<font size="3"><font color="#0000ff">Mike Kahn's Center Rankings</font></font> 1. Shaquille O'Neal, Miami Heat Ht./Wt.: 7-1, 325 Numbers: 22.9 pts., 10.4 reb., 2.3 blk. There is no one like him in all of basketball, even at less than 100 percent. His size, strength, agility and strength are unparalleled today, and only Wilt Chamberlain is comparable in league history. 2. Yao Ming, Houston Rockets Ht./Wt.: 7-5, 295 Numbers: 18.3 pts., 8.4 reb., 2.0 blk. People expect too much from him, but his somewhat placid veneer makes him a finesse player. And how many other 7-5, 295-pounders are there to match up with him? None. So it really does make him a special player and he makes the Rockets always dangerous. 3. Amare Stoudemire, Phoenix Suns Ht./Wt.: 6-10, 250 Ht./Wt.: 26.0 pts., 8.9 reb., 1.63 blk. His extraordinary playoff performance catapulted him into the land of superstardom. Can he stay there? That's what we don't know. He improved so much, and is so quick, what he lacks in bulk and overall strength, he makes up for in quickness and explosiveness. 4. Ben Wallace, Detroit Pistons Ht./Wt.: 6-9, 240 Numbers: 9.7 pts., 12.2 reb., 2.38 blk. He is just as unique as Shaq or Yao or Amare, if only because he is so undersized and yet takes over games with sheer will and energy and a general focus of grabbing every rebound, attempting to block every shot or steal every pass. Even his shooting improved last season because he worked so hard on it.
I agree with the list. If Yao wants to become #1, he has to start to work on his inside game, being physical and backing people up
Add to this thread, another ranking of center. Hoopvibes; [Article] <font size="1">dated: 09.12.2005</font> 2. Yao Ming Yo, Yao, when are you going to make it happen for real? You might be the second-best true centre in the league, but come on; there can't be more than three or four of you. How are you going to be 7'5" and block only two shots a game? How can you have the highest standing reach in the league and grab only eight boards a night? How is it that you clearly know how to score yet finished last year behind Jalen Rose in points per game? Please don't think I'm one of the haters, though. In truth, I'm a big fan, which is exactly why I want to see more from you. I suppose I'm being unfair. You've shown signs of improvement, and you managed to up your averages in the playoffs, but that only made us hungrier. There's no shame in taking second place behind Shaq, but does it need to be by so much? Yo haven't done badly so far, Yao, but we're still waiting for that extra something the scouts saw in you a few years ago.
cant argue...but I do think Yao will take that #1 spot if not this season, then definitely the season after...
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting GoodFellow:</div><div class="quote_post"><font size="3"><font color="#0000ff">Mike Kahn's Center Rankings</font></font> 1. Shaquille O'Neal, Miami Heat Ht./Wt.: 7-1, 325 Numbers: 22.9 pts., 10.4 reb., 2.3 blk. There is no one like him in all of basketball, even at less than 100 percent. His size, strength, agility and strength are unparalleled today, and only Wilt Chamberlain is comparable in league history. 2. Yao Ming, Houston Rockets Ht./Wt.: 7-5, 295 Numbers: 18.3 pts., 8.4 reb., 2.0 blk. People expect too much from him, but his somewhat placid veneer makes him a finesse player. And how many other 7-5, 295-pounders are there to match up with him? None. So it really does make him a special player and he makes the Rockets always dangerous. 3. Amare Stoudemire, Phoenix Suns Ht./Wt.: 6-10, 250 Ht./Wt.: 26.0 pts., 8.9 reb., 1.63 blk. His extraordinary playoff performance catapulted him into the land of superstardom. Can he stay there? That's what we don't know. He improved so much, and is so quick, what he lacks in bulk and overall strength, he makes up for in quickness and explosiveness. 4. Ben Wallace, Detroit Pistons Ht./Wt.: 6-9, 240 Numbers: 9.7 pts., 12.2 reb., 2.38 blk. He is just as unique as Shaq or Yao or Amare, if only because he is so undersized and yet takes over games with sheer will and energy and a general focus of grabbing every rebound, attempting to block every shot or steal every pass. .</div> Where the hell is Jermaine O'Neal................That's why I don't pay these list any mind, these people don't know what they're talkin bout. <div class="quote_poster">Quoting GoodFellow:</div><div class="quote_post"> 2. Yao Ming Yo, Yao, when are you going to make it happen for real? You might be the second-best true centre in the league, but come on; there can't be more than three or four of you. How are you going to be 7'5" and block only two shots a game? How can you have the highest standing reach in the league and grab only eight boards a night? How is it that you clearly know how to score yet finished last year behind Jalen Rose in points per game? Please don't think I'm one of the haters, though. In truth, I'm a big fan, which is exactly why I want to see more from you..</div> What is he talkin about? What does the fact he was behind Jalen Rose in scoring have to do anything with his production. <div class="quote_poster">Quoting GoodFellow:</div><div class="quote_post"> I suppose I'm being unfair. You've shown signs of improvement, and you managed to up your averages in the playoffs, but that only made us hungrier. There's no shame in taking second place behind Shaq, but does it need to be by so much? Yo haven't done badly so far, Yao, but we're still waiting for that extra something the scouts saw in you a few years ago.</div> Something extra? I hate the way people critique Yao. I get the feelin if he doesn't score 28pts a game this season, there are gonna be people like this guy saying things like "we're still waiting for something extra". I say Yao's only job is to help Tmac take the team to another level. That's all.
