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We always get an adrenaline rush witnessing a powerful dunk that floors the defense or a block just when the opponent is going to the basket. These moments are pleasing to the spectator but rarely do we realize the amount of hard work these players put in off the court. Speed, skills, and agility are very important in the game of basketball but it's the strength that gives the player the edge over the opponent. There are some who are naturally built and some who spend extra-time in the gym working on gaining that advantage over others. What we as fans want to see is a good combination of skills and strength. And what these players offer is exactly that. It's scary for an opponent to walk on the court to face one of these.
Here is a list of the strongest players to have ever played in the league
#5 Dwight Howard
The Charlotte Hornets #12 Dwight Howard, plays center and his built of 6'11" and 265 lbs, is a force to reckon. He had a great career with his first team Orlando Magic for 8 seasons until 2012. Since then, he's had a back surgery and everything has been downhill. The Hornets are the fifth team in the past six years with previous stints being for the Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets and the Atlanta Hawks.
He has lost the touches of his younger days now but he still finds a way on this list because of his monstrous body physique. He won the 2008 Dunk Contest with some superman moves and was the starting center for Team USA at the Olympics 2008, where they won Gold.
#4 Ben Wallace
At 6'9" he was suited to be a power forward but he played center and was one of the best defenders the game has ever seen. He went on to bag the NBA Defensive Player of the year four times. He was known for his shot blocking and rebounds and is the only player in NBA history to record 1,000 rebounds, 100 blocks, and 100 steals in 4 consecutive seasons (2001–04).
He was a nightmare to opponents with his skills and strength. He holds the franchise record for Detroit Pistons, the team he played for the larger part of his career, with most blocked shots of all-time: 1,486 (2000–2006, 2009–2012). He was the prime figure of Detroit Pistons' campaign in 2004 that saw them win the Championship. His jersey #3 was retired by the Pistons in 2016.
#3 Karl Malone
'The Mailman', as he nicknamed, was a beast on the court. He was a power forward and played his first 18 seasons for Utah Jazz. He also played a season for Los Angeles Lakers. His strength gave him an edge over others and he went on to have the second most careers points in the NBA (36,928) just behind the great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He also holds the records for most free throws attempted and made.
He was a two-time Most Valuable Player (MVP). He is regarded as one of the best power forward in the history of the league and got his nickname because of consistent delivery of the ball into the basket. He was a hard worker and improved his game as he grew older. His jersey# 32 was retired by Jazz.
#2 Shaquille O'Neal
A man with superhuman physique, he weighed 325 lbs and was 7'1'' tall with a US shoe size of 22. His powerful stature gave him a physical advantage over his opponents. He could floor defenders with his strong moves. He was so big that he broke the steel backboard support twice in his first season. This prompted the authorities to increase the strength of the board.
After being drafted by Orlando Magic in 1992 NBA draft, he won NBA Rookie of the year in 1993. He saw his prime at Los Angeles Lakers teaming up with Kobe Bryant to win three consecutive championships between 2000-2002. He went on to play for the Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics later on in his career winning the Championship with Heat in 2006. His jersey #34 and #32 were retired by Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heats respectively.
#1 Wilt Chamberlain
"The Big Dipper" was the most dominant in the history of the league. He was a giant with a body 7'1" tall and 275 lbs heavy. He dominated the league with his strength as there was no match for him in those days before Kareem Abdul-Jabbar came to the scene. He played the center position and is the only player in the history of NBA to average at least 30 points and 20 rebounds per game in a season, a feat he accomplished seven times.
He was a four-time NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) and NBA finals MVP in 1972. Having started his career with Harlem Globetrotters he went on to play for Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles Lakers, and the Golden State Warriors. His jerseys no. 13 were retired by all the teams including the University of Kansas. He is regarded as one of the greatest players to play in the league and he could achieve all the feat due to his strength and powerful physique.
