Do you have Yao Ming on your Top 10 ATG center list?

[Havlicekstealsit]

Saw a post that suggested if you do not, you're racist against Asians. People are actually putting Yao right up there with Kareem, Wilt, and Hakeem?

[Kingcarl24]

What would a top 10 look like?

Shaq
Hakeem
Wilt
Kareem
Duncan (maybe he's PF)
Robinson
Ewing
Mikan (too old)
Russell

Who am I missing? Is Jokic still too young?

[LeBronMonsterDunk]

No. Yao had all the tools to be an ATG, but like Sabonis, his career was ruined by his country.

[Bush4Ever.]

I will say, it was cool to see a super giant play with a pretty fair amount of skill along with coordination and finesse.

Who was the best super giant before him like that? Maybe Rik Smits?

Edit: Ralph Sampson at his best would probably be a better choice.

[Macrotus]

unfortunately for him, too short of a career.

[zombiesonics]

What would a top 10 look like?

Shaq
Hakeem
Wilt
Kareem
Duncan (maybe he's PF)
Robinson
Ewing
Mikan (too old)
Russell

Who am I missing? Is Jokic still too young?

Moses Malone, Bill Walton

[Shill Jackson]

What would a top 10 look like?

Shaq
Hakeem
Wilt
Kareem
Duncan (maybe he's PF)
Robinson
Ewing
Mikan (too old)
Russell

Who am I missing? Is Jokic still too young?

Sabonis, but we missed his greatest years.

[Kingcarl24]

What would a top 10 look like?

Shaq
Hakeem
Wilt
Kareem
Duncan (maybe he's PF)
Robinson
Ewing
Mikan (too old)
Russell

Who am I missing? Is Jokic still too young?

Sabonis, but we missed his greatest years.

Is Sabonis on that list? Such a short run.

[zombiesonics]

What would a top 10 look like?

Shaq
Hakeem
Wilt
Kareem
Duncan (maybe he's PF)
Robinson
Ewing
Mikan (too old)
Russell

Who am I missing? Is Jokic still too young?

Sabonis, but we missed his greatest years.

Is Sabonis on that list? Such a short run.

Sabonis had one of the GOAT European careers. He was what Jokic is now, except a little taller and more athletic.

I’d put him over Ewing tbh.

[LeBronMonsterDunk]

If Sabonis has spent his entire career in the NBA I firmly believe he would be considered a top 10 ATG (not just for centers) right now. His skill level was through the roof.

[vcsgrizzfan]

Ming top 10? I guess I'm a racist prick then.

[elmerjfudd]

Kareem
Shaquille
Hakeem
Robinson
Ewing
Moses
Mikan
Russell
Wilt

Thurmond
Hayes
Reed
Dwight
Walton

[americaninfidel]

Kareem
Shaquille
Hakeem
Robinson
Ewing
Moses
Mikan
Russell
Wilt

Thurmond
Hayes
Reed
Dwight
Walton

Are these in order? Because Howard above Walton is something I would disagree with. Vehemently.

[Robceltsfan]

Kareem
Shaquille
Hakeem
Robinson
Ewing
Moses
Mikan
Russell
Wilt

Thurmond
Hayes
Reed
Dwight
Walton

Are these in order? Because Howard above Walton is something I would disagree with. Vehemently.

Ironically, Dwight was someone that came to my mind as well. We're talking about a guy that was incredibly athletic, one of the best rebounders in the game for nearly a decade, led the league in blocks multiple times, won a pair of DPOY awards.....and drug that sorry fucking franchise in Orlando all the way to the Finals.

He deserves mention ahead of Yao.

[Havlicekstealsit]

Walton's a tough one for me since he missed so many games, but you can't hold that against him. His per 100 numbers are top 10 worthy though.

[PhutureDynasty]

Russell
Kareem
Duncan (he's was a center for long enough)
Wilt
Shaq
Hakeem
Moses
David
Ewing (not married to his position here; could easily be Walton or Mikan)

That's my top 9. After that it's guys like Walton, Mikan, Dwight, Reed, Cowens, etc.

Yao would eventually be added but I don't see a clear top 10 case for him at all.

[americaninfidel]

Kareem
Shaquille
Hakeem
Robinson
Ewing
Moses
Mikan
Russell
Wilt

Thurmond
Hayes
Reed
Dwight
Walton

Are these in order? Because Howard above Walton is something I would disagree with. Vehemently.

Ironically, Dwight was someone that came to my mind as well. We're talking about a guy that was incredibly athletic, one of the best rebounders in the game for nearly a decade, led the league in blocks multiple times, won a pair of DPOY awards.....and drug that sorry fucking franchise in Orlando all the way to the Finals.

He deserves mention ahead of Yao.

I have a great deal of disdain for Howard. Yeah, he was the "best" center at one point, but only because there weren't any other serviceable centers. I would put Yao ahead of him.

Also, what about Robert Parish? He was better than Howard at least, probably than Yao.

[Robceltsfan]

Are these in order? Because Howard above Walton is something I would disagree with. Vehemently.

Ironically, Dwight was someone that came to my mind as well. We're talking about a guy that was incredibly athletic, one of the best rebounders in the game for nearly a decade, led the league in blocks multiple times, won a pair of DPOY awards.....and drug that sorry fucking franchise in Orlando all the way to the Finals.

He deserves mention ahead of Yao.

I have a great deal of disdain for Howard. Yeah, he was the "best" center at one point, but only because there weren't any other serviceable centers. I would put Yao ahead of him.

Also, what about Robert Parish? He was better than Howard at least, probably than Yao.

Uhhh....one of the other serviceable centers during Dwight's prime was Yao himself. They're only 5 years apart in age.

There isn't even a single season during his shortened career where Yao could have been considered the best player on his TEAM.


I understand the disdain for Dwight....but the dude was still a beast.

[Robceltsfan]

I'd probably place Parish and Yao on similar ground. Probably give Yao the nod simply because he was clearly the better offensive player between the two.

[Bush4Ever.]

I'd easily place Parish over Yao on an all-time list of centers, even if I think Yao would have had an advantage of sorts absolute peak to absolute peak.

You are almost dealing with two extremes of longevity.

He also was 7th and 4th in the MVP vote in 1981 and 1982 (Yao never broke the top 10 in MVP vote) I know the early 80s Celtics teams don't get quite as much love as the KC Jones teams, but that was probably when Parish peaked.

However, he was making all-star teams until 1991 and when Bird went out in 1989, he averaged 19 and 13 a game on 57 percent shooting. In his 15th season at age 35, when 35 was pretty old for NBA players.

I'd much rather have 12 years of Parish than 4-5 of Yao.