Vote on the best defensive center of all time

[72-10]

Best interior defender of all time

hon. mentions Mark Eaton, Patrick Ewing

[lilteapot]

Mutombo even tho Hakeem is the all time leader. Dikembo was bigger, longer, and scarier.

[egokiller]

Hakeem Olajuwon. As a two-time Defensive Player of the Year and a nine-time selection on the NBA All-Defensive teams.

[72-10]

Dwight's easily the most athletic out of these.

[tontoz]

Deke is an easy call for me. 4 time DPOY in an era of elite centers. Led the league in total blocks 5 times. Led 2 times in rebounding.

I lived in Atlanta when he was there and it was ridiculous how quickly he could cover ground inside and alter/block shots.

On the other end, with the ball in his hands, he was slow as molasses lol.

[Akeem34TheDream]

I'd say Russell even though its hard to compare with others.

[ClipperRevival]

Dwight's easily the most athletic out of these.

Not true. It depends how you defy it. Most explosive off of two feet with a deep knee bend? Yes. But he didn't have Hakeem's quick feet, fluidity of movement or agility. Drob was the most well rounded athlete.

[ClipperRevival]

I take peak Hakeem over anyone. As a matter of fact, i have peak Hakeem as my GOAT C.

[Manny98]

No Duncan option?

[tontoz]

No Duncan option?


I think most consider him a 4, although it's debatable.

[ClipperRevival]

Do people realize that Hakeem is 40th all time in steals per game with 1.75? That's better than most guards! He was THAT distruptive.

[SamuraiSWISH]

Hakeem

[ClipperRevival]

I think most consider him a 4, although it's debatable.

Duncan belongs on this list even as a C.

[tontoz]

In today's game i would probably take Dream because he can do better when he gets switched on guards.

[FKAri]

In today's game i would probably take Dream because he can do better when he gets switched on guards.
I agree.

[NBAGOAT]

i give drob a mention. I've heard some convincing arguments about how he wasnt as foul prone as hakeem and hakeem's aggression defensively lead to some mistakes. Hakeem's a better post defender however which is pretty important

[k0kakw0rld]

https://zupimages.net/up/19/06/ph9o.jpg (http://zupimages.net/viewer.php?id=19/06/ph9o.jpg)

[superduper]

I'll go Hakeem since there's no Embiid option.

[the mesiah]

Im taking Dream, it

[ImKobe]

It has to be Hakeem, considering how much effort he put into his offense as well.

[Ben Simmons 25]

This thread is a joke, right? To see how many kids under the age of 25 we have posting here?

Hint: as of right now almost 80% of respondents are getting this question wrong.

[Uncle Drew]

Jordan ducked Hakeem.

[Round Mound]

I think Hakeem was the best all around defender at the center spot. He could defend the basket, man to man, off his man (like Russell who was probably the best in his era) and team defend.

[Hamtaro CP3KDKG]

Dwight's easily the most athletic out of these.

lmfao no Frights not a better athlete than DRob, Hakeem, Wilt and prolly Russell

[AngelEyes]

Dwight's easily the most athletic out of these.

Chamberlain is one of the most athletic people to ever live, far more athletic than Dwight ever was. And Robinson, Olajuwon and Russell were all probably at least as athletic as Howard.

[tontoz]

https://zupimages.net/up/19/06/ph9o.jpg (http://zupimages.net/viewer.php?id=19/06/ph9o.jpg)


Yeah i think a 4 time DPOY deserves a mention.

[LostCause]

Wilt deserves more recognition here

[Psileas]

Well, when Kareem was asked who his all-time best defensive opponent was, his answer wasn't Olajuwon. It was someone who's not even on the list. So was Wilt's. And their results absolutely justify their choice (I still pick Russell, though, he was probably more versatile with his team defense and multiple position defense and overall more revolutionary).

[Hamtaro CP3KDKG]

Well, when Kareem was asked who his all-time best defensive opponent was, his answer wasn't Olajuwon. It was someone who's not even in the list. So was Wilt's. And their results absolutely justify their choice (I still pick Russell, though, he was probably more versatile with his team defense and multiple position defense and overall more revolutionary).

Hakeem wouldve locked them down as much as Thurmond did if not more so

anyways Nate was only on that level for man/post defense. Hakeem is the better overall defender when u look at all aspects of defense together

and Kareem and Wilt have a bias against newer era players its been known for a long time now

[fsvr54]

Ben Wallace

[tontoz]

Well, when Kareem was asked who his all-time best defensive opponent was, his answer wasn't Olajuwon. It was someone who's not even on the list. So was Wilt's. And their results absolutely justify their choice (I still pick Russell, though, he was probably more versatile with his team defense and multiple position defense and overall more revolutionary).

It is hard to pick a player you never saw, and not many posters here saw Russell. He retired in '69.

[Celtics 1825]

It is hard to pick a player you never saw, and not many posters here saw Russell. He retired in '69.
Plus we don't have a lot of video footage from back then as well

[Psileas]

And yet, it's always an "of all time" matter. How about a "best you've ever seen" title, just for honesty's sake?

[jlip]

And yet, it's always an "of all time" matter. How about a "best you've ever seen" title, just for honesty's sake?


This.

[72-10]

Chamberlain is one of the most athletic people to ever live, far more athletic than Dwight ever was. And Robinson, Olajuwon and Russell were all probably at least as athletic as Howard.

A good point that Wilt might have been. They claim he might have had the highest reach on the backboard of all time. And they were running and gunning back then. Certainly don't buy that Hakeem or D-Rob or any of the other options were as athletic at all, though. Dwight might have had like a 40 inch vertical in his prime and one of the highest reaches on the backboard of all time.

[72-10]

And yet, it's always an "of all time" matter. How about a "best you've ever seen" title, just for honesty's sake?

I suppose so. Do you think Hakeem hacked much relative to the others?

[sdot_thadon]

I can't really speak on Russell and Wilt as i haven't seen enough to conclude. Olajuwon is the only answer for me. Has the best blend of athletic ability and could actually defend guards in space when it happened. That 2nd jump was so quick and the timing he possessed was maybe goat amongst bigs.

[bullettooth]

Peak: Ben Wallace

Overall: Hakeem

[iamgine]

I don't think any of the answer can be wrong except...well Alonzo.

[Odinn]

And yet, it's always an "of all time" matter. How about a "best you've ever seen" title, just for honesty's sake?
There's f'ing D. Howard among names, but not Nate Thurmond...
F'ing joke, that's what this list is.

[Marchesk]

Nate Thurmond is missing from the list. But honestly, most of us have barely seen any footage of him. We have to go off reputation from players and coaches back then. And his reputation was that he was an elite all-time defender. So he should at least be on the list.

[Wiggins23]

Dwight

[Odinn]

Nate Thurmond is missing from the list. But honestly, most of us have barely seen any footage of him. We have to go off reputation from players and coaches back then. And his reputation was that he was an elite all-time defender. So he should at least be on the list.
BTW, I was critical of recency bias. Not Dwight being on the list.

Also, if we were to consider Hakeem as an option, also should recognize Robinson and Ewing, and put them on the list as well. You might pick one or other, they were neck and neck most of the time.

[FireDavidKahn]

I gotta go with Ben. Part of that is bias/saltiness because he wasn't a 1st ballot which is absurd.

[SamuraiSWISH]

Best defensive centers I