Dallas Mavericks centers since 1998: who would you start in your team?

[moaz]

I started with 1998. We always read how stacked Dirk's Mavs team were. As a Mavs fan I never thought that we were that stacked because one of the the lasting memories I have through the 00's was that every pre-season I wondered which center are we gonna get to replace Bradley\Dampier, jut to get disappointed year after year.

With the exemption of 2011 Chandler (Ring), which of these formidable athletes would uou start as a center in your team?

1998-99
Shawn Bradley
Chris Anstey
Bruno Sundov
Hot Rod Williams

1999-2000
Shawn Bradley
Sean Rooks
Bruno Sundov

2000-01
Shawn Bradley
Wang Zhizhi
Christian Laettner
Calvin Booth

2001-02
Shawn Bradley
Wang Zhizhi
Raef LaFrentz
Evan Eschmeyer

2002-03
Shawn Bradley
Raef LaFrentz
Evan Eschmeyer

2003-04
Shawn Bradley
Scott Williams
Mamadou N'Diaye

2004-05
Shawn Bradley
Calvin Booth
Pavel Podkolzin
Didier Ilunga-Mbenga
Erick Dampier (the arrival of the savior)

2005-06
Pavel Podkolzin
Didier Ilunga-Mbenga
Erick Dampier
DeSagana Diop

2006-07
Didier Ilunga-Mbenga
Erick Dampier
DeSagana Diop

2007-08
Erick Dampier
DeSagana Diop
Jamaal Magloire
Brandon Bass

2008-09
Erick Dampier
DeSagana Diop
Brandon Bass
Ryan Hollins

2009-10
Erick Dampier
Brendan Haywood
Drew Gooden

2010-11
Brendan Haywood
Tyson Chandler
Ian Mahinmi
Alexis Ajinca

2011-12
Brendan Haywood
Ian Mahinmi
Brandan Wright
Sean Williams

2012-13
Brandan Wright
Chris Kaman
Bernard James
Eddy Curry
Elton Brand

2013-14
Brandan Wright
Bernard James
Samuel Dalembert

2014-15 (looks thin again, hope Chandler remains healthy)
Tyson Chandler
Brandan Wright
Greg Smith

[Aussie Dunker]

I always saw a potential beast in Diop - never developed into much though - was HUGE and powerful, just didn't click though...

[magnax1]

Was Bradley still good in 99? He was pretty good early in his career IIRC

[Akrazotile]

I personally can never get enough Wang [COLOR="White"]Zhizhi[/COLOR]

[Locked_Up_Tonight]

The two years in which Dirk had a quality defensive center next to him... he made the NBA Finals.

[L.Kizzle]

Prime Hot Rod Williams.

[MC Gusto]

I'm going to be a Maverick and say Erick Dampier.

[qrich]

Yet, that list is better than Clipper point guards from 98 until Paul came in, with the exception of Cassell.

[gasolina]

Shawn Bradley was a beast in NBA Live.

I say NBA live coz you can pretty much cover the entire paint with his length on D. The "ice skates" also made it easier to challenge everything on site

I remember Calvin Booth..... oh the humanity.

They even had a year with Bradley, Chris Anstey, and Dirk starting frontcourt.

[chocolatethunder]

I always saw a potential beast in Diop - never developed into much though - was HUGE and powerful, just didn't click though...

he was just large. Man that kid was a stiff. He was useless I mean absolutely useless on offense. Thus guy made $47million in his career and never averaged more than 3pts a game and never aver averaged more than 5.4 rbs per game. All while shooting 43% from the field and 47% from the line. Damn he was terrible. I remember when he came into the league and all the talk of his potential. What a joke. The only potential he had was his size. He had no skill and wasn't a stud athlete.

[HylianNightmare]

Gooden

[masonanddixon]

Gooden

I actually really liked him On dallas but finding minutes for him at the 5 was too difficult

[wally_world]

Raef probably the best player of the bunch

[MiseryCityTexas]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pq3_eSnYW1o

[MiseryCityTexas]

Shawn Bradley was a beast in NBA Live.

I say NBA live coz you can pretty much cover the entire paint with his length on D. The "ice skates" also made it easier to challenge everything on site

I remember Calvin Booth..... oh the humanity.

They even had a year with Bradley, Chris Anstey, and Dirk starting frontcourt.

Calvin Booth was actually a pretty good role player on the Sonics, but idiot GMs basically gave him a lot of money just off of a few good games he played.