to list Bill Walton as the number 2 center of all time is just plain dumb. Walton had 2 great seasons 3 tops and that's it. U rate him over Wilt the most dominant player to "ever" play the game and Russell who changed the way defense was perceived and how important it is in order to win championships. Also i think u fail to realize two players named Walt Bellamy who should have been in the top 50 and Nate Thurmond who is in the top 50. Both of these guys played in the 60's along with Chamberlain and Russell and still put up numbers.As for Shaq he had not one championship when Robinson and Hakeem were dominant, not one. He put up numbers but was outplayed or his team was always outplayed. He is in the top 5 but not before Wilt Kareem Russell or Hakeem, Walton doesn't belong in the top 5 let alone top 50 his numbers don't back up his position. Get your facts straight when u talk about the supposed lack of competition that Wilt and Russell had, Shaq has had less competition at center than any of them ever had and possesses less skill than them all if the league did not allow him to run over people and he played quality centers his whole career then maybe u would have an arguement.
There is no doubt in the world that Wilt was the greatest center ever. Despite what some may be saying, there were plenty of quality centers in the league through the 60's, and rightly so some knowledgeable contributors to this thread have pointed that out. The reality is that if blocked shots had been kept as a stat in the 60's, Wilt would have likely averaged a triple-double for yearly stats several times. Just a side note to his unique abilities: Who is the only center to ever lead the NBA in assists?...Wilt. The man could do it all, except free throws after they changed the rule. By the way, those that criticize Shaq for his offensive moves and contact he creates would do well to remember the man-child, Moses Malone. He was Shaq before Shaq and played much the same way. And while they are at it, look at the films of old games and check out the "lack of contact" in the great battles between Kareem and Wilt, Willis Reed and Lanier, Thurmond and Unseld, Russell and Wilt, etc. Center going at it and slamming into each other has been going on for over 40 years. It is not Shaq's fault that he is stronger than the others around him.
Cabbie, you're right that there were some battles in the earlier games, but the fouls were called when things got rough. You could only do it in limited amounts unless you wanted to foul out. That's not the case for big men in the paint these days, and Shaq Daddy's as big as they come. The game has definitely gotten much more physical in the intervening decades. You're right, too, that Moses was sort of a prototype for the Diesel (but he still didn't get away with what's commonplace today). Still, like I said before, Shaq would be stupid to not take advantage of whatever the refs will give him. I don't blame him, I just said he's playing under very different conditions so it's hard to make a fair comparison.
sprman92, Nate Thurmond and Walt Bellamy were both very strong players but the majority of the centers in the league at that time were 6-foot-9 or shorter. Heck, even Russell was only 6-foot-9 (he's listed at 6-10 in his NBA.com but several sources list him an inch shorter than that). As for Walton, when I judge my centers I don't use statistics or longevity, but by the way they played at their peak. People that follow basketball and have played the game all say Walton is in the top 5 centers of all-time. He was the best passing center and when he was healthy he was one of the top scorers. Sure, if you want to base your argument on longevity and compilation of numbers he wouldn't stack up, but I would take a healthy Bill Walton over Shaq, Hakeem, the Admiral, Ewing or any other center today at their peak.
Is it as bad as dealing with people who don't know how to properly use the caps-lock key? I'm also not fond of people who censor themselves. What is the point? If you're going to swear, swear. But don't put out the half astericked bullshit as an attempt at censoring yourself for god knows whatever reason.
