If you started had to start a franchise with one of these players in their rookie year, who would you choose? I'd probably go with Ewing, great centers are not very common, and Ewing was a very strong and good defensive center.
Well, later in their career I always thought of Barkley to be more of a leader of his team than Ewing. I couldn't choose between them as rookies.
Barkley is probably(besides Penny) my favorite old school player, but Ewing just being a center and great defender makes him better. Rookie season or not, gotta go with Ewing. But Barkley was a better leader and depsite his small size, could carry a team.
I'm not going with just rookie year, it is starting a franchise with each player in their rookie year.
like Frank Layden said "you can't teach height" Ewing being the bigger guy is the direction I would go. Center, especially in the 80s-mid 90s, were/are very important to a team. if you have a good center your chances of winning a title increase greatly. infact almost every team thats won a title has had a great center except the Bulls.
