Last year, during the playoffs, we had some great NBA discussion. It's June, so I know Steve has his tight, ball-cupping, basketball shorts on as do I. One discussion was this: Willis Reed and Shaq among centers.

We have new members and there are people who's love for basketball have been revived this year. So I ask:

1.) Where does Shaq rank among all-time NBA centers?

2.) What's your top 10 NBA centers of all time? No problem with having 2 or 3 groups because it's hard to argue between two guys, but this is a good time to bring it up.

EDIT: Let's clarify. For this discussion, Tim Duncan is a PF. If you want to include Duncan, explain.

Getting another team to the finals makes Shaq automatic top 5, in no particular order: Shaq, Kareem, Hakeem, Russell, and Wilt. Those 5 guys are the most dominant big men of all time

These guys are all so different that it is hard to pick one over the other but if I had to start a team it would be;

Wilt
Russell
Shaq
Hakeem
Kareem

#2 - aside from my top 5 legends above, throw in these 3 as superstars

Moses malone
Artis Gilmore
Patrick Ewing

The final 2 really depends on how long the career needs to be

For less than 5 years I'll take

Ralph Sampson
Brad daugherty

for over 5 years

David Robinson
Willis Reed

My basketball memories date back to the tail end of Kareem's carreer. So I can't fairly judge Wilt/Russell. But Shaq is the best center of the last 20 years without a doubt.

1-3: Wilt, Russell, Shaq
4: Hakeem
5: Kareem
6-8: Walton, Mikan, Moses Malone (never saw them play)
9-10: Nobody else deserves to be on the list: Robinson/Ewing/Ben Wallace/Parish/

Nobody else deserves to be on the list

If you put Mikan, Artis Gilmore and Ewing have to be.

My first basketball memory was the Jordan shot over Ehlo, so the generational gap kicks in here.

1.) Olajuwon- That hook is prettier every time I see it. He's #1 for blocking John Starks in Game 6. Bear in mind, I'm a child of the 90's and a Bulls fan.
2./2A.) Russell/Chamberlain
4.) Shaq
5.) Kareem
6.) Moses
7.) Robinson (pre-Duncan)- He could've played the 3. DR was sick. Shoot, steal, block, handle the ball.
8.) Ewing- My favorite baseline jumper.
9.) Mikan- I've seen a lot of stuff, but all college. I go to DePaul and the archives are awesome.
10.) Brad Daugherty- AWESOME!!! Great call. I saw a lot of him in the Central Division. Larry Nance, Mark Price, Craig Ehlo, Gerald Wilkins. My Bulls gave them the rectal massage on a bi-weekly basis, but they were tough.

Though, he was 7'4", everything I've seen from Sampson's pro career was when he was PF with Olajuwon. There's a great SportsCentury piece on him. I've seen a lot from Dave Cowens' career lately because he's coaching the Chicago Sky (WNBA). Out of curiousity, I've found a lot of 70's Celtics games OnDemand. Hell of a scorer, but at 6'9", nothing else.

Dikembe's the best shot blocker I've ever seen, outside of Akeem

Originally Posted by ypsieast

9-10: Nobody else deserves to be on the list: Robinson/Ewing/Ben Wallace/Parish/

Consider this: Ben Wallace is 6'9" as was Bill Russell. Ben has cement blocks for hands, but his hustle and balls are up there with Barkley and Rodman for small guys down low.

I have to confess, I know next to nothing about Gilmore. Sampson and Reed are PFs in my book. I'll add Daughtry to the list of "not good enough to be considered top ten, but better than the rest" (along with Ewing, Robinson, Wallace and Parish).

Thanks for the props on Wallace. I know I'm biased, being a Pistons fan, and I thought I would get ripped for including him. He's a perrenial all-star despite being undersized. Having watched him, I know how profoundly he helps his team. He's just like Rodman was on the Bulls, but he fills the 5 spot. He's one of 4 players to ever lead the league in Rebounds and Blocks (along with Kareem, Walton and Olajuwon).

And I hate the Pistons, not as much as the Knicks because the Pistons were on their decline whe I became conscious of basketball. The Knicks and the Pacers were more our rivals. I inherited my Pistons hatred from my parents, uncles, and such.

I can at least say that the Pistons were knocked out by the team that knocked the Bulls out while Isiah Thomas and Larry Brown were already home from their vacations.

Oh yes, the Chicago/Detroit rivalry. Where are we at, hitorically?
Football: Chicago by far
Hockey: Detroit by far
Basketball: Chicago, small edge
Baseball: White Sox > Tigers > Cubs
Extras: Chicago = MLS; Detroit = Casinos

Originally Posted by ypsieast

Basketball: Chicago, small edge

WHAT?!!! Are you kidding me? Are you talking historically or right now?