I saw a signature with "no ring for Malone". This got me thinking- arguably two of the best power forwards of all-time, Malone and Barkley, retired without ever winning a championship. Compare that to the centers: Russell, Wilt, Kareem, Hakeem, and Shaq all won multiple titles, as did Robinson. If you consider Duncan a 5, so has he. Who is the greatest center to never win a ring? Is it Patrick Ewing? Further, is there a center who was considered the best center in the NBA for any period of time who has not won a ring?
Besides Ewing there really isn't another "great" center who hasn't won it all. Honestly there hasn't ever been a "great" center that hasn't won it all. Obviously Ewing came very close in '94 and the Knicks probably would have won it all in '98 (in my opinion) had Ewing not ruptured his achilles, but the only strong centers I can thingk of, and even those that aren't quite at the elite level have won. Guys like George Mikan and even Bill Walton have lead their teams to the championship. Walton even won the MVP in '78 while playing only 58 games; had to have been a slow year. I would have to say that there are no great centers without rings, but here's my list of above-average centers without the bling: -Divac -Smits -Mutombo -Sampson -Mourning Damn, amazing how those Hoyas are oh-fers.
I'd go Ewing, then Lanier, Zo, and Thurmond (and Mutombo) would be down the line (good defender, but pretty lame on offense). It really does go to show that if you want a championship, having a top center takes you a very long way towards that goal. Evan
Did you ever see Thurman or Lanier? Absolutely terrific players. (BTW - Did Nate win with Attles in 'The City'? I need to check that out.)
Nate Thurmond watched the Warriors win the title (1975) right after they traded him to Chicago (retired with no rings, 2 Finals trips). Bill Simmons would consider this to be a Ewing Theory candidate. He was easily one of the greatest rebounders in the history of the league, but he was never close to being anything but the 3rd best center of his time. Classic case of a guy that put up crazy numbers without making his team better. In fact, it's not that controversial to say he rode Wilt to his first trip to the Finals and Rick Barry to his second. Not surprisingly, a third-year Kareem ate him for lunch to give the Bucks the title. Evan
Third best to Wilt and Russ. Nate was terricic, one of the 50 Greatest. Bad me -- 'Duke' Ray was 'that' Warrior center.
