during his brief peak, the best player in the NBA, one who inflicted terror defensively and did damage offensively with his passing and scoring.
Injuries derailed his career as an NBA star, but Walton, one of the most beloved figures in league history, still managed to win a second NBA championship as a role player with the Boston Celtics before retiring and going on a legendary second career as a TV sportscaster.
19. Artis Gilmore
Top accolades: Six All-Stars, one All-Defensive 2nd Team selection
Regular season ranking: 29th in blocks, 56th in rebounds, 148th in points
Playoffs ranking: 129th in blocks, 339th in rebounds, 549th in points
Although the majority of his impact was felt in the ABA, where he even won an MVP award, Artis Gilmore’s greatness was still felt in the NBA, where he spent 12 seasons and established himself as one of the deadliest low-post scorers around. Gilmore led the league in field-goal percentage four years in a row and was one of the toughest covers for opposing bigs on a nightly basis.
20. Dikembe Mutombo
Top accolades: Three All-NBA Team selections, eight All-Stars, four Defensive Player of the Year awards, six All-Defensive Team selections
Regular season ranking: 2nd in blocks, 20th in rebounds, 313th in scoring
Playoffs ranking: 11th in blocks, 59th in rebounds, 282nd in scoring, 425th in steals
Dikembe Mutombo entered the NBA at the grand age of 25 and became one of the most accomplished defensive players in NBA history with his ability to alter shots. Didn’t have much of an offensive game, yet still managed an 18-year career in the league thanks to his all-time shot-blocking ability and finishing prowess down low.
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This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: 20 greatest centers ever: The HoopsHype list
