Play N Go History
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All-Time #NBArank continues with a countdown of the game's greatest giants -- the best centers in NBA history. (Click here for our 5-on-5 debate.)
To create All-Time #NBArank, we put together a ballot with the 150 greatest players ever. Then our ESPN expert panel voted on thousands of head-to-head matchups, with voting based on both peak performance and career value. The result is our all-time NBA Top 100.
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- History Started in Sweden during 1997 with a group of developers as its founding fathers, who at the time developed games and software for established brands. Play’n GO soon grew out of its infancy to launch its independent brand name by 2004.
The Top 100 will begin to roll out Wednesday. Meanwhile, we are presenting the top 10 by position. Check out our lists of the greatest power forwards, small forwards, shooting guards and point guards.
TOP 10 CENTERS
We'll unveil one player every half-hour starting at 10 a.m. ET. If you want to get involved in the discussion or just follow along, #NBArank is the Twitter hashtag to use. You also can follow along @ESPNNBA and on Facebook.
1. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Teams
Mikwaukee Bucks (1969-75), Los Angeles Lakers (1975-89)
Honors
Six-time MVP (1970-71, 1971-72, 1973-74, 1975-76, 1976-77, 1979-80), two-time Finals MVP, 19-time All-Star, 15-time All-NBA selection, 10-time All-D selection, Rookie of the Year (1969-70), Hall of Fame
Championships
6 (1971, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988)
Career stats
24.6 PPG, 11.2 RPG, 2.6 BPG, .559 FG%
The player
More MVPs than anyone. More career points than anyone. More career Win Shares than anyone. Simply put, there might not be a more complete career than Abdul-Jabbar's. -- Micah Adams, ESPN Stats & Info
His sky hook was the most unstoppable shot in NBA history. And he could play D, pass and hit his free throws, too. -- Rob Peterson, ESPN.com
No player in NBA history has combined peak value with longevity as well as Abdul-Jabbar. It's incredible to think Abdul-Jabbar won Finals MVPs 14 years apart. -- Kevin Pelton, ESPN Insider
While the public often overlooks him in discussions about the game's greatest player, league insiders and legends always mention him when considering who's the G.O.A.T. -- Chris Broussard, ESPN The Magazine
2. Wilt Chamberlain
Teams
Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors(1959-65), Philadelphia 76ers (1965-68), Los Angeles Lakers (1968-74)
Honors
Four-time MVP (1959-60, 1965-66, 1966-67, 1967-68), Finals MVP (1972), 13-time All-Star, 10-time All-NBA selection, two-time All-D selection, Rookie of the Year (1959-60), Hall of Fame
Championships
2 (1967, 1972)
Career stats
30.1 PPG, 22.9 RPG, 4.4 APG, .540 FG%
The player
Chamberlain was larger than life in every sense of the word. -- Bradford Doolittle, ESPN Insider
A real-life Superman who's previously unheard of combination of size, skill and athleticism took the world by storm. Statistically, the most dominant individual in the history of American sports. He set records that no one will ever come close to breaking. -- Broussard
Wilt averaged 47.6 points over a two-season period and grabbed 20 or more boards per game for 12 consecutive seasons. The most awesome offensive force in basketball history. -- Peterson
He was so dominant that the NBA literally changed the dimensions of the painted area to try and offset his presence on the block. -- Adams
3. Bill Russell
Teams
Boston Celtics (1956-69)
Honors
Five-time MVP (1957-58, 1960-61, 1961-62, 1962-63, 1964-65), 12-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA selection, All-D selection (1968-69), Hall of Fame
Championships
11 (1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969)
Career stats
15.1 PPG, 22.5 RPG, 4.3 APG, .440 FG%
The player
A defensive genius who epitomized the words leader, team and champion. The greatest winner in the history of American sports. -- Broussard
