Philadelphia 76ers superstar Joel Embiid is arguably the second-best player in the NBA today. He has won multiple awards and honors in 7 seasons, making him an exceptional big man. In this article, we will examine Joel Embiid’s standing in the pantheon of legendary NBA centers. Is the 2023 MVP already in the top 10 best centers of all time list?
Is Joel Embiid already a top 10 center of all time?
After being named as the 2023 MVP, fans are arguing that Embiid could be in the top 10 list of best centers in NBA history. However, that seems a bit of a stretch. Indeed, JoJo has been dominating the East for quite some time now. He’s also a dominant force on both ends of the floor which makes him an outstanding athlete. But, if we look at the history books, there are a lot of centers that have dominated in the past and are arguably still better than Joel Embiid at his position. Let’s take a look at the top ten NBA legendary centers (in no particular order).
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
The 2nd leading scorer of all time often times gets the nod in the GOAT conversation. Kareem, formerly known as Lew Alcindor, had a very successful 21 seasons in the NBA. His towering height and unstoppable sky hook made him a very lethal scorer in the ’70s to ’80s.
Throughout his career, Kareem won six regular season MVPs and six championships. Not only that, but he has tons of accolades in his name which is incomparable to other basketball icons. When Kareem retired in 1989, he was the NBA’s leading all-time scorer which was then broken by LeBron James 34 years later.
Wilt Chamberlain
Wilt the Stilt was not only famous for “allegedly” bedding 20,000 women, but he also became known worldwide because of his out-of-this-world basketball talents. In his prime, Chamberlain could easily get 50 points and 25 rebounds a night.
Of course, we all remember when Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points in a game. To this day, some of his records (including the 100-point game) are yet to be broken. We never really got to see how dominant Wilt was. Back then, blocks weren’t recorded yet but it was reported that he averaged almost 9 blocks per game, a feat only he and Bill Russell share.
Bill Russell
The late great Bill Russell had the most rings among all of the NBA players throughout the 75-year history of the league. His era may not be as competitive as it is now and players aren’t the best version of ballers yet, but considering how he repeatedly beat Chamberlain speaks a lot of volumes.
Looking at old videos and highlights of Bill Russell, one could see that he was a generational talent, a freak of nature if we must say. He isn’t the biggest guy on the court, but he surely is the most dominant presence. Along with his 11 championships, Russell also achieved five (5) regular season MVPs, sometimes winning it over Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor, and Oscar Robertson.
Shaquille O’Neal
Shaq is arguably the most dominant player we have ever seen. Just look at his videos and you would understand why. Every time Shaq is in the post, he just easily moves whoever guards him like a ragdoll. The Diesel was such an unstoppable force that rules changed because of him and opposing time tried everything to slow him down (i.e. hack-a-shaq).
O’Neal was already seen as the next superstar after being drafted first overall by the Orlando Magic in 1992. In his rookie season, Shaq immediately showed up and put fear in the hearts of other big men in the East. He had a great career but could have been better if he stayed in shape until the end of his playing time. Shaquille O’Neal won only one MVP in 19 seasons. He also won 4 championships, three of which were with the Lakers and the other one was with the Miami Heat.
Hakeem Olajuwon
2-time champion, 2-time Finals MVP, 1-time regular season MVP, 2-time Defensive Player of the Year, 12-time All-Star, 12-time All-NBA, and 9-time All-Defensive team selections are just some of the highlights of Hakeem “The Dream” Olajuwon‘s career.
People sometimes forget how great Hakeem was, especially in the 1990s. In an era run by Michael Jordan, in which he also played against legendary big men such as Shaquille O’Neal, Patrick Ewing, Alonzo Mourning, David Robinson, Charles Barkley, and Karl Malone, Hakeem Olajuwon definitely thrived in the most physical era of basketball. In all-time rankings, Olajuwon is probably a top 12 or 13 player.
