Blue is Me

Tag: centers

  • Who are the most underrated centers in NBA history?

    Neil Johnston

    nobody except the most diehard basketball historians would know this man.

    6x All-Star, 5x All-NBA, 1x Champion, 3x Scoring leader, 1x Rebounding leader.

    19.4 PPG / 11.3 RPG / 2.4 APG / 44.4% FG% (VERY good FG% for the 1950s)

    He has an insane PER of 24.9 and insane WS/48 of 0.241 and his TS% of 53.4% is very impressive for his era. Advanced analytics would call him the best player of his era (until Russell showed up). But.. nobody except really old heads or historians knows of this guy today.

    Artis Gilmore

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeTiJKrhuX8

    Snubbed from the NBA 50th and 75th anniversary teams, the “A-train” was an 11x All-Star, 5x All-ABA, 5x All-Def, ABA Champion, ABA Playoffs MVP, 4x Rebounding leader, 4x defensive win shares leader, scored 25k points in his career, grabbed 16k rebounds (5th all time) and is the NBA all time leader in FG% at 60%. Career 18/12/2.

    But no one ever really talks about him.

    Mel Daniels

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlPkdbReX28

    7x All-Star, 5x All-ABA, 3x Champion, 2x MVP, 3x Rebounding leader, ABA all time leader in rebounds. Career 18/15/2. Nobody remembers this guy because he played almost his entire career in the ABA. In almost all the ‘greatest Pacers’ ranking people just put Reggie Miller on there but completely ignore the ABA Pacers who had a dynasty in that league. Daniels was their heart and soul for all 3 of their championships – maybe not their best player every time per se (Roger Brown and George McGinnis definitely deserve some credit) but definitely he was their Willis Reed, their captain and deserves more respect for that dynasty. 5 Finals, 3 championships out of a 10 year league. The Pacers went to the Finals during half of the ABA’s existence!

    George Mikan

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZU0z-_jx1jc

    Mikan was one of the most dominant players ever. He was like the combined Russell + Wilt of his era.

    4x All-Star, 6x All-NBA, 5x Champion, 3x Scoring leader, 2x Rebounding leader

    He has a crazy PER of 27.1 and WS/48 of 0.249. For reference.. Michael Jordan has a PER of 27.9 and a WS/48 of 0.250. That means Mikan’s advanced stats are just slightly short of Jordan’s. Which is crazy.

    Also tell you something interesting.. he lead the league in defensive win shares 5 times. That’s insane and tells you what a defensive presence he was as well.

    Mikan was far and away the best player of the early 1950s and nobody else was even close. Not Cousy, not Arizin, not Schayes. Until Neil Johnston showed up that is. (And Russell after him)

    George Mikan and Neil Johnston dominated the pre-Russell era and should be better remembered today. Mikan is pretty much disrespected in most conversations and Johnston is forgotten. Artis Gilmore and Mel Daniels never gets their just due because ABA awards and stats are not respected.

  • Who are some other great passing big men like Nikola Jokic?

    Centers:

    Wilt Chamberlain led the league in assists as a center. He averaged 4.4 APG during his career.

    Bill Russell often started and orchestrated the offense especially after the retirement of Bob Cousy. He averaged 4.3 APG during his career.

    Wes Unseld would often grab a rebound and use it to start an outlet pass to his teammates. He averaged 3.9 APG for his career.

    Dave Cowens was a phenomenal passer out of the post. He averaged 3.8 APG for his career.

    Bill Walton’s passes made him the most talented passing center in the game after Wilt’s retirement. He averaged 3.4 APG for his career.

    Arvydas Sabonis was known as one hell of a passer for his size, but it’s a shame we didn’t see too much of his best passes in the NBA. He averaged 2.1 APG for his career (but this is because he came into the league late).

    Alvan Adams was a fantastic passing center and unfortunately rather forgotten. He averaged 4.1 APG for his career.

    Sam Lacey was another great passing center that is forgotten. He averaged 3.7 APG for his career.

    Brad Daughtery was another great passing center that gets forgotten sometimes. He averaged 3.7 APG for his career.

    and Jokic of course the best passing big men of the modern era he reminds me of a combination of Walton and Sabonis which is to say he’s a fantastic passer for his size and just in general

     

    Power forwards

    Chris Webber was a phenomenal passing PF. He averaged 4.2 APG for his career.

    So was Kevin Garnett. He averaged 3.7 APG for his career.

    Charles Barkley was a tremendous passer too, and would often bring the ball up the court. He averaged 3.9 APG for his career.

    healthy Blake Griffin’s passing was a beautiful thing to watch as well. He averages 4.1 APG for his career.

    Giannis’ passing skills definitely command respect as he can definitely bring the ball up and orchestrate the offense. He averages 4.6 APG for his career.

    Connie Hawkins is an often forgotten about player but he had superb court vision whether he played SF, PF or C. He averaged 4.1 APG for his career.

    Billy Cunningham whether he was playing SF or PF could certainly pass like a guard as well. he averaged 4.3 APG for his career.

    George McGinnis was the prototype Lebron he would run the ball up the court as a PF and orchestrate the team’s offense. He averaged 3.7 APG for his career.

    Larry Bird was one of the greatest passing forwards ever, and yes he also counts as a PF (he played PF early in his career) as well as a big man. He averages 6.3 APG for his career.

    and of course Lebron James who can play PF and counts surely as a big man. He averages 7.4 APG for his career dwarfing everyone except for Jokic and Bird on this list in that stat.