The Greatest Centers In NBA History

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Years: 2008-Present

Teams: Grizzlies

Stats: 696 games, 15.1 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 3.3 APG, 0.9 SPG, 1.5 BPG

Accolades: 3x All-Star, 2x All-NBA, 2013 Defensive Player of the Year

Gasol’s — and his Grizzlies —- have always unjustly flown under the radar. He’s been a pivotal part of the most successful small-market team recent NBA memory, averaging over 15 points and eight rebounds per game. Gasol is also one of the league’s best defenders; he won Defensive Player of the Year in 2013.

Years: 2008-Present

Teams: Clippers

Stats: 721 games, 9.3 PPG, 10.4 RPG, 0.7 APG, 0.6 SPG, 1.7 BPG

Accolades: 1x All-Star, 2x All-NBA, 2x rebounds leader

A lockdown defender and a magnetic rebounder, Jordan has established himself as one of the game’s best centers. He’s averaged 14.1 rebounds per game since the start of the 2013-14 season, and has led the league in field-goal percentage in each of the last five seasons.

Years: 1983-1991

Teams: Rockets, Warriors, Kings, Bullets

Stats: 15.4 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 2.3 APG, 0.9 SPG, 1.6 BPG

Accolades: 4x All-Star, 1x All-NBA, 1984 Rookie of the Year



His prime was short-lived, but few dominated like Sampson did in his heyday. He and Hakeem Olajuwon formed the “Twin Towers” that first made Houston a legitimate contender, culminating in an NBA Finals appearance in 1986.

Years: 1980-1994

Teams: Cavaliers, Pistons

Stats: 1,068 games, 12.9 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 2.0 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.9 BPG

Accolades: 2x NBA Champion, 4x All-Star, 1x rebounds leader

Laimbeer was one of the most physical (and dirtiest) defenders of his day, which made him one of the poster children for the “Bad Boys” Pistons teams of the late ‘80s and early ‘90s.

Career years: 1951-1959

Team(s): Warriors

Stats: 516 games, 19.4 PPG, 11.3 RPG, 2.5 APG

Accolades: Hall of Fame, 3x scoring champion, 1x NBA Champion, 6x All-Star, 5x All-NBA

Johnston was the Philadelphia Warriors’ Wilt Chamberlain before Wilt Chamberlain; he won three consecutive NBA scoring titles from 1953-55, and won a championship in 1956. But at 6-foot-8, it’s just a tad unlikely that Johnston would be able to cut it as a center in today’s NBA. Just goes to show how much the game has evolved over time.

Years: 2007-Present

Teams: Hawks, Celtics

Stats: 698 games, 14.2 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 3.1 APG, 0.8 SPG, 1.2 BPG

Accolades: 5x All-Star, 1x All-NBA

Horford has established himself as someone who can score, shoot, distribute, defend. He can pretty much do anything on the court, and do it well at that. His lifetime three-point field goal percentage of .367 isn’t bad for a seven-footer, either.

Years: 1962-1969, 1974-75

Teams: Hawks, Lakers

Stats: 16.0 PPG, 10.4 RPG, 1.5 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.4 BPG

Accolades: Hall of Fame, 2x All-Star

“Big Z” was a standout for some solid St. Louis Hawks teams in the 1960s, averaging 19.7 points and 11.9 rebounds per game from 1965-66 to 1968-69. Beaty then became one of the biggest names in the NBA to jump ship to the rival ABA, where he would continue to dominate while legitimizing the new league.

Years: 1986-1994

Teams: Cavaliers

Stats: 548 games, 19.0 PPG, 9.5 RPG, 3.7 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.7 BPG

Accolades: 5x All-Star, 1x All-NBA

Prior to LeBron James, Daugherty was the best player in Cavs history. Daugherty would routinely carry the Cavs to the playoffs, much like LeBron does now. But unlike LeBron, Daugherty’s squads almost always got bounced in the first round.

Career years: 1970-1985

Team(s): Denver Nuggets

Stats: 718 games, 20.4 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 2.5 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.6 BPG

Accolades: 1x All-Star

Issel started off his career on fire with the ABA’s Kentucky Colonels in 1970, as he led the league in scoring in his first season. He would later be a part of the Nuggets squad that made the jump from the ABA to the NBA when the two leagues merged, and continued to dominate well into the 1980s.

