Now, everything has changed. High flying guards have taken over the league. They almost always score a majority of a team's points. They drive into the lane without fear, passively lay it in or dunk it. It is funny how often a guard can penetrate without being touched. During the NBA finals, Ron Harper would often drive to the hoop at 3/4 speed and lay it in with no one in his face. That is a big reason why the Lakers were able to average 104 points per game in that series.

    With all of these guards taking the shots on offense, what are the centers doing? They are hanging around on the perimeter, allowing the guards to take over. This is just horrible to watch and bad for the NBA. How often will you find a center in the paint where he belongs, battling for rebounds, going up for dunks, calling for the ball so they can take over? You will almost never find that in today's game. Except for the occasional running hook in the lane, all centers do these days is hang around the perimeter shooting jumpers, and try to stay open for a shot if a Vince Carter or a Ray Allen draws a double team from their penetration. If you happened to stay awake for this years playoffs, that's all you saw Vlade Divac, Arvydas Sabonis, and Rik Smits doing. The sad thing is that they are considered three of the top centers in the game today.

    If you want to find a true center in today's game, the place to look is Los Angeles. LA is home to the games best player and the last hope for center domination. His name is Shaquille O'Neal, and he is a true force. You will not find him at the free-throw line waiting for the ball to come his way for an opportunity to chuck it. He is always in the paint, dunking it over a sorry opponents face, grabbing every rebound that comes his way, shooting hook shots and turn-around jumpers from the post. Even as he gets hacked repeatadly, he continues to work hard to get the ball in the hoop. He will always call for the ball, because he knows that the games belong to HIM. If he doesn't receive the rock, you can bet that who ever forgot to pass to him will receive a beating after the game. There is a true center; the very last in the league, as he has said.

    There are, however, two hopes for center domination in the near future; Tim Duncan and Chris Mihm. Duncan, as you know, is the star power forward for the San Antonio Spurs. He is a free agent this Summer, and it is rumored that he is leaning toward a deal with Orlando. If the deal goes through and Duncan joins the team, then he will be moved from power forward to center, his natural position.

    Chris Mihm was the star center for Texas, and is expected to be one of the top picks in the draft.

    Both of the players are big enough to play center, at 7'0  each and weighing about 260 pounds each. They are both excellent players, with every post move in the book, great rebounding skills, and superb shot blocking. They have all the intangibles to become dominating centers. Maybe they will be the men responsible for the resurrection of the center's rule of the game. I sure hope they are.
 
6/25/2000
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