Nikola Jokic
After winning his first championship as well as bringing Denver its first title in franchise history, Nikola Jokic was already deemed as a top 5 center of all-time. Although there are still guys who are way above him, it’s safe to assume that the Serbian superstar is headed there.
If he continues to win more championships and MVPs, will Nikola Jokic become the best center in NBA history once it’s all said and done? As of today, Jokic is already definitely the best player in the league and could go on to become the next face of the NBA. Jokic is already a 2-time MVP, a 5-time All-Star, and a 5-time All-NBA team member at just 28 years old. Would you also believe he was drafted 41st overall in 2014?
David Robinson
David Robinson, the first overall pick in the 1987 draft, did not play until two years later. The Admiral had to fulfill his two-year commitment to the Navy, which is why he came into the league in the 1989-1990 season. He was still technically a rookie in 1989 and with his exceptional size and skills, he won the Rookie of the Year award that season.
The Admiral’s physique was so admirable that some centers were afraid to guard him. Well, that was before Shaq came into the league. He had a great career but he never really put San Antonio on the map until Tim Duncan came. Don’t get me wrong, the Spurs were contenders in the ’90s, it’s only that Michael Jordan ruled that era. Also, the West was filled with great teams like the Houston Rockets, Utah Jazz, Seattle Supersonics, Phoenix Suns, and Portland Trailblazers.
Patrick Ewing
It’s easy to forget how great Patrick Ewing was in the ’90s as he was always the second-best player in the league behind either Michael Jordan or Hakeem Olajuwon. New York fans believe that, despite his lack of success, Ewing is the best to ever wear the blue and orange jersey. During his prime, he would always give Jordan and the Chicago Bulls a run for their money during the playoffs.
Patrick Ewing can actually do it all. He can punish defenders in the paint and he has a very underrated jump shot. Not only that, the Knicks legend is also an emphatic shot blocker, and his three All-Defensive team selections would prove that. Had he not missed that game-tying layup against the Indiana Pacers in game 7 of the 1995 Eastern Conference semifinals, who’s to say the Knicks won’t be returning to the NBA Finals for the second straight year?
Moses Malone
In 1983, the “Chairman of the Boards” made a very historic season after being named the regular season MVP, Finals MVP, NBA Champion, All-Star, and an All-Defensive First Team selection. Still, Moses Malone was an underrated basketball icon for many years.
People might remember Dennis Rodman or Wilt Chamberlain as tenacious rebounders, but many would forget that Moses Malone was the best offensive rebound in history. It’s true! Big Mo leads the all-time list with 6,731 offensive rebounds. The second player on that list is Robert Parish, who is 2, 133 OREB short. Meanwhile, the closest active NBA player is Andre Drummond, who has 3, 391 rebounds.
Bob McAdoo
Is Bob McAdoo underrated? We truly believe so. McAdoo played for 14 fruitful seasons. In a three-year stretch, from 1974-1976, McAdoo was averaging about 30 points and 14 rebounds. His best years would come during his Buffalo Braves (now the Clippers) playing days. However, by 1987, McAdoo would be out of the NBA and would take his talents overseas, to Italy.
It’s worth remembering that Bob McAdoo was the only player to get at least one MVP, one Championship, and one All-Star selection to be snubbed in the 50 Greatest Players of All-Time. Thankfully, he was recognized in 2021 for the 75th Anniversary Team.
So, is Joel Embiid already in the top 10? Probably not.
He still has a long way to go. The Cameeronian is still 29 years old and has just entered his prime. Plus, he may have stuffed the stat sheets and he is already making a case as a future Hall-of-Famer, but Embiid hasn’t won anything for the Sixers yet. Sure, he is arguably a top 2 player in the league (behind Jokic, of course) but he isn’t in the discussion yet to have the honor of being in the top 10 best centers in NBA history. However, if he continues to dominate like he did last season, there’s no doubt Embiid will be in the plethora of the best big men that ever stepped foot on the hardwood.
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