What is with lack of centres these days??? I remeber back to the mid 90's where bigmen played a really big part in the league... (although MJ's bulls only had Luc Longly and they still dominated) Alonzo Mourning Ewing Hakeem Dikembe David Robinson Shaq now these days all we have are shaq 1/10 of Dikemebe and Zo and Yoa ming who is still developing. Sure there are other notable centres like ben wallace but none at the same skill level as the 90's centres... now the focus seems to be on SG and PF.
I think zone defenses are part of it. It is very rare to see a primarily low-post player score 25+ points per game these days.
and now some of the big dudes are just too good to stick them at Center. IE Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan.
Well, Zydrunas Ilgauskas would have been one of the top tier centers had Lebron James not been on his team and the zone defenses not been implemented. Also, it's not a real matter of where the big men are. College basketball is also lacking quality centers, and so are many other places. I think it's because of the evolving of the game. Nowadays, rarely do we see a big man dominate in the post anymore. Almost every center nowadays can shoot the 15-20 footer, and not a lot are willing to toil in the post. IMO, it's not the big men that have disappeared, it's that their style of play has changed.
The game has prgressively gotten more and more fast paced, and those type guys aren't the perfect fits for the game unless they're named Shaq. Nowadays it is more of a guards game. It all started with both MJ's, and now everyone wants to be them and not Wilt or Bill, so they will emulate them and take that with them to the pros. Also to make money in the endorsement game you have to excite people not sit in the post and throw up little jump hooks.
It does seem that there aren't enough bog men anymore. I like NBA basketball when they slow it down, play a half-court offense and pund it inside, but now it seems to much like a run and gun style of play.
Everybody is starting to notice the 2006 draft, I heard it's suppose to be one of the best class of big men in a long time.
STOUDEMIRE will be a very good centre if he play in centre position, cos he is fast and strong. And I reckon Eddy Curry in the bulls have very high potential to be a strong centre~
I think the lack of centers can be credited to increased flashy guard play over the years.It just isnt perceived as cool to dominate the low post anymore.Kids that should be practicing their hooks and fakes practice ballhandling and jumpshooting instead.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting GiantMidget:</div><div class="quote_post">I think the lack of centers can be credited to increased flashy guard play over the years.It just isnt perceived as cool to dominate the low post anymore.Kids that should be practicing their hooks and fakes practice ballhandling and jumpshooting instead.</div> Kids shouldnt be practising hooks or other center moves, as extremly few people ever reach the center height or buffness. Its better if they practuse ballhandling and shooting because a)Its more likely they will play another position than center A dribbling center who can shoot is more valuable than a hooking center. Also, it takes more time to develop good ballhandling and a good shot than low-post moves.
Its becoming more about athleticism than it is about the size of a 'big man'. The NBA has definately lost its true breed of great centers, and I dont see it ever coming back, because today's center is asked to be more and more athletic. Thats why so few people can actually handle playing against Shaq.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Thats why so few people can actually handle playing against Shaq.</div> how very true. anyway glad to see u are back on JBB again
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting flamehead:</div><div class="quote_post">how very true. anyway glad to see u are back on JBB again</div> Thanks man, atleast somebody noticed I hadnt come around here for a while.. haha.
man i noticed that when you aren't here we don't get excessivly wide posts that require us to scroll across to read it all!
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting McGrady#1:</div><div class="quote_post">man i noticed that when you aren't here we don't get excessivly wide posts that require us to scroll across to read it all!</div> Lol, wtf are you talking about?
I don't think there will ever be another guy as dominant as Shaq is but there is a tiny possiblity. Would be nice, if there was like 3-4 of them in the league at one time.
when shaq first came in to the league, as dominant as he was, he still could be guarded by the likes of Deke, Zo , Ewing , Hakeem , David Robinson etc Nowadays 7 footers come into the league shooting 3's and passing out dimes times have changed the only guys that could probably check Shaq are Yao, Ben Wallace , and maybe Dampier
Today it really has come down to flamboyant dunks by 6'6" guards. Nobody cares if a big man does a great post move nowadays. It's just not as exciting. On my 6th grade team, everyone wants to be center, the position I play. I don't know why, maybe because they hate being short. The sad thing is, none of them are going to grow to be 6'10". I doubt I will. I might be 6'7". Might be. But the lack of big men is probably from A) lack of interest OR nobody can really grow to be a 7-footer anymore.
