In the history of the NBA, there have been tremendous players at the center position. However, there are a few who transcend what is expected from their position to become some of the greatest players ever. Five-time All-Star Brad Daugherty, who was a very good center himself back in the day, named a few legends when reciting his Mount Rushmore of NBA centers.
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In an exclusive interview with SeeHendo, Daugherty said:
“I think the greatest player of all time is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar so you start with him. Man, I think the toughest center I played against was Hakeem Olajuwon.
“Then you have to put Shaquille O’Neal on there, just being so dominant. Patrick Ewing. I though he was a phenomenal, really fundamentally sound basketball player. You can think of David Robinson, Robert Parish but those are the guys you start with.”
Daugherty immediately named four players that came to mind first. Those players were Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Hakeem Olajuwon, Shaquille O’Neal, and Patrick Ewing. Each of those players has won a championship aside from Ewing.
Ewing made the NBA Finals on two separate occasions with the Knicks but wasn’t able to get over the hump. However, he still managed to achieve great things in his 17-year NBA career.
The former Cavaliers star also mentioned David Robinson and Robert Parish as players deserving of recognition. Regardless, all of the names he mentioned, pale in comparison to Kareem in his opinion. Daugherty views the six-time champion as more than just one of the greatest centers of all time.
Daugherty called Kareem the GOAT
Many debate whether Michael Jordan or LeBron James is the GOAT of basketball. In the eyes of Brad Daugherty, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar reigns over every NBA player. “I watched Kareem obviously being a center,” Daugherty said. “Dr. J, George Gervin, I mean it goes on and on watching those guys. Those were the legends.”
Daugherty played the same position as Kareem and watched plenty of footage of the Lakers star to learn as much as he could. He also watched plenty of tapes on Julius Erving and George Gervin. Although he didn’t play much like them, their style of play resonated with Daugherty.
The 7-foot center’s career ended prematurely due to injuries after playing only eight years in the NBA. However, Kareem served as an inspiration to him and is a major reason he made five All-Star teams in an eight-year window.
