Shaq Calls It Quits

[Jagger69]

Shaquille O'Neal announced his retirement from the NBA yesterday after 19 seasons as one of the most dominant centers ever to lace up a pair of Reeboks.

Story is here:

http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/Shaquille-ONeal-retires-after-19-seasons-in-NBA-060111

Got me to thinking where he ranks as one of the greatest ever to man the 5 spot. Here's how I would rank the top 5 centers in NBA history:

1) Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
2) Wilt Chamberlain
3) Hakeem Olajuwon
4) Shaquille O'Neal
5) Bill Russell

Anyone with a differing opinion? If so, please justify.

Congrats on finishing a tremendous career, Shaq....you'll be missed. :thumbsup:

 

[bahodeme]

I agree with who you had as your top 5, just the ranking.
1) Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
2) Bill Russell
3) Wilt Chamberlain
4) Hakeem Olajuwon
5) Shaquille O'Neal

 

[Jagger69]

I agree with who you had as your top 5, just the ranking.
1) Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
2) Bill Russell
3) Wilt Chamberlain
4) Hakeem Olajuwon
5) Shaquille O'Neal

Why Russell so high? Look up his stats....not that impressive. I know he has lots of rings but that was back in the day when the NBA only had 9 teams. Russell was awesome (especially defensively) but he played on teams that were loaded with surrounding talent. Taking nothing away from him....he was great but to put him at #2? :thumbsup: I can't see it. JMO of course.

 

[D-rock]

Why Russell so high? Look up his stats....not that impressive. I know he has lots of rings but that was back in the day when the NBA only had 9 teams. Russell was awesome (especially defensively) but he played on teams that were loaded with surrounding talent. Taking nothing away from him....he was great but to put him at #2? :thumbsup: I can't see it. JMO of course.

I might even be willing to put Chamberlain at the top of those five, but both Chamberlain and Russell, while being two of the best players ever, are hard to judge in a modern context of the game. Both of them benefited from fewer teams like you said, but I also think they benefited from fewer good players overall to compete against, especially Chamberlain who could be argued to have been even more physically dominate than Shaq was in Shaq's prime compared to everybody else. The other people competing against those two back then would sort of be the equivalent of sending regular people to go fight against Superman and The Hulk. I don't hold Russell being on a lot of championship teams against him however because it's very seldom a team wins a lot without have a good collection of people relative to the rest of the league they play in.

 

[STDiva]

Realistically, Shaq would dominate all those guys one on one. If he stayed in shape, he probably could have had 6 rings and 6 Finals MVP's. He elevated his game in the playoffs, and elevated it again in the Finals. I hate the guy, but prime Shaq is incredible. I rank him 3rd behind Hakeem and Kareem.

 

[D-rock]

Realistically, Shaq would dominate all those guys one on one. If he stayed in shape, he probably could have had 6 rings and 6 Finals MVP's. He elevated his game in the playoffs, and elevated it again in the Finals. I hate the guy, but prime Shaq is incredible. I rank him 3rd behind Hakeem and Kareem.

I don't know if I would agree with that. In any case basketball isn't played one on one so I don't think it would be a good analogy anyhow. :dunno:

 

[bahodeme]

Why Russell so high? Look up his stats....not that impressive. I know he has lots of rings but that was back in the day when the NBA only had 9 teams. Russell was awesome (especially defensively) but he played on teams that were loaded with surrounding talent. Taking nothing away from him....he was great but to put him at #2? :thumbsup: I can't see it. JMO of course.

I would say between Wilt & Bill physically Wilt was better. But the amount of championships that the Celtics achieved under Bill is the reason for the high ranking. Magic & Bird were also surrounded by talent but that doesn't take away that they were great players. One could argue if Bill or Wilt switched teams would they be better or did each fit in a scheme were their talents excelled? Also Bill Russell was not a big guy as compared to Shaq or Wilt, but he was savvy enough to place himself in a position to rebound or block to minimize any disadvantage he may have had when playing someone like Wilt. This is why I ranked him as high as I did. (This from a Laker since Paul Westhead was coach so you know this was painful:1orglaugh).