Years: 1996-2012

Teams: Wizards, Magic, Pistons, Bulls, Cavaliers

Stats: 1,088 games, 5.7 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 1.3 APG, 1.3 SPG, 2.0 BPG

Accolades: 4x Defensive Player of the Year, 4x All-Star, 5x All-NBA, 6x All-NBA Defensive Team: 2x Rebounds leader, 1x Blocks leader

Wallace was the basketball equivalent to a shutdown corner. His lifetime defensive rating of 96 is the fifth-best mark of any player in NBA history, making him as good a defender as there has ever been.

Years: 2012-Present

Teams: Pelicans

Stats: 383 games, 22.9 PPG, 10.2 RPG, 1.8 APG, 1.3 SPG, 2.3 BPG

Accolades: 5x All-Star, 2x All-NBA, 2x All-NBA Defensive Team, 2x blocks leader

Davis could be near the top of this list in a few years. He’s averaged at least 20 points per game in each of the last five seasons, including a whopping 26.8 points per game this year. Hopefully the Pelicans can build a solid supporting cast around him.

Years: 2002-2010

Teams: Rockets

Stats: 486 games, 19.2 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 1.6 APG, 0.4 SPG, 1.9 BPG

Accolades: Hall of Fame, 8x All-Star, 5x All-NBA

Had it not been for injuries, Yao might have been at the top of this list. Standing at 7-foot-6, Yao averaged 19 points, 9.2 boards, and 1.9 blocks per game over the course of his career. Unfortunately, his career was essentially over by the time he turned 29, thanks to a series of injuries.

Career years: 1992-2008

Team(s): Charlotte Hornets, Miami Heat, New Jersey Nets, Miami Heat

Stats: 838 games, 17.1 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 1.1 APG, 0.5 SPG, 2.8 BPG

Accolades: 1x NBA Champion, 7x All-Star, 2x All-NBA, 2x NBA Defensive Player of the Year, 2x All-NBA Defensive Team



Mourning made seven All-Star teams throughout his NBA career, and helped make the Hornets and Heat teams he played for into perennial contenders.

Career years: 1991-2009

Team(s): Nuggets, Hawks, 76ers, Nets, Knicks, Rockets

Stats: 1,196 games, 9.8 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 1.0 APG, 0.4 SPG, 2.8 BPG

Accolades: 8x All-Star, 3x All-NBA, 4x NBA Defensive Player of the Year, 6x All-NBA Defensive Team

Mutombo’s 3,289 career blocks are the second-most in NBA history. And his signature finger wag might be the best celebration in NBA history.

Career years: 1974-1987

Team(s): Trail Blazers, Clippers, Celtics

Stats: 468 games, 13.3 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 3.4 APG, 0.8 SPG, 2.2 BPG

Accolades: Hall of Fame, 2x NBA Champion, 1x MVP, 2x All-Star, 2x All-NBA, 2x NBA All-Defensive Team, 1x Sixth Man of the Year

Walton’s NBA career pales in comparison to his all-time great college career, but he was still quite good in the Association. He was the star of the Trail Blazers’ only championship team in 1977, and won league MVP in 1978.

Career years: 1970-1984

Team(s): Pistons, Bucks

Stats: 959 games, 20.1 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 3.1 APG, 1.1 SPG, 1.5 BPG

Accolades: Hall of Fame, 8x All-Star

Lanier dominated on both ends of the floor with the Pistons and the Bucks, putting up a 111 career offensive rating and a 98 career defensive rating over his 14-year career. It’s not hard to see why both teams decided to retire his number.

Career years: 1971-1989

Team(s): Kentucky Colonels, Bulls, Spurs, Celtics

Stats: 909 games, 17.1 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 2.0 APG, 0.5 SPG, 1.9 BPG

Accolades: Hall of Fame, 6x All-Star, 1x All-NBA Defensive Team

Aside from maybe Julius Erving, few players lit up the ABA like Artis Gilmore did. Gilmore was an ABA All-Star in all five of his seasons with the Kentucky Colonels, averaging 22.3 points and a whopping 17.1 rebounds per game in the league. When the Colonels folded, Gilmore was taken by the Bulls first overall in the dispersal draft of ex-ABA players by NBA teams. He continued to be a force in the NBA, making five All-Star teams with the Bulls and the Spurs during the 70s and 80s.

