Can it be definetly said, that Patrick Ewing is the best all-time sound C of all-time?

It is not because I am a Knicks fan I am saying this and I am not saying that he is the G.O.A.T C to have ever played the game. Cause I would rank the Top 5, like this.

1. Lou Alcindor/Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
2. Bill Russell
3. Wilt Chamberlain
4. Hakeem Olajuwon
5. Shaq
6. Patrick Ewing.


However, outside of Hakeem Olajuwon there isn't any other C who has played the game that can compare to how all-around Patrick Ewing was.

Kareem - Had the range, but it wasn't all that well defined. Didn't look to possess the strength and defensive know-how Ewing had nor did he have Ewing's athleticsm. Ewing before the sore achilles tenden could throw it down on everyone. Even with age getting the better of him he was just so polished he still was great better than Hakeem when Hakeem was in his last years in Houston/Toronto.

Bill Russell - His offensive game was below average

Wilt Chamberlain - His heart and confidence came into question a lot, especially by Russell. Ewing was a Warrior, you'd know that he gave it his all. Plus, Wilt could not shoot free throws

Shaquille O'Neal - Has no shot, very dominant and has deceptive foot speed and an array of post moves. Just no shot.

Hakeem Olajuwon to me is the most versatile C in NBA history. His Dream Shake was just an amazing feat for a man his size to pull off countless times. He could defend, block, hit jumpers (However, not as good as Ewing's outside game). I think Ewing is the greatest jump shooting C who has ever lived.

Ewing also was a great defender, he could block, and his athleticism may have been better than Olajuwon's. Hakeem was by far the better dribbler though and could utilize finesse moves/physical ones in his offensive arsenal better than Ewing.

I agree 100%. You know your basketball, you and CAguy know basketball like....wow. I think shaq should be at #3 and wilt at #5.

Wilt chamberlain is the best C ever or may be the best player ever! No competition at all

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar>Wilt Chamberlain by a long shot

Willis Reed who is a God in his own right could hold his own and shut up Wilt Chamberlain and he was a C at that time. In today's game Willis Reed would have been a PF and he could easily massacre 80% of today's big men because he went up against Wilt Chamberlain and guys like that-no problem, so going up against Shaq or DH12 would be a non-issue.

I like your list but i disagree with it's order

Wilt was freaking great but his legacy is unprven against bunch of low centers,when ever he had the competion in Russell,Reed,Jabbar and Thurmond he got owned.He played a lot harder against them and the numbers weren't so high against others which crushes Chamberlain's legacy.Also,don't forget Gilmore that was also great stopper for Wilt but never had chances to go all the time against him because he was ABA back then

Here is my list:
1.Bill Russell-Greatest defensive player in pro basketball,greatest shot blocker and man to man defender that the game has ever seen,Bill mastered the fundamentals and at 6'9 he dominated.True,he didn't had any great offensive game,but the hoop shots,off boards and FTs gave him decent 15 PPG.Russell was awsome big man passer,he created a lot of brakes,was awsome rebounder because of his position and jumping ability and etc.If the league had DPOYs,Defensive Teams,if the NBA counted the blocks,Russell would have been on the top

Plus he did better then everyone else,winning.He's the greatest winner that the game has seen,he won 11 rings in 13 years,1 Finals MVP and 5 MVPs,but thing is after Auerbach retired,Russell took his team adn lead them to 2 more championships.

2.Kareem Abdul Jabbar-The man with the best acomplishments,the greatest sky hoop shooter and inside scorer,Jabbar dominated everyone.He's almost on the top for most all around but for sure most skilled center.

He won 6 MVPs,6 rings,2 Finals MVPs,1 rebounding and scoring title along side 4 block titles,19x All stars and etc.Plus check out his NCAA accomplishments as well,you get what i mean.

3.Shaquille O'Neal-M.D.E,best power dunker and one of the most complete center of all time.O'Neal had arsenal of post moves but he didn't have to use that much since he was powerful player and could easily finish.One of his most overlooked sides are,rebounding,shot blocking and passing

O'Neal's weakness was shooting,everthing else was great.He still has chances and i belive he will win more then 5 championships and will be in the place he deserves to be

4.Hakeem Olajuown-Great center,most all around center of all time,versality big man that could do a lot of staffs.Olauown led his team to a championship with a bunch of role player.He's with no doubt,the greatest post scorer that the game has seen.His Dream shake was good.But he's little bit overrated because of that move that he did on Robinson


5.Wilt Chamerlain/David Robinson

Honarble Mentions:Mosses Malone,Artis Gilmore,Nate Thurmond,Wes Unseld,Willis Reed

Darko what part of Macedonia do you hail from, Skopje? Also are you saying that:

David Robinson > Patrick Ewing (Why?)

Anyways, Bill Russell is another great choice at the #1. I think O'Neal is more dominant than Hakeem, but Hakeem who was in the last years of his prime proved why he is better than Shaq at least to me when Shaq was just in his prime years and at his most dominant in the NBA Finals.

