Here's a question that's bound to stir some debate between the Yao and Francis crowd. What is rarer a great point guard or a great center? The NBA is inevitably a game of big men but at the same time few teams can't win without someone at the most skill intensive position, point guard. In the history of the NBA there's been a lot of great centers with the Rox having three of them, Olajuwan, Moses Malone and Elvin Hayes. OTOH historically there's been seems to be fewer great point guards, Magic Johnson, Jordan (I know he played 2 guard most of his career but), Stockton and of course the Rox had one of the best Calvin Murphy. Presently there's only one Shaq right now but there's also only one Jason Kidd. So which is harder to come by a great point guard or Center? I'm not saying that presently Francis is a great point guard or Yao is a great center except that they have at least the potential to be. Lest say that somehow they both will be great which would be harder to replace?
Well you left out: --Nate Archibald (led the league in scoring AND ASSists on year) --Pete Maravich... probably more of a combo guard... come to think of it he's kind of like Francis but better --Zeke --Lenny Wilkens --Bob Cousy --Oscar Robertson? Well any yeah, dominant point guards are rare. It would seem like there's about the same number of dominant PGs and Cs though... besides the obvious ones there was Unseld, Mikan etc...
Definitely centers. Great centers are rare. And I am beginning to think that Yao may never get there.
Great Centers are rare. Most bigmen don't have the skills necessary or are too slow etc. There are many young athletic players out there who play/can play PG. I wish Yao was faster...and had longer arms. I hope he will some day reach the great center quality.
Great Center and Great PG are equally rare. However, it's a lot easier to get a serviceable pg or an all star pg than it is to get a serviceable big man or an all star big man.