Years: 1972-1986

Teams: Buffalo Braves, Knicks, Celtics, Pistons, Nets, Lakers, Sixers

Stats: 852 games, 22.1 PPG, 9.4 RPG, 2.3 APG, 1.0 SPG, 1.5 BPG

Accolades: Hall of Fame, 2x NBA Champion, 1x MVP, 5x All-Star, 2x All-NBA, 1973 Rookie of the Year

McAdoo led the NBA in scoring three years in a row from 1974-1976 while playing with the Buffalo Braves (now the Clippers), and made five consecutive All-Star teams from 1974-78. He was later able to invent himself as a solid reserve player for the “Showtime” Lakers, and won two rings as a result.

Years: 2004-Present

Teams: Magic, Lakers, Rockets, Hawks, Hornets

Stats: 1,009 games, 17.1 PPG, 12.7 RPG, 1.5 APG, 1.0 SPG, 2.0 BPG

Accolades: 8x All-NBA, 8x All-Star, 5x rebounds leader, 5x All-NBA Defensive Team, 3x Defensive Player of the Year

He’s a bit of a joke now, but Howard was one of the game’s best players just a few years ago. From 2007-08 to 2012-13, he averaged 20.0 points per game, led the league in rebounding five times, and carried the Magic to an NBA Finals appearance in 2009. It’s a shame Howard can’t play like that anymore.

Career years: 1963-1977

Team(s): Warriors, Bulls, Cavaliers

Stats: 964 games, 15.0 PPG, 15.0 RPG, 2.7 APG, 0.5 SPG, 2.1 BPG

Accolades: Hall of Fame, 7x All-Star, 5x All-NBA Defensive Team

Thurmond was the first homegrown star the newly-minted San Francisco Warriors had ever developed. He made seven All-Star teams in the ‘60s and ‘70s, and made an All-NBA Defensive Team five times.

Career years: 1976-1997

Team(s): Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics, Charlotte Hornets, Chicago Bulls

Stats: 1611 games, 14.5 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 1.4 APG, 0.8 SPG, 1.5 BPG

Accolades: Hall of Fame, all-time games played leader, 4x NBA Champion, 9x All-Star, 2x All-NBA

Aside from Larry Bird and Kevin McHale, no player had more to do with the Celtics’ success in the 1980s than Robert Parish. Parish made nine All-Star teams in 11 seasons from 1981-1991, and was named one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history in 1996.

Career years: 1961-1974

Team(s): Bullets, Knicks, Pistons, Hawks, Jazz

Stats: 1043 games, 20.1 PPG, 13.7 RPG, 2.4 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.6 BPG

Accolades: Hall of Fame, 4x All-Star, 1962 NBA Rookie of the Year

Bellamy may have been the best center of the 1960s not named Wilt or Russell. Averaging 26.8 points and 16.5 rebounds per game from 1961-62 to 1962-66, Bellamy dominated on both ends of the floor by a wide margin.

Career years: 1968-1981

Team(s): Baltimore Bullets

Stats: 984 games, 10.8 PPG, 14.0 RPG, 3.9 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.6 BPG

Accolades: Hall of Fame, 1x NBA Champion, 1x NBA Finals MVP, 1x MVP, 5x All-Star, 1x All-NBA, 1969 NBA Rookie of the Year

Unseld played his entire 13-year career with the Bullets, and still stands as the greatest player in Bullets/Wizards franchise history. His resume includes a league MVP, a Finals MVP, and a championship in 1978 — the only title in franchise history.

Career years: 1968-1984

Team(s): Rockets, Bullets

Stats: 1,303 games, 21.0 PPG, 12.5 RPG, 1.8 APG, 1.0 SPG, 2.0 BPG

Accolades: Hall of Fame, 1x NBA Champion, 12x All-Star, 6x All-NBA, 2x All-NBA Defensive Team

Like Unseld, Hayes was also a pivotal part of the 1978 Bullets team, as the two provided for one of the best frontcourt duos in league history. Hayes was also a star over three different decades, having made the All-Star team every year from 1969-1980.

