The center position has long been one of the most prominent and influential in basketball, with many of the game’s best players anchoring their teams from the paint. Here’s a look at some of the most famous and important centers in NBA history.
Shaquille O’Neal
Shaquille O’Neal is unquestionably one of the best basketball centers in history. In his heyday, his sheer physical superiority, mixed with amazing quickness and ability for a guy of his size, rendered him nearly unguardable. From 2000 to 2002, O’Neal led the Los Angeles Lakers to three straight NBA titles, winning Finals MVP honors in each. He went on to win his fourth championship with the Miami Heat in 2006.
Shaq was a powerhouse during his remarkable career, averaging 23.7 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game. He was voted the NBA’s Most Valuable Player in 2000, was a 15-time All-Star, and was chosen to the All-NBA First Team eight times. His thunderous dunks, scary presence in the paint, and ability to change games on both sides of the court solidified his position as one of the most dominant and exciting players to ever play the game. His effect on the game, both statistically and culturally, assures that he ranks at the top of any list of the Top NBA centers of all time.
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Bill Russell
Bill Russell is largely recognized as one of the greatest NBA centers of all time, if not the best. From 1956 until 1969, he played with the Boston Celtics and achieved unprecedented team success.
Key highlights of Bill Russell’s career:
11 NBA Championships: He guided the Boston Celtics to an incredible 11 NBA trophies in 13 seasons, including eight consecutive victories from 1959-1966. This is the most titles won by a player in North American professional sports history.
Russell received five NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards (1958, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1965), demonstrating his exceptional supremacy. 12 time NBA All-Star: Throughout his career, he was routinely one of the league’s best players. Before entering the NBA, Russell led the United States men’s basketball team to gold at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics.
Russell’s defensive prowess transformed the game. He was an outstanding shot blocker and rebounder, recognized for his ability to change opponents’ shots and spark fast breaks. While blocks were not officially recorded for the most of his career, it is largely assumed he would have topped the league several times. He led the NBA in rebounding four times throughout his career, averaging 22.5 rebounds per game.
Kareem Abdul Jabbar
Kareem Abdul Jabbar is largely recognized as one of the greatest NBA centers of all time, if not the best. His career lasted two decades, from 1969 to 1989, during which he earned unprecedented success and made an unforgettable impression on the sport.
Abdul Jabbar, who stood 7’2″, had a rare mix of talent, agility, and endurance. His hallmark technique, the “skyhook,” was almost unstoppable, an elegant and efficient stroke that he honed throughout his career.
Highlights of his remarkable career include:
Six NBA championships, one with the Milwaukee Bucks (1971) and five with the Los Angeles Lakers (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988).
Six NBA MVP Awards are the most in NBA history.
Two NBA Finals MVP Awards.
19 time NBA All Star.
15 All NBA selections (10 First Team, 5 Second Team).
11 NBA All Defensive Team selections (5 First Team, 6 Second Team).
The NBA’s all time top scorer with 38,387 points (a record he maintained for over 39 years before being eclipsed by LeBron James in 2023).
3rd all time in blocks (3,189).
The third most rebounds in history (17,440).
Abdul Jabbar’s domination went beyond individual accomplishments. He was a pillar of two iconic clubs, helping the Bucks to their first championship and playing an important role in the “Showtime” Lakers dynasty of the 1980s. His ability to score, rebound, and defend at an elite level over such a long period of time cemented his legacy in basketball. He was admitted to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1995.
Wilt Chamberlain
Wilt Chamberlain is unquestionably the top NBA center of all time, whose domination transformed the sport. Chamberlain, who was born in 1936, played professionally with the Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers, and Los Angeles Lakers from 1959 to 1973.
His physical strength was unrivaled in his time. Standing 7 feet 1 inch tall and boasting remarkable power and quickness, he was a scoring and rebounding machine unlike any other. Chamberlain owns multiple NBA records that are thought to be unbreakable, the most well-known of which being his 100-point game against the New York Knicks on March 2, 1962.
He was the league’s top scorer seven times, rebounder eleven times, and assister once during his career, demonstrating his all-around influence. During the 1961-62 season, he averaged an incredible 50.4 points and 25.7 rebounds per game, highlighting his unrivaled supremacy. He is the only player in NBA history to have averaged at least 30 points and 20 rebounds per game for his entire career.
Chamberlain won two NBA titles, one with the Philadelphia 76ers in 1967 and the other with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1972. He was a four time NBA MVP and thirteen time All Star. His rivalry with Bill Russell, which frequently resulted in Russell’s teams winning more titles, was legendary and drove both players to their limits.
Hakeem Olajuwon
Hakeem Olajuwon, sometimes known as “The Dream,” is widely recognized as one of the best centers in NBA history. His unique combination of attacking creativity and defensive prowess distinguished him.
Born in Nigeria, Olajuwon brings unrivaled athleticism and quickness to the center position. Offensively, he was known for his “Dream Shake,” a combination of hypnotic post moves, fakes, and spins that confused defenders and frequently ended in an easy score. He had a really delicate touch around the rim and could score from any angle.
Olajuwon was an unstoppable force on defense. He is the only player in NBA history to have over 200 blocks and 200 thefts in a single season, demonstrating his remarkable flexibility and anticipation. He has the NBA record for career blocks (3,830) and is one of just four players to achieve a quadruple-double. His shot-blocking skills was legendary, and he was an aggressive rebounder.
Olajuwon led the Houston Rockets to consecutive NBA titles in 1994 and 1995, winning Finals MVP honors in each seasons. In 1994, he also earned the regular season MVP and Defensive Player of the Year accolades, becoming the only player in NBA history to do it in the same season.
