NBA Center Mt. Rushmore?

[Rembrandt Brown]

​

If your choice isn't on the list, vote other and post the name. Can't include every conceivable choice. Anyone left off wasn't finishing top 4 in the poll regardless, so just vote other if that's your hobby horse.

See Also: NBA Power Forward Mt. Rushmore?

See Also: NBA Small Forward Mt. Rushmore?

See Also: NBA Shooting Guard Mt. Rushmore?

See Also: NBA Point Guard Mt. Rushmore?

 

[KingTaharqa]

Wilt Chamberlain-Simply put the greatest NBA player of all time. 2 rings, 4 MVPs, 1x Finals MVP, 30 ppg 23 rpg, and 4 assists for his career, 7 scoring titles, 11 rebounding titles, 9 shooting efficiency crowns and damn near 100 NBA records that still stand. The fucking GOAT.
Bill Russell-the father of NBA defense. 11x champ twice as player coach, NCAA champ, #2 all time in rebounds, all time leading rebounder in the playoffs and Finals. 10-0 in Game 7s.
Kareem Abdul Jabbar-6x champ, NCAA champ, 6x MVP, 2x Finals MVP, all time leading scorer, most unstoppable shot of all time
Moses Malone-1x Champ, 1x Finals MVP, 3x MVP, 12x all star, 8x all NBA, led the league in rebounds 6 times.

 

[TimRock]

Adding Duncan makes this quite difficult.
Wilt
Kareem
Bill Russell
Duncan

 

[Amajorfucup]

This is the tough one.

 

[tallblacknyc]

Reem, Wilt, hakeem, duncan

 

[LordSinister]

Easy

Kareem
Wilt
Russell
Duncan

I really wanted Dream and moses but I have to give it up to Timmy. He was great for longer and the lynchpin for the spurs titles.

 

[KingTaharqa]

So on BGOL Tim Duncan is a top 5 all time PF (yall wouldve named him had he been an option) and a top 5 all time Center? Dude should be the GOAT being top 5 all time at 2 positions.

 

[Rembrandt Brown]

So on BGOL Tim Duncan is a top 5 all time PF (yall wouldve named him had he been an option) and a top 5 all time Center? Dude should be the GOAT being top 5 all time at 2 positions.

Wouldn't every great center look better if they still played center and people just called them and judged them against power forwards?

A dozen centers would be "a top 5 all time PF." The center list is so stacked.

This branding plays a role in Duncan being so overrated.

 

[shaddyvillethug]

Shaq
Dream
Ewing
Embiid

 

[shaddyvillethug]

So on BGOL Tim Duncan is a top 5 all time PF (yall wouldve named him had he been an option) and a top 5 all time Center? Dude should be the GOAT being top 5 all time at 2 positions.

Lebron is top 5 in every position on the court.

 

[KingTaharqa]

Wouldn't every great center look better if they still played center and people just called them and judged them against power forwards?

A dozen centers would be "a top 5 all time PF." The center list is so stacked.

This branding plays a role in Duncan being so overrated.

Duncan is a top 10 all time center IMO. The rings and the Spurs being consistent during his career skewed perception. Barkley calling him "the greatest PF of all time" skewed perception too. The bulk of his career, college and pro he played center. Thing is the Spurs had a HOF center that kept them consistently competitive before Duncan, so I never viewed him as the only reason for their success. Hes a great all time player but not in my top 4 centers all time.

 

[Rembrandt Brown]

Patrick Ewing
21.0 ppg
16.3 fga per game
34.3 minutes per game
9.8 rbg
1.9 apg
1.0 spg
2.4 blks

Tim Duncan
19.0 ppg
14.6 fga per game
34.0 minutes per game
10.8 rbg
3.0 apg
0.7 spg
2.2 blks

Very similar numbers... But one guy played for a franchise where his best teammates were a pair of guys who made one all-star game apiece. And is judged against Hakeem and Shaq while the other guy's Mount Rushmore competition inclues Dennis Rodman.

 

[Rembrandt Brown]

Duncan is a top 10 all time center IMO. The rings and the Spurs being consistent during his career skewed perception. Barkley calling him "the greatest PF of all time" skewed perception too. The bulk of his career, college and pro he played center. Thing is the Spurs had a HOF center that kept them consistently competitive before Duncan, so I never viewed him as the only reason for their success. Hes a great all time player but not in my top 4 centers all time.

I'm not sure if Barkley started that-- He certainly wasn't alone.





It is such a gift to be judged against Malone, Barkley and Rodman as opposed to the players in this poll. Ewing would be on the PF Mt. Rushmore and on the top of many lists.

 

[KingTaharqa]

I'm not sure if Barkley started that-- He certainly wasn't alone.





It is such a gift to be judged against Malone, Barkley and Rodman as opposed to the players in this poll. Ewing would be on the PF Mt. Rushmore and on the top of many lists.

Traditionally power forward was NOT a position that teams anchored their team around. Most power forwards just did the grunt work and collected boards so the all time competition at the position isnt as deep as center. And Barkley was the first to call Duncan the greatest PF all time in the mid 2000s. I remember because many view Barkley as the best but him conceding to Timmy was a big deal.

