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#4 Wilt Chamberlain
Sentimentally, Wilt Chamberlain is definitely a top-2 center in NBA history alongside Bill Russell, because those two changed the NBA and redefined the center position (after George Mikan's legendary efforts, of course).
Chamberlain's career was truly unique, and he was an imposing presence on the court. Unfortunately, his dominance did not always translate into team success, as we will see next with Bill Russell.
Chamberlain holds almost every record in NBA history, including averaging the most points in a single season with 50.4 and the all-time high 100 points in a game against the New York Knicks on 2nd March, 1962.
He is also the all-time leader in total rebounds (23,924) and rebounds per game (22.8), and ranks second all-time in career points per game with 30.1. Chamberlain was an athletic freak, and he won four NBA MVPs, two NBA titles and one Finals MVP.
#3 Bill Russell
With 11 rings in 13 seasons, Bill Russell will always be defined by two things - his unbelievable winning and his rivalry with Wilt Chamberlain. Of course, he was also a social icon. Russell battled Chamberlain, and most of the time, his teams were able to beat the latter's because his leadership was off the charts.
Russell is arguably the best defender ever, as he was able to block shots for fun when that concept was not even known to most players.
Russell won two NBA Championships as a player/coach with the Boston Celtics. Even though he was not the scorer Wilt Chamberlain was, Russell won more MVPs than Chamberlain because he involved his teammates better.
Russell won five MVPs and averaged 15 points, 4 assists, and 23 rebounds per game in the regular season. In the NBA Playoffs, Russell averaged 16 points, 25 rebounds, and 5 assists per game over the course of 165 games.
#2 Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille O'Neal is easily in the debate for the most physically dominant player in the history of the NBA, but he was also a skilled big man who knew how to play in the post and take advantage of his physique.
Shaq led the Orlando Magic to their first NBA Finals appearance in 1995, though defending champions Houston Rockets and Hakeem Olajuwon were too experienced for the Magic.
Then, O'Neal went to the Lakers. Despite some initial failures, once they managed to become a real team under Phil Jackson, O'Neal won the NBA MVP in 2000 and led the team - alongside Kobe Bryant - to the NBA title over Reggie Miller's Indiana Pacers. Two straight titles followed in 2001 and 2002, with O'Neal averaging 30 points and 15 rebounds per game during that three-year stretch.
In his career, O'Neal won four titles (including his fourth with the Miami Heat in 2006) and three Finals MVPs. He averaged 24 points and 11 rebounds in 19 years, and also won two scoring titles.
#1 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
The holder of two of the biggest records in the NBA, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is not only considered the greatest center ever, but he might even have a case to be the greatest player ever.
The player with the most points scored in the history of the game (38,387) and the all-time leader in MVPs with six, Abdul-Jabbar had the most unstoppable shot in NBA history - the skyhook.
Abdul-Jabbar won six NBA championships - one with the Milwaukee Bucks in his second year in the league and five with the LA Lakers alongside Magic Johnson. He won two Finals MVPs and is one of three players to have won the award with two different teams (LeBron James has done it with three franchises, and Kawhi Leonard with two).
Over the course of his 20-year career, Abdul-Jabbar averaged 25 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 assists. In the Playoffs, he averaged 24 points, 11 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks per game.
