Duncan...The only reason he's listed as a PF is because the NBA wants both him and Shaq starting the All Star Game... The Center position is at it's weakest probably in the entire history of the NBA...
It wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that he actually plays the power forward position would it?
Divac Ilgauskas Ratliff B. Miller You could make cases for Campbell and Mutombo as well. And this is of course not counting all the 4/5 hybrids like Duncan, J. O'Neal, Gasol, and Big Ben. And it's Olowokandi and Nesterovic, btw.
1. Shaquille O'Neal 2. Ben Wallace 3. Yao Ming 4. Theo Ratliff 5. Eddy Curry 6. Zydrunas Ilgauskas 7. Michael Olowakandi 8. Radoslav Nesterovic 9. Brad Miller 10. Elden Campbell Jamaal Magliore, Alonzo Mourning, Dikembe Mutombo Nope, no Cato.
Better than Cato: Ben Wallace Theo Ratliff Brad Miller Shaq Ilgauskas Divac Mourning Rasho Olowokandi Eddie Curry Probably some others too. Cato is a backup who'll never be consistent enough to be a starter. He's been like that his whole career. Top 15 at best.
You just keep believing that... Jeez, people...Theo Ratliff is a Center, but Duncan isn't? Damn, that's reaching...
Brad Miller, Ilgauskas, Olowokandi (possibly), Kurt Thomas (maybe). If you include Nesterovic, than there are a few more guys better, such as Antonio Davis & Lorenzen Wright, although Cato's 52% shooting % looks pretty good in comparison to any of them. If you double last year's stats for Cato (assuming if he started he would double his 17 min/game), he's still only at 9 pts 12 boards, and 2.5 blocks per game, which is good, but not great for a center.
Good list but you forgot about Divac. And maybe Brendon Haywood too? So no way he's top 10. Maybe JVG he will though.
No edit - You'd probably have to throw Brian Grant that mix also, but as you guys have been arguing about, it's a difficult line between PF & C these days. Obviously if you consider Jermaine O'Neal a center, he's on the list as well.
Sorry for the multiple posts, but I'm looking over numbers as I type. Have to add Jamaal Magloire to the list as well.
I would take Magliore over Cato any day of the week. Brad Miller was an All Star at center, or close to it, as was Antonio Davis. Big Ben, the 2 time defensive player of the year...Big Z, when healthy is top 3 or 4...you could say the same about Zo, but I don't know what his situation is...Ratliff, Divac, probably Campbell, Eddie Curry will be , if he isn't already...I'd say that, RIGHT NOW, Mutombo is better than Cato...as you say, Yao, Rasho, ( you got Mourning), Olawakandi, Rad...not top 10. IF he ever maintains numbers like last year over an entire year under starter's minutes, which would have him just about leading the league in rebounds, and plays solid defense against starters...well, then you'd have to put him in there. For now he's only ever shown two things: As a starter he has flashes of greatness, but too few and far between, mainly he's just there, at best. As a backup he's got the ability to beat other team's backups, and when his minutes are limited he seems to play with a greater intensity, which improves his performance.
Sorry, but I have to disagree with anyone ranking Mutombo ahead of Cato at this point in their careers. However IMHO, Memphis' Lo Wright is better than Cato. Mehmet Okur has more upside, and Nazr Mohammed may even be comparable...well, maybe a little stretch but the #'s are comparable... That said, I'm glad we have Cato as Yao's backup and that he (Cato) has done a little bonding with Patrick Ewing. Maybe we should revisit this topic in March or so.
No...he's not. Shaq Yao Wallace Miller Nesterovic Divac Clark Ratliff Davis Nene Camby There are a bunch of better centers than Cato. But Cato is still a fantastic backup!
