Start, Bench and Cut – Legendary Big Men
In my first edition of Start, Bench and Cut, I’ve decided to go big — legendary NBA big men, and there are three that stand out the most, all ranked among the top 10 players of all-time.
Shaquille O’Neal is a four-time NBA champion, considered the most dominant player of all-time because of his size and strength, and is known to clog the paint so effectively on the defensive end, very few were able to drive and score the ball while he was in the game. His best season came in 1999-00, when he won the scoring title, All-Star MVP, Finals MVP and of course, an NBA championship.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a six-time NBA champion, considered arguably the most decorated basketball player in the history of the game (college and NBA), and has THE unstoppable sky hook in his arsenal. Kareem’s length and basketball IQ gave him a massive advantage over nearly every other big man he played against, and his tree trunks, aka his legs, were strong enough to keep anyone and everyone from posting him up near the rim.
While Wilt Chamberlain doesn’t have the rings to prove it (he has two championships), he does have four MVP awards and could be the most athletic big man we’ve ever seen (if you are old enough to have seen it, I suppose). Wilt gave us the highest scoring game in NBA history (100 points), and averaged an untouchable 50.4 points per game and 25.7 rebounds per game in the 1961-62 NBA season.
In my opinion, Kareem is the second-greatest player in NBA history, all things considered — championships, skill level, and individual awards. He may be the greatest in the history of the sport, as his college career is second to none. Therefore, there’s no doubt I’m starting Kareem. I believe that, in today’s game, he would have the IQ and length to contest jump shots and take advantage of the smaller centers down low. In what may be a surprise, I’m taking Shaq as my bench player. I’m picking him because I’ve seen him bully players with my own two eyes, in an era of big men and with more than just a handful of teams (Wilt dominated the NBA at a time where there were fewer teams in the league, and had smaller players — especially coming off the bench — defending him while he played over 48 minutes per game in his greatest season). Putting Shaq in the game means I’m going to give up shots, but there are still very good slashers that have no chance of getting to the rim (at least safely) with O’Neal in the paint.
Short answer: start Kareem, bench Shaq, cut Wilt.