I'm pretty sure O'Neal is considered a power forward. Jeff Foster/Scot Pollard were the centers on that team last season.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Trip:</div><div class="quote_post">I'm pretty sure O'Neal is considered a power forward. Jeff Foster/Scot Pollard were the centers on that team last season.</div> True..........but he spends just as much if not MORE time at Center than Amare, so he obviously belongs on the list. But these lists are garbage. One list had the Rockets like 5th or 6th in the West. That's crazy, considering the fact that we were 5th last year with all the veterans, and have gotten alot better. Trash
Stoudemire started at center every year for the Suns last year, and could very well be doing it again, so it's certain that he's considered a center. O'Neal plays center for the Pacers after Foster/Pollard are subbed out, but he starts the games as power forward. That's why he's not considered a full-time center.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Trip:</div><div class="quote_post">Stoudemire started at center every year for the Suns last year, and could very well be doing it again, so it's certain that he's considered a center. O'Neal plays center for the Pacers after Foster/Pollard are subbed out, but he starts the games as power forward. That's why he's not considered a full-time center.</div> Yeah........what I was saying is that Amare starts, but Steven Hunter came in and played alot. Even though, Pollard came in, O'Neal played alot at Center. The only difference is, O'Neal doesn't start.
I'm pretty sure Amare will start at PF this year. He's already let the Suns know he doesn't want to continue at C because of the beating he takes on a nightly basis, which is why they got Brian Grant and Kurt Thomas (2 more PF's who have played a lot at C). I don't think the Suns want to piss him off and see him bolt to the Lakers because they kept playing him out of position.
tell me if im wrong im expecting shaqs ppg to go below 20 b/c of the talent added to the team yao's ppg to go over 20 b/c of the hipe going around that hes even better than he was last year(which they say every year) but this year seems to be the more than usual.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting TmacGarnett:</div><div class="quote_post">tell me if im wrong im expecting shaqs ppg to go below 20 b/c of the talent added to the team yao's ppg to go over 20 b/c of the hipe going around that hes even better than he was last year(which they say every year) but this year seems to be the more than usual.</div> I hope your not suggesting that Yao is better than Shaq? No one dominates a game like Shaq, and his presence on the flooor changes the game while with Yao, if your physical you can do a good job against him./
There's been alot of arguments over Yao and Amare. If Amare is a center, they consider him to be better than Yao. But in my standpoint, if the Suns didn't have Nash last season, you can easily take away 5 points per game away from Amare. Nash does an incredable job of passing the ball and that's why Amare has gotten better field goal % as well. Not to mention that Amare averaged about 36+ minutes per game for two seasons and yao averaged only 30 minutes last season. So you could say yao improved significantly because he played less time and still managed to have similar stats last year compared to 2003-2004 season. Now stats wise, if Yao played 36 minutes last season, he should have gotten at least 20 points per game. Of course, his Foul trouble probably played a role in some of the games' minutes as well. Yao's stats YEAR TEAM G GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% OFF DEF RPG APG SPG BPG TO PF PPG 03-04 HOU 82 82 32.8 .522 .000 .809 2.4 6.6 9.0 1.5 .27 1.90 2.49 3.30 17.5 04-05 HOU 80 80 30.6 .552 .000 .783 2.6 5.8 8.4 .8 .43 2.00 2.45 3.70 18.3 Amare's Stats YEAR TEAM G GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% OFF DEF RPG APG SPG BPG TO PF PPG 03-04 PHO 55 53 36.8 .475 .200 .713 2.9 6.2 9.0 1.4 1.16 1.62 3.22 3.40 20.6 04-05 PHO 80 80 36.1 .559 .188 .733 2.7 6.2 8.9 1.6 .96 1.63 2.36 3.50 26.0
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting playmaker14:</div><div class="quote_post">I hope your not suggesting that Yao is better than Shaq? No one dominates a game like Shaq, and his presence on the flooor changes the game while with Yao, if your physical you can do a good job against him./</div> o no not at all im just saying im expecting for shaq's stats to go down with more threats on offense and better peremeter defense(posey) on miami. and with yaos improvement that yao will have above 20 points
It really gets me when people compare Amare and Yao. They are two completely different players with completely different roles. Yeah Amare scores more points, but thats all he has to worry about. With JVG as your coach attention is not be payed on the offensive side. This list of best center only reveals one true fact: Their are only two true centers that should even qualify on this list. I wish people would stop comparing which player is better in stupid little list that everyone already knows how they are going to rank (that Shaq and Yao would be at the top). Players should only be ranked on the number of rings they have.