Career years: 1985-2002

Team(s): Knicks, Sonics, Magic

Stats: 1183 games, 21.0 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 1.9 APG, 1.0 SPG, 2.4 BPG

Accolades: Hall of Fame, 11x All-Star, 7x All-NBA Second Team, 3x All-NBA Defensive Team, 1986 NBA Rookie of the Year,



Ewing will always be on any shortlist of best players to not win a ring. Too bad he didn’t play in the super team era, because then he could have joined the Bulls and actually won one. And maybe he would have won one anyway had John Starks not decided to go AWOL in Game 7 of the 1994 NBA Finals.

Career years: 1970-1983

Team(s): Celtics, Bucks

Stats: 766 games, 17.6 PPG, 13.6 RPG, 3.8 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.9 BPG

Accolades: Hall of Fame, 2x NBA Champion, 1x NBA MVP, 7x All-Star, 3x All-NBA, 3x All-NBA Defensive Team, 1971 Rookie of the Year,

Cowens, John Havelchick, and Jo Jo White helped bring about Celtics championships in 1974 and 1976. This period of Celtics history is sometimes overlooked because it took place between the Russell and Bird dynasties, but it deserves a lot more attention than it gets. As does Cowens, whose 95.52 defensive rating is the second-best mark in league history.

Career years: 1964-1974

Team(s): New York Knicks

Stats: 650games, 18.7 PPG, 12.9 RPG, 1.8 APG, 0.6 SPG, 1.1 BPG

Accolades: Hall of Fame, 2x NBA Champion, 2x NBA Finals MVP, 1x NBA MVP, 7x All-Star, 5x All-NBA, 1x All-NBA Defensive Team, 1965 Rookie of the Year



The image of Reed walking out of the Madison Square Garden tunnel ahead of Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals is one of the most iconic in NBA history. Reed was the centerpiece of two Knicks championship teams, back when “Knicks” and “championship” could still appear in the same sentence.

Career years: 1976-1995

Team(s): Buffalo Braves, Rockets, 76ers, Bullets, Hawks, Bucks, Spurs

Stats: 1,329 games, 20.6 PPG, 12.2 RPG, 1.4 APG, 0.8 SPG, 1.3 BPG

Accolades: Hall of Fame, 1x NBA Champion, 1x NBA Finals MVP, 3x MVP, 12x All-Star, 8x All-NBA, 2x All-NBA Defensive Team



The late great Malone won three MVP’s from 1979-1983, led the league in rebounding six times, and was the centerpiece of the Sixers’ last championship in 1983.

Career years: 1949-1956

Team(s): Minneapolis Lakers

Stats: 379 games, 22.3 PPG, 13.4 RPG, 2.7 APG

Accolades: Hall of Fame, 4x NBA Champion, 4x All-Star, 6x All-NBA



Mikan was the first true NBA superstar. He was named the greatest player of the first half-century by the Hall of Fame. He dominated the league back when it was just a startup, carrying the Minneapolis Lakers to five league championships in six years from 1949-1954. Without Mikan’s star power, the NBA might not have ever gotten off of the ground.

Career years: 1984-2002

Team(s): Rockets, Raptors

Stats: 1238 games, 21.8 PPG, 11.1 RPG, 2.5 APG, 1.7 SPG, 3.1 BPG

Accolades: Hall of Fame, 2x NBA Champion, 2x NBA Finals MVP, 1x MVP, 12x All-Star, 12x All-NBA Team, 2x Defensive Player of the Year, 9x All-NBA Defensive Team



The No. 1 overall pick in 1984, “The Dream” bought the Rockets two rings in between ‘90s Bulls three-peats — no easy task. His 1994 season stands out as one of the greatest ever: He became the only player to ever win MVP, Finals MVP, and Defensive Player of the Year in the same season. He also has the most blocks in NBA history.

