Center (basketball)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Basketball Positions
	Point guard
	Shooting guard
	Small forward
	Power forward
	Center
Additional Positions

	Swingman
	Point forward

The center is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well. A typical NBA center is 6'10" (2.08 m) or taller.

In many cases, the center's primary role is to use his or her size to score and defend from a position close to the basket. A center who possesses size along with athleticism and skill constitutes an unparalleled asset for a team. The centers are also generally the players who are chosen to take jump balls

Among current NBA players, Shaquille O'Neal of the Miami Heat is noted both for his enormous proportions, standing 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) tall and weighing 325 lb (150 kg), as well for his mastery of elegantly simple post maneuvers. Yao Ming of the Houston Rockets stands 7'5" tall; his persistence and shooting touch are exemplary. Both have the awareness to make good passes when double-teamed.

There has been occasional controversy over what constitutes a "true center". For example, some have argued that Ben Wallace, while highly effective at center, is actually a power forward playing out of position, mainly because he has said his 6'9" (2.06 m) height makes him considerably smaller than most centers he faces. Likewise, some would say that Tim Duncan, although listed throughout his career as a power forward, is actually a center, because of his size and style of play. It is believed that when Duncan entered the NBA, he played power forward in order to keep San Antonio Spurs teammate David Robinson playing as center and have two dominant big men on the floor. However, Duncan has continued to be listed as a power forward even after Robinson's retirement. Nonetheless, the judgment of whether a given player is a center or power forward is often highly subjective. Because there are currently so few people who meet the ideal size requirements of an NBA center, teams will sometimes find it necessary to play an individual at that position who would be more effective as a power forward.

Notable centers currently playing include Yao Ming, Ben Wallace, Andrew Bogut, Dikembe Mutombo, Andris Biedrins, Jamaal Magloire, Radoslav Nesterovič, Brad Miller, Shaquille O'Neal, Alonzo Mourning, Žydrūnas Ilgauskas, Marcus Camby, Eddy Curry, Mehmet Okur, and Nenad Krstic.

Great centers of the past include George Mikan, Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Dave Cowens, Nate Thurmond, Willis Reed, Wes Unseld, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Walton, Moses Malone, Robert Parish, David Robinson, Hakeem Olajuwon, Mark Eaton, and Patrick Ewing.

Other notable European centers include Nikola Vujčić, Vlade Divac, Arvydas Sabonis, and Dino Meneghin.

The tallest player to ever be drafted in the NBA was Yasutaka Okayama from Japan but he didnt get any playing time. The tallest players to ever play in the NBA, at 7'7" (2.31 m) are centers Gheorghe Mureşan and Manute Bol (although Bol was said to be a few millimeters smaller). Standing at 7'2" (2.18 m), Margo Dydek is the tallest player in the history of the WNBA. She currently plays for the Connecticut Sun team, and is taller than even Shaquille O'Neal.