Never an elite scorer, no player impacted the game in more ways or made more winning plays than Russell. -- Adams
He stepped up when it mattered most. By my metrics, no all-time great contributed a higher percentage of his overall value in the postseason than Russell. -- Pelton
Russell's career is impossible to refute at the most fundamental level of sports: winning. -- Doolittle
4. Shaquille O'Neal
Teams
Orlando Magic (1992-96), Los Angeles Lakers (1996-2004), Miami Heat (2004-08), Phoenix Suns (2008-09), Cleveland Cavaliers (2009-10), Boston Celtics (2010-11)
Honors
MVP (1999-2000), three-time Finals MVP, 15-time All-Star, 14-time All-NBA selection, three-time All-D selection, Rookie of the Year (1992-1993)
Championships
4 (2000, 2001, 2002, 2006)
Career stats
23.7 PPG, 10.9 RPG, 2.3 BPG, .582 FG%
The player
The best center of his generation and possibly the last great center in NBA history. His sheer size and strength overwhelmed opponents, but he also had a deft touch around the rim and carried the Lakers to three straight NBA titles. -- Peterson
Surprisingly nimble and athletic, he is the biggest, most powerful force the game has ever known. He won four titles and some think he still underachieved; that's how good he was. -- Broussard
When basketball analytics were in their infancy, the 'Shaq test' was a good way to evaluate player metrics: if O'Neal wasn't best on a per-minute basis, something was wrong with your system. -- Pelton
An immense force down low and perhaps an even bigger character in the locker room. He was the Wilt Chamberlain of the modern game. -- Marc Stein, ESPN.com
5. Hakeem Olajuwon
Teams
Houston Rockets (1984-01), Toronto Raptors (2001-02)
Honors
MVP (1993-94), two-time Finals MVP, two-time Defensive Player of the Year, 12-time All-Star, 12-time All-NBA selection, nine-time All-D selection, Hall of Fame
Championships
2 (1994, 1995)
Career stats
21.8 PPG, 11.1 RPG, 3.1 BPG, .512 FG%
The player
A groundbreaker in terms of bringing footwork and agility to post play. The first of Houston's two back-to-back championships was particularly memorable, because Hakeem was essentially the Rockets' lone star, surrounded by a clutch of quality role players. There haven't been many NBA champions over the years featuring this sort of one-star construction. -- Stein
Created and mastered moves that have never been seen by a big man before or since. On top of that, he was the greatest defensive center ever not named Bill Russell. -- Broussard
Olajuwon's path is truly amazing. He arrived in Houston for college with one developed skill: The ability to play volleyball with opponents' shots. Three decades later, All-Star-caliber players go to Hakeem to learn the fundamentals of post play. -- Doolittle
It's a testament to his athletic abilities that Olajuwon himself declared that 'The Dream Shake' was actually something he came up with while playing soccer, not basketball. -- Adams
6. Moses Malone
Teams
Utah Stars (1974-75), Spirits of St. Louis (1975-76),Buffalo Braves (1976), Houston Rockets (1976-82), Philadelphia 76ers (1982-86, 1993-94), Washington Bullets (1986-88), Atlanta Hawks (1988-91), Milwaukee Bucks (1991-93), San Antonio Spurs (1994-95)
Honors
Three-time MVP (1978-79, 1981-82, 1982-83), Finals MVP (1983), 12-time All-Star, eight-time All-NBA selection, two-time All-D selection, Hall of Fame
Championships
1 (1983)
Career stats
20.3 PPG, 12.3 RPG, 1.3 BPG, .495 FG%
The player
You know you're good when you become synonymous with an adjective, which for Malone was 'relentless.' He outworked opponents on his way to the Hall of Fame and was the best player in the NBA for a good two to three years. -- Doolittle
The king of lunch-bucket basketball, he was an incomparable force on the offensive glass and teamed with Dr. J to make the '83 Sixers one of the greatest teams of all time. -- Broussard
Malone might be the only superstar player who identifies as an NBA vagabond of sorts. Including his time in the ABA, Malone played for nine different franchises, making him the most traveled Hall of Famer. -- Adams