TonyEM wrote:

Darko what part of Macedonia do you hail from, Skopje? Also are you saying that:

David Robinson > Patrick Ewing (Why?)

Anyways, Bill Russell is another great choice at the #1. I think O'Neal is more dominant than Hakeem, but Hakeem who was in the last years of his prime proved why he is better than Shaq at least to me when Shaq was just in his prime years and at his most dominant in the NBA Finals.

I don't know,i never liked him.I always respected more the overlooked centers in this case Gilmore,Thurmond,Reed,Unseld,i don't really know.I can't explain man tough Thurmond never won a ring,i guess i can put him in some range with Malone at the 6 spot.He never won a ring but i don't blame him,but i will put in my all time list.i have forgotten him

Shaq couldn't win against Hakeem in that famous battle around the time i was born,1996.I believe that Hakeem used his skills to beat him,not that Shaq wasn't that good i think it's because other reason.His M.D.E years were probably in the start of his 2/3 seasons before the Finals and then after the Finals when he beasted Hakeem again in those Toronto years....

Btw,I think Robinson>Ewing because David acomplished more and because of his defense.And i'm from Kumanovo,a town very 100 000 people live in crap

Cool. I always wanted to go to Macedonia.

Anyways, I respected David Robinson a great deal as a player and he was magnificent before Tim Duncan came. I am a huge Tim Duncan fan he is tied with Allen Iverson as my 2nd favorite players after Patrick Ewing.

I've watched both of them play and although Ewing has never posted a 71 point game, like The Admiral has. I still think that Ewing was a better player thinking back and watching the 2 play.

I mean what I remembered about The Admiral is that he was a workhorse defensively and he could score with the best of them as well.

There is something about Ewing though. He would leave his all out on the court even if he was severely injured and in serious pain. He undoubtedly possessed the greatest jumper than any other Center and in his heyday he was an athletic beast. He too, like David Robinson was a great defender and he could rebound and do a lot. I just think he was more diversified than Robinson.

Robinson was not even close to the same player he was when Tim Duncan virtually carried the Spurs and Robinson to their 1st championships. In Robinson's 2nd championship Duncan got a lot of help with Manu, Parker, Bowen, and Stephen Jackson. Robinson helped a lot too, but you can tell he was in his last years. Ewing had great Knick teams before and very good players before as well were on them, but if Ewing had Tim Duncan he would win 2 rings to.

I respect defense and i will say Robinson,plus look at his acomplishments,take the rins out.He acomplished so much more.I will take David because of his defense and accomplishments what ever you are counting or not couning the rings

You and VISA have other opinion,i have diffrent opinion on this one

Patrick Ewing defensively is just as good or even better than David Robinson, but it doesn't matter David Robinson is great as well and it's all a matter of preferences anyways.

Well,i didn't say Ewing was bad.I said that Robinson is better on the facts because of his defense and the things he acomplished

Altrough in playing style,they are equal or maybe Ewing seems better but hey,The Admiral just did much,no mather loosing 2 years to the Navy.The rebounding numbers would have been higher if he actually played bit more

And the thing would be diffrent if Ewing had a ring

he's only 13 tony....and he's from macedonia, you can't blame him he doesnt get to see classic NBA games.

VISA wrote:

he's only 13 tony....and he's from macedonia, you can't blame him he doesnt get to see classic NBA games.

You are 13 as well.So all of the other people who claim that Robinson>Ewing don't know anything the NBA's History?Respect my opinion and i will respect yours

But Im a 13 year old who has access to older game film from the 60's. That was my point.

And yes, I think it's fairly obvious ewing was better. But i will respect your opinion namatter how crazy they are.

VISA wrote:

But Im a 13 year old who has access to older game film from the 60's. That was my point.

And yes, I think it's fairly obvious ewing was better. But i will respect your opinion namatter how crazy they are.

I see,i see your point

Hakeem>Pat

Yeah,Hakeem owned a lot of centers in the 90's

Robinson,Ewing and even Shaq don't forget other as well

Wow TCO...your a rocket scientist...lol. I think we can all agree that hakeem>patrick

Yeah,but Kareem>Hakeem

Darko wrote:

Yeah,Hakeem owned a lot of centers in the 90's

Robinson,Ewing and even Shaq don't forget other as well

Thats why i think hakeem was the best c of all time
He OWNED all the other great centers of the best era of centers.

Pat=Shot pretty bad in the finals and lost against him
David=Embarrased in the playoffs i think this is elf explanatory
Shaq=Didnt play great in the finals against hakeem

Kareem was better then Hakeem,at the age of 38 Kareem made the All-NBA First Team ahead of Hakeem who was 4 years as an NBA player in that time

That's like Shaq making the All-NBA First Team ahead of Dwight

Its debatable...