Career years: 1989-2003

Team(s): Spurs

Stats: 987 games, 21.1 PPG, 10.6 RPG, 2.5 APG, 1.4 SPG, 3.0 BPG

Accolades: Hall of Fame, 2x NBA Champion, 1x MVP, 10x All-Star, 10x All-NBA, 1x Defensive Player of the Year, 8x All-NBA Defensive Team, 1990 Rookie of the Year



Robinson’s aforementioned conventional stats are obviously impressive. But believe it or not, his advanced stats are even better: he’s fourth all-time in PER, eighth all-time in VORP, and is fourth all-time in defensive rating. In the former two categories, he’s second all-time among centers. So as great as you thought “The Admiral” was, the advanced stats indicate he’s even better.

Career years: 1992-2011

Team(s): Magic, Lakers, Heat, Suns, Cavaliers, Celtics

Stats: 1,207 games, 23.7 PPG, 10.9 RPG, 2.5 APG, 0.6 SPG, 2.3 BPG

Accolades: Hall of Fame 4x NBA Champion, 3x NBA Finals MVP, 1x NBA MVP, 15x All-Star, 14x All-NBA, 3x All-NBA Defensive Team, 1993 Rookie of the Year

Few players in the NBA are more iconic, recognized, and beloved by fans than Shaquille O’Neal is. O’Neal’s four championships, 15 All-Star appearances, 14 All-NBA appearances, and MVP title make him one of the most accomplished players to ever play the game, never mind centers. Off the court, Shaq is also one of the most recognized NBA players, as he’s also a rapper, businessman, reality TV star, police officer, video game protagonist, and an actor. Even if you hate the Lakers, there’s no way you can hate Shaq.

Years: 1959-1973

Team(s): Warriors, 76ers, Lakers

Stats: 1045 games, 30.1 PPG, 22.9 RPG, 4.4 APG

Accolades: Hall of Fame, 1x NBA Finals MVP, 4x NBA MVP, 13x NBA All-Star, 10x All-NBA Team, 2x All-NBA Defensive Team, 1960 NBA Rookie of the Year

Looking at Chamberlain’s stats is so much fun, because they’re literally insane. Like the fact that he averaged 50.4 points per game and 25.7 rebounds per game in the 1961-62 season — the year that he scored 100 points. That obviously could never happen today, but it’s impressive nonetheless.



Wilt led the league in scoring in each of his first seven NBA seasons, making him one of the game’s most recognizable faces in the early days of the league.

Years: 1956-1969

Teams: Celtics

Stats: 963 games, 15.3 PPG, 22.5 RPG, 4.3 APG

Accolades: Hall of Fame, 11x NBA Champion 5x MVP, 12x All-Star, 11x All-NBA, 1x All-NBA Defensive Team, 5x rebounds leader

No team has dominated quite like the Russell-led Celtics of the ‘50s and ‘60s did.

But first, let’s start with Russell’s individual stats: He averaged 15.2 points per game and a whopping 22.5 rebounds per game for his career. Russell is perhaps the best defensive player of all time, having led the league in defensive win shares in 12 of his 14 NBA seasons. 

And Russell’s Celtics never stopped winning: They won a whopping 11 championships in 13 seasons from 1957-1969, including eight straight from 1959-66. In fact, Russell won the last two championships of his career as a player-coach in 1968 and 1969. Let’s see Michael Jordan do that. 

If you thought the Warriors’ dominance makes basketball boring now, they don’t even come close to the Celtics back then. And Russell was the backbone of that dominance.

Years: 1969-1989

Teams: Bucks, Lakers

Stats: 1,560 games, 24.6 PPG, 11.2 RPG, 3.6 APG, 0.9 SPG, 2.6 BPG

Accolades: Hall of Fame, All-time leader in points, field goals, field goal attempts, 6x NBA Champion, 6x MVP, 2x Finals MVP, 19x All-Star, 15x All-NBA, 11x All-NBA Defensive Team, 2x scoring leader, 4x blocks leader, 1x rebounds leader, 1970 Rookie of the Year

There’s plenty that can (and has) been said about Kareem’s legacy. But nothing speaks more aptly to his ability than the accolades listed above. Few NBA players — let alone centers — have accomplished (or will ever accomplish) what Abdul-Jabbar has in the NBA. And for that, he stands as the greatest center of all time.