Of the eight players to win three MVP awards, Malone is probably the least appreciated. -- Peterson
7. David Robinson
Teams
San Antonio Spurs (1989-2003)
Honors
MVP (1994-95), 10-time All-Star, 10-time All-NBA selection, 8-time All-D selection, Defensive Player of the Year (1991-92), Rookie of the Year (1989-90), Hall of Fame
Championships
2 (1999, 2003)
Career stats
21.1 PPG, 10.6 RPG, 3.0 BPG, .518 FG%
The player
A lefty who excelled at both ends and could run the floor like a small forward. The Admiral was the centerpiece for a small-market team that badly needed one and later a sidekick to Tim Duncan who willingly bequeathed his role as face of the franchise with uncommon grace. -- Stein
Skilled enough to lead the league in scoring and one of the best defenders in the league, Robinson was a consummate team player and leader. -- Doolittle
While he wasn't as productive in the playoffs, Robinson consistently outrated Hakeem Olajuwon in the regular season thanks to his efficient style of play. -- Pelton
The foundation of a Spurs dynasty that continues to this day. -- Broussard
8. Patrick Ewing
Teams
New York Knicks (1985-2000) Seattle SuperSonics (2000-01), Orlando Magic (2001-02)
Honors
11-time All-Star, 7-time All-NBA selection, 3-time All-D selection, Rookie of the Year (1985-86), Hall of Fame
Championships
None
Career stats
21.0 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 2.4 BPG, .504 FG%
The player
A force on both ends of the floor. Ewing is often slighted and underrated because he never delivered New York a title, but he never had a healthy perennial All-Star teammate during his prime. -- Broussard
His toughness and defensive presence were the foundation of everything New York accomplished in the '90s. -- Doolittle
Ewing had the misfortune of being stuck in the same conference as Michael Jordan and playing at the same time as David Robinson and Hakeem Olajuwon. -- Adams
Had he come along 10 years later, Ewing might have been the league's best center. -- Pelton
9. George Mikan
Teams
Minneapolis Lakers (1947-56), also played in the NBL and the BAA
Honors
4-time All-Star, 6-time All-NBA selection, Hall of Fame
Championships
7 (1947-NBL, 1948-NBL, 1949-BAA, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954)
Career stats
23.1 PPG, 13.4 RPG, 2.8 APG, .404 FG%
The player
The first great center, Mikan brought glory to the Lakers franchise long before Wilt, Kareem and Shaq ever put on purple and gold. -- Adams
The single most difficult player to rank in NBA history. Dominant in his era, but because of physical advantages that quickly dissipated as the league became more athletic. -- Pelton
We don't have the tools to truly measure Mikan's on-court impact, but it's visible more than a half-century after he quit playing: the 24-second clock came into being because of him. -- Doolittle
He has a shooting drill named after him. The league widened the lane because of him. Teams stalled to blunt his effectiveness on offense. No man had a greater impact on the early NBA than George Mikan. -- Peterson
10. Bill Walton
Teams
Portland Trail Blazers (1974-79), San Diego/Los Angeles Clippers (1979-84), Boston Celtics (1985-87)
Honors
MVP (1977-78), Finals MVP (1977), Sixth Man of the Year (1985-86), 2-time All-Star, 2-time All-NBA selection, 2-time All-D selection, Hall of Fame
Championships
2 (1977, 1986)
Career stats
13.3 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 3.4 APG, 2.2 BPG
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The player
A passer without peer at the center position. No player ever stopped him, only injuries. Had he been healthy, he probably would have built a dynasty in Portland. -- Broussard
One of the best team players ever; the prototypical John Wooden player. -- Doolittle
Few, if any, centers threw the outlet pass as well as Walton. When he was healthy in the '70s, he challenged Kareem as the best center. -- Peterson
MVP, Finals MVP, Sixth Man of the Year and two-time champion. Not bad for someone who essentially never had a prime due to lingering foot injuries. -- Adams
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