 

[lurkingdirk]

Dude's retired six minutes, and he's making videos and getting offers.

 

[Jagger69]

But the amount of championships that the Celtics achieved under Bill is the reason for the high ranking.

If that's your criteria, I cannot argue. I just can't justify it from that standpoint. In their era there's no doubt that Russell had more championships but if you put Chamberlain on those Celtic teams....do they win any fewer titles? I think not.

Thinking about it in a different fashion....overall, one could make a serious argument that Olajuwon was the best ever. Shooting, rebounding, shot-blocking, free-throws, defense....he could do it all like no other. He had the best footwork of any center ever and still holds the blocked-shots record to this day. If he would have played on a better team (Lakers, Celtics, Bulls), he may have won 5 or 6 titles.

 

[Jon S.]

I found this news stunning! Really I did! Hell, I thought he had retired already!

 

[Atar554]

So does this mean we get to watch more "Shaq Vs."? because I'm bristling with anticipation; no really I am...seriously...no really.

 

[Bearded_Menace]

A classic from the NBA thread:



I can never stop laughing at this.

 

[bofuvum]

When I was in high school it was a good time for the Lakers and basketball in general.

 

[squallumz]

i have no idea wtf shaq was thinking getting so damn big. he lost all his speed.

its sad to see him go after such a slump for the past few years. im glad i got to see him a couple of times when he was in phx though. hes a funny dude.

 

[YumiYumi_1988]

Top Centers?

1 - Wilt
2 - Russell
3 - Kareem
4 - Shaq
5 - Hakeem

Quite honestly, 2-5 can be moved around. But Chamberlain is my clear number 1.

If Shaq had never left Orlando, we'd have at least 1 championship

 

[ThatRedWing]

We can argue for years about where those five rank, however you can't really argue that those are the five in the conversation. It would really depend on the make up of your team. If you have scorers and just want a defensive Center you go with Russell. If you want a scorer in the middle you go with Wilt or Shaq. If you want an all around game you go with Kareem or Hakeem, plus you don't have to worry about them getting fouled as they are both 70+ percent from the stripe. Now if you want the best sound bites you go with Shaq hands down.

As far as my rankings go:

1: Hakeem
2: Kareem
3: Wilt
4: Shaq
5: Russell

 

[Marlo Manson]

Shaq definitely had a great career.. I don't know the comparable numbers in regards to his career stats against the other great centers, but I think he's the greatest modern day center to ever play.. its all about championships and playoff performance in my book.. any great player can rack up great statistical #'s, for example look @ Karl Malone, great player great stats NO championships is he one of the greatest ever? NOPE not even close, not even a little bit.. :2 cents:

I know allot people will disagree with me and that's your prerogative, but Chamberlain and Russel were Monsters of there day. SHAQ was a modern day MONSTER!! He had great Stats, has the Championships, and he certainly mastered the Dominance aspect of the game when he was in his prime, I rank him # 1 in modern day rankings, no lower then 4th greatest of all-time when you include Wilt, Bill. & Kareem :2 cents:

 

[bahodeme]

We can argue for years about where those five rank, however you can't really argue that those are the five in the conversation. It would really depend on the make up of your team.

So true. :hatsoff:

 

[bahodeme]

If that's your criteria, I cannot argue. I just can't justify it from that standpoint. In their era there's no doubt that Russell had more championships but if you put Chamberlain on those Celtic teams....do they win any fewer titles? I think not.

Thinking about it in a different fashion....overall, one could make a serious argument that Olajuwon was the best ever. Shooting, rebounding, shot-blocking, free-throws, defense....he could do it all like no other. He had the best footwork of any center ever and still holds the blocked-shots record to this day. If he would have played on a better team (Lakers, Celtics, Bulls), he may have won 5 or 6 titles.

That was the question I posed further in my quote if it was reversed with Bill & Wilt would it be different and would they had fit in the other team's scheme. I'm sure Red would have found a way to use Wilt. Also Olajuwon on the Lakers or Bulls, talk about an abundance of riches. Not the Celtics, they have enough banners .

 

[Deepcover]

I'd put Hakeem at #1. Dude was an amazing centre.