 

[Rembrandt Brown]

Traditionally power forward was NOT a position that teams anchored their team around. Most power forwards just did the grunt work and collected boards so the all time competition at the position isnt as deep as center. And Barkley was the first to call Duncan the greatest PF all time in the mid 2000s. I remember because many view Barkley as the best but him conceding to Timmy was a big deal.

Makes sense.

 

[Raymond]

Duncan is not a center.

Shaq
Wilt
Olajuwon
Kareem

 

[Rembrandt Brown]

Duncan is not a center

Duncan made the All-Star team in 2009, 2010 and 2011 as a forward despite having played almost exclusively at center, according to 82games.com. Even Spurs coach Gregg Popovich seemed to acknowledge the charade on the eve of last year’s playoff series against Utah. When asked who the Spurs would start at center, Popovich said, “Tim Duncan, like we have for the last 15 years.”
https://uproxx.com/dimemag/gregg-popovich-tim-duncan-center-not-power-forward/2/

 

[FLoss]

Wilt, Kareem, Shaq, and Russell were unstoppable in their prime. But the skyhook is poetry that has never been duplicated. All time leading scorer.

 

[crazyace718]

Shaq, Hakeem, Russell and Jabbar.

 

[TimRock]

1) Herb Williams
2) Shawn Bradley
3) Manute Bol
4) Big Country Bryant Reeves

So you just gonna leave Ike Austin off?

 

[slam]

Duncan came along when all the legends were on their way out...lucky fucker...

 

[TheFuser]

Wilt
Shaq
Bill Russell
Kareem

 

[Rembrandt Brown]

2019 Results:

1. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
   47 vote(s)
   88.7%
2. Wilt Chamberlain
   46 vote(s)
   86.8%
3. Shaquille O'Neal
   35 vote(s)
4. Bill Russell
   32 vote(s)
   60.4%
5. Hakeem Olajuwon
   32 vote(s)
   60.4%

The only tie! Older players get the tie-breaker since newer legacies are boosted by time, so 2019's list is Abdul-Jabbar, Chamberlain, O'Neal and Russell.

This also looks like the category with the least consensus in that the #1 spot is closely contested when there was a clear #1 for every other position.

2014 results for five year context:

1. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
   133 vote(s)
   89.9%
2. Bill Russell
   119 vote(s)
   80.4%
3. Wilt Chamberlain
   114 vote(s)
   77.0%
4. Hakeem Olajuwon
   100 vote(s)
   67.6%

And on the periphery:

1. Shaquille O'Neal
   98 vote(s)
   66.2%

So Abdul-Jabbar, Chamberlain and Russell make both lists, with Olajuwon and Shaq battling for the #4 spot.

 

[PDQ21]

Wilt
Kareem
Bill Russell
Hakeem

 

[Complex]

Tim Duncan would be in the top four if he was fuckin listed as a PF

I'm not voting for him over Bill or Shaq

Picked Shaq over Hakeem

The rest were easy

Bill
Wilt
Cap

 

[babydaddy]

Duncan is more of a pf than center.

 

[Rembrandt Brown]

Tim Duncan would be in the top four if he was fuckin listed as a PF

I'm not voting for him over Bill or Shaq

Picked Shaq over Hakeem

The rest were easy

Bill
Wilt
Cap

The fact the NBA center Tim Duncan was barely top ten at his own position but is considered the greatest power forward of all-time based on playing next to David Robinson for his first few years really says something.

If these NBA position Rushmores ever get built, the power forward mountain should be situated at Yucca.

 

[babydaddy]

Do y'all think wilt and Russell would still dominate if they played during the 90s NBA era up to like now before big man are somewhat not important.
Hakeem
Shaq
Kareem
Ewing
I feel like these guys could play in any era of NBA and still be good.

 

[TimRock]

Tim Duncan would be in the top four if he was fuckin listed as a PF

I'm not voting for him over Bill or Shaq

Picked Shaq over Hakeem

The rest were easy

Bill
Wilt
Cap

Walton or Russell?

One motherfucker picked Walton.

 

[PDQ21]

Tim Duncan would be in the top four if he was fuckin listed as a PF

I'm not voting for him over Bill or Shaq

Picked Shaq over Hakeem

The rest were easy

Bill
Wilt
Cap

Did u see what Hakeem did to Shaq in the finals lmao

 

[Complex]

Did u see what Hakeem did to Shaq in the finals lmao

The Finals when he was what, 23?

 

[PDQ21]

The Finals when he was what, 23?

Schooled that young boy

 

[Complex]

Hell, he wasn't 23, he was 22

Shaq that series

26 and 16 and also 9 assist
33 and 12
28 and 10
25 and 12

Shaq shot over 60% that series

Hakeem shot 30 times each game, Shaq didn't get 20

It's crazy people think Hakeem dominated Shaq that series.

 

[Complex]

Schooled that young boy

How do you school someone who averages 28, 13 and 60%+?

 

[Man_Of_STeeL]

I went with...

Wilt
Kareem
Shaq
Russell