NBA.com Poll (Who was the best center of the 1990s?)

I would have to go with Dream. Shaq may end up being the better player throughout his career, but the 90s were Dreams decade, this new decade is Shaq's.

 

If I had a crappy team I would take Shaq, but if i had another really good player or two then I would take Hakeem for his overall play.

 

from about 97 to present, Shaq has been the best...Looking at it for the whole decade of the 90's, no doubt Hakeem was the best center bar none of the decade!

 

Hakeem was the best center of the 90's and I already voted for him on the poll.

 

Easily, Hakeem is the best center, and Robinson was better than shaq

 

That'd be how I would rank them in the 90's.

1. Hakeem Olajuwon
2. Patrick Ewing
3. David Robinson
4. Alonzo Mourning
4. Shaquille O'Neal
5. Dikembe Mutombo
6. Rik Smits

Shaq only dominated the league in 98 and 99; that's why I put him tied at #4 with Zo. Hakeem dominated a majority of the 90's, and Ewing and Robinson were consistently great in that period of time.

 

I agree. But Shaq's dominance now is probably more frustrating to him than any Laker hater. The guy isn't as stupid as he sounds. If he'd come into the league 10 years earlier he would have gotten a better measure of himself. In his first couple of years Dream, Robinson and Ewing were still in their prime. When Shaq improved his game and entered his prime the legends were fading and the NBA trend toward making talented 7'0 footers power forwards became the norm. Bill Walton's mouth is infuriating and sometimes ridiculous, but I do think he's right about the "Shaq mentality" that's prevalent now - among NBA centers and coaches.

Dream stands above the centers of his era because of his all-around abilities and his tenacity. But Robinson and Ewing could play good D against Dream 1 on 1 as Dream could against them. Those 3 guys lost many duels between them, but even when they lost they still were doing a heck of a lot on both ends of the floor. Of course they were still all being double-teamed a lot of the time.

Shaq goes it alone right now. But if Dream, Robinson and Ewing were the same age he is we'd be able to get a better fix on his greatness. NBA philosophy has decided against a true measuring stick, and I for one, think a heavy dose of Duncan or even Garnett could have an affect. But even Duncan doesn't play full-time against Shaq when Robinson's out. These guys are power forwards for a reason alright - their teams want them to hit shots, without the responsibilities that an "old-time" center had. If the NBA consignetti is correct then Shaq is better than I'll ever know, because I'll never be able to see it. No wonder Shaq's a little frustrated.

I have 2 videos of the 95 Championship series that I pull out and watch every year or so just for the memories, but the games also allow a perspective on how much and how little Shaq has improved.

Shaq 's place in history is assured, but in terms of the '90s I'd give him the nod over Ewing, but Ewing could still make a huge difference when he played against him when he was healthy.

But now the measuring stick is out of whack. The SI Rockets '95 championship commemorative issue was spot on with the "Olajuwon's in the All-Time Game" article. The article dogged Robinson about the WCF's as bad as is still done here, but also repeated the Robinson quote "the funny thing is I thought I played good defense aginst him" after game 6. I think Robinson got a "wimp" label from that statement given that his NBA MVP trophy was at home. Not to me. Hakeem did many of the things he'd done thousands of times before, and he wasn't guessing and he wasn't lucky. And Robinson played some serious D, and it didn't matter.

It isn't possible to compare decades and no one in the NBA is equal. Younger, experienced, early-achievers, late-bloomers it doesn't matter. Those guys who play and we who watch know greatness when we see it. It doesn't come often. A lot of "great" players never achieve greatness and I don't think championships have to be the bar for grading ability and performance. But Dream really did change his posistion, our perceptions and jaded Houston sports fans forever.

 

Your right declan its hard to defense the dream shake, in Robinson's respect.

 

Declan, nice take and a great post as well.