By RIO PESINO                   Sept 10, 2001

A league once dominated by seven-footers who thrived inside the paint is now a thing of the past. The days of guys like Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Willis Reed, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bill Walton running things are over. David Robinson, Hakeem the Dream, and Patrick Ewing are a few centers that are still playing, but mostly washed up. It's depressing to see past all-stars attempting to resurrect their careers and witnessing every skill they have diminish each game. If you watch NBA basketball, you may have seen the last of the "all-star center."

The entire blueprint of the league has drastically changed from how it was 15 to 20 years ago. With the exception of Shaquille O'Neal, the NBA is ruled by small, quick guards like Allen Iverson, Kobe Bryant, and Ray Allen. There are a few big men out there - Kevin Garnett and C-Webb are a couple that come to mind, but they are natural power forwards who can play inside and outside. The NBA is in desperate need of a number of "bigs" who can take over the paint and dominate. Watch some of the games today, and look at some of the players who are playing the center position. Antonio Davis, Theo Ratliff, and Vlade Divac were three very average centers that can't score in bunches, or clean up the glass every game, but all three were all-stars last year. Put those three players against the likes of centers of the past, and most will agree that Davis, Ratliff, and Divac don't have a prayer.

This summer, many teams are looking for somebody... anybody to fill the lane and take up space. With the lack of quality big men, GM's are willing to sign just about any player over 6'10," regardless of talent. Calvin Booth, a free agent who warmed the bench for the Dallas Mavericks last season (he had a few decent games in the playoffs against Utah, that's about it), recently signed a six-year, $34 million dollar contract with the Seattle Supersonics. Can you believe that a player who averaged five points, four rebounds, and two blocks a game last season was awarded that kind of money? Then there's Todd MacCulloch, a backup center who saw limited playing time with the eastern conference champion Philadelphia 76ers. MacCulloch, who averaged a whopping four points per game, signed a multi-year deal with the New Jersey Nets. He may have a nice mid-range jumper, but is he worth the money?

Many NBA fans may wonder why teams are shelling out large amounts of money to unproven centers that haven't accomplished anything. The answer is quite simple. If a player is seven feet tall, and has decent game, he will most likely be scouted by NBA teams, due to the lack of big men that exists today. The evidence is clear with the recent signings of this summer. 

Expect Calvin Booth, Todd MacCulloch, Eddy Curry, Desagana Diop, and Antonio Davis to take the NBA by storm this season.

Just kidding.