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| Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE/Getty Images |
The 2014 NBA All-Stars have been officially released to the
public and the same questions are being raised as in years past; this player
deserved to get invited, this player didn’t deserve it. One thing that people
are not noticing is the change in the All-Star process and the NBA game itself.
Throughout the history of the NBA the one constant on a championship team
outside of an all-world talent was a dominant big man. Teams were built on and
around the strength of the man in the middle; intimidating forces that could
control the game from their end of the court. Taking a trip down memory lane
you will notice the names of some all-time greats. From George Mikan, Bill
Russell and Wilt Chamberlain to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Hakeem Olajuwon and David
Robinson and finally to arguably the most dominant man in NBA history in
Shaquille O’Neal , the big man has always been a vocal point of championship
teams. That group combined for 32 of 66 NBA Championships, justifying the need
of a dominant Center. It is also fair to think that if not for the Michael
Jordan led Chicago Bulls, that number would be even higher; Olajuwon could have
led his Houston Rockets to more championships or Patrick Ewing would have had a
couple more cracks to get his New York Knicks over the hump. Despite this fact,
the Center position as we know it is becoming extinct in today’s NBA.
2013 marked the first year that the voting process for the
All-Star starters by fans would be changed; ‘Center’ would no longer be on the
All-Star ballot. Instead fans would vote in two backcourt players and three
front court players. It was a subtle change made but it gave a peek into the
ever changing landscape of the NBA and what the future holds. 2013 had two
centers still voted in as starters, with four more being named as reserves.
Traditionalists were happy as the first year of balloting did not change the
fact that two guards, two forwards and center would be on the court to start
the game. Even with the positive results, that could very well be the last time
we see that many Centers take part in the All-Star game.
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| CBS Sports |
This season that number has dropped to three, with none of
them being picked as starters. This marks the first time in NBA All-Star
history that a traditional Center will not be on the court to start the game. Kevin
Love, Kevin Durant and Blake Griffin will be in the Western Conference front
court while LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and Paul George will start in the
Eastern Conference front court. That is two Power Forwards and four Small
Forwards as the starting front courts; all players that are on SportsCenter and
highlight reels nightly. With the direction that the NBA is heading, as
perimeter orientated playing styles and ‘small ball’ lineups are becoming the
norm, the change seemed to make sense. Taking a deeper look, this may be the
best crop of Centers the NBA has seen in years.
Dwight Howard is thought of as the best Center in the NBA
and the way fans voted for him previously it would be hard to argue against. He
was voted in as a starter for six consecutive seasons before being passed by
Love this season. A common argument for the change in popularity is the
destruction Howard has done with his self image, after flip-flopping more than
a fish out of water, about where he stood about being a member of the Orlando
Magic and then leaving the Lakers this past off-season. Nonetheless, he was
still voted in as a starter in his lone season in purple and gold in 2013, by a
healthy margin of 429,697 votes despite the fact he battled injuries and his performance
being underwhelming to some. In the Eastern Conference Roy Hibbert was the
highest vote getter for the Center position this season, but finished almost
410,000 votes behind Anthony.
While fans may not think highly of the Center position, it
is one flush with an intriguing mix of young up-and-comers and older veterans
that aren’t prepared to let their position in the NBA ride off into the sunset.
Tyson Chandler, DeMarcus Cousins, Andre Drummond and Anthony Davis are all
players that would have garnered more All-Star consideration just two years ago
with the Center position still been on the ballot. If not for injuries, you
could add Brook Lopez, Marc Gasol, Nikola Vucevic and Al Horford to that list
as well.
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| Derick E. Hingle/USA TODAY Sports |
To take a position off the ballot for the NBA All-Star game
makes little sense. The original process was not flawed outside an appearance
in 2004 by Jamaal Magloire as a reserve for the Eastern Conference; something
that would not happen now with the plethora of Centers the NBA has to offer and
the number of players that can be disguised as Centers such as LaMarcus
Aldridge and Chris Bosh. All-Star weekend is supposed to be a showcase for the
very best that the league has to offer, so why shut out a whole group of
players just because of the letter listed next to their name in box scores and
lineups? If it is just a glorified pick-up game and popularity contest why stop
at abolishing Center on the ballot? You might as well go all the way and just
let the fans vote in the starters they want to see and the reserves as well. In
the end this is a game for the fans isn’t it?
Centers are now looked at as lumbering players not worthy of
a showcase such as All-Star Weekend as all they do is rebound and protect the
rim; two things that aren’t exactly welcomed at such an event. While some NBA
fans and the All-Star weekend try to rid the game of the Center position, smart
teams will realize there is still a need for them in the NBA. The Miami Heat
have won the last two NBA Championships without a true Center but they have an
advantage similar to what the Bulls had with Jordan;
a once in a lifetime talent in LeBron James. The Heat have seen first hand what
a Center can do when they lost their first NBA Finals with their ‘Big 3’
against the Dallas Mavericks, who had Tyson Chandler manning the middle
alongside Dirk Nowitzki. Why the Center position seems to be on its way out of
the NBA is a head-scratcher as history has proven that the need for a Center is
of the utmost importance if you do not have an all-world talent residing on
your roster.
