A Time of Few Centers

Dwight Howard

As the NBA has developed over the years, the center position has become somewhat of a lost art. Sure, there are centers in the league, but I mean true centers. These days, the NBA seems to be controlled by the guard and forward positions. When I think true center, only a couple of names come to my mind in today’s game: Dwight Howard and Andrew Bynum. There are also emerging centers, such as Roy Hibbert, JaVale McGee, and Tyson Chandler, but Howard and Bynum dominate in their positions. I watched them play against each other on January 20 and it immediately brought to mind the great battles between Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain during the 1960’s. The spotlight today is typically on players with high scoring potential, such as LeBron vs. Kobe. Now, there’s nothing wrong with this shift necessarily, but to me, the center position is what makes basketball my favorite sport.

Bill Russell vs. Wilt Chamberlain

           

          Not too many players in the NBA even consider themselves centers anymore. The power forward position seems to be the desirable title. Power forwards have the ability to shoot mid range jump shots, which is what separates them from the conventional center. Kevin Love, Amare Stoudemire, LaMarcus Aldridge, Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan, Pau Gasol, Marc Gasol, and Serge Ibaka are examples of players who have become somewhat of hybrid center/power forwards. They can shoot the ball effectively, dribble past defenders, and they can also rebound and play the center position. But can they play the center position the way that a real center is supposed to. The way that it always used to be? With a defense first mentality? I really don’t think so. The center position is slowly becoming extinct because of the high demand by scouts and coaches for players that can do more than just be a center.  An average NBA game is consisting of more total points than ever before (this is also because of the introduction of the 3 point line back in 1979). Offense is now more important than defense, which is a major problem.

I personally play the shooting guard position, but I’ve always admired a really effective center. I love playing with good centers and I love watching good centers. There’s just nothing better than a single person who can pull down 15 rebounds, block 3 shots, and score slickly around the hoop, either with a gentle hook shot or a thunderous dunk. There is just no better position in the sport. Many people think that just because one is tall, they should easily be able to get tons of rebounds and score little layups. This is anything but the truth. Rebounding, defending and scoring around the hoop are skills that take utmost patience and tactical awareness. Boxing out at a certain angle depending on where the shot was taken from, timing your jump precisely in order to get the blocked shot, and using multiple up fakes and brute strength to get that ball in the hoop. These are all attributes in a dependable center that require unbelievable footwork and athleticism. Maybe we should pull the 77-year-old Bill Russell out of retirement to show these young guys how to play some defense and really do what a center is supposed to do: rebound, defend, and win championships.