| Everyone remembers a time when the center was | | | | sure, but they are also a relic of a different kind of |
| the currency with which all NBA teams traded. The | | | | game. |
| Eric Montrosses, Tony Batties and Shawn Bradleys of | | | | Today's teams play with journeymen who can do a |
| the world were drafted at the top of their classes not | | | | little bit of everything. You have men like Marcus |
| because of innate talent - they were drafted because | | | | Camby, who is an incredibly good rebounder and will |
| they were tall and large. The successes of men like | | | | be the Rodman to Anthony and Iverson's Jordan |
| Shaquille O'Neal meant every team needed a seven | | | | Pippen combination when the Nuggets eventually win a |
| footer who weighed more than 300 pounds to pound | | | | title. Other players are doing the same, putting up |
| down the lane and dominate the boards. | | | | consistent double doubles and defending the paint. |
| Picks were wasted en masse on people who had | | | | But, then there are a few new men who have |
| "potential" to learn. Take the Seattle Supersonics, a | | | | essentially retooled how they play the game to match |
| team that spent four first round picks in a row on | | | | the rising talent levels of the NBA and have become |
| centers between 2003 and 2006, only one of those | | | | the cornerstones of their teams. Dwight Howard' |
| players - Nick Collison - is currently playing more than | | | | incredibly large (and often times scary) frame pulls |
| three or four minutes a game today - at least one of | | | | down rebounds and slams down dunks with a power |
| them is sitting in D-league still learning how to run drills. | | | | that hasn't been seen in the NBA for what seems like |
| Eventually, the game changed and teams started | | | | years. Yao Ming has increased his annual point |
| looking for hybrid centers, men who were big but had | | | | average by almost three points per game since he |
| a fundamental understanding of the game that allowed | | | | joined the NBA and is now an annual MVP contender, |
| them to run the floor, shoot from the perimeter and | | | | knocking down long range jumpers and taking away |
| post up inside. | | | | rebounds in the same possession. Today's centers are |
| The big powerful centers of old were getting older and | | | | more talented and more aggressive, putting up 20+ |
| losing what they once had and the new centers had | | | | points and 10+ rebounds per game with aplomb, |
| never quite developed. Everyone assumed that the | | | | running shod over their opponents with ease. |
| game was stuck now - stuck with the Pao Gasols | | | | So, the question remains now whether or not the NBA |
| and Carlos Boozers of the game. It's not just a result | | | | has hit on its next major center era, matched only by |
| of age though; teams now handle the big men so | | | | the mid-90s collection of Robinsons, Olajuwans, and |
| much better. Men like Kobe Bryant can whip their | | | | O'Neals ruling the paint. It's a good question and it will |
| bodies around the proverbial big man and get the ball | | | | ultimately affect how players and teams approach the |
| into the hoop no matter what the center tries and so | | | | game in the years to come. |
| the role has started to shift. Shaq and Wallace are old | | | | |