A LEGEND IS BORN III

[dare]

Like Sit I'm also content with it, but I do made 2 more versions

[Fresh8]

If number 7 wins, I will have a look at the other 2 versions and use the best one

[dare]

If number 7 wins, I will have a look at the other 2 versions and use the best one

Unlikely I'm two votes behind. Though I want to win, there goes my competitive side.

[Fresh8]

If number 7 wins, I will have a look at the other 2 versions and use the best one

Unlikely I'm two votes behind. Though I want to win, there goes my competitive side.

There's a second round of voting that will be to choose between the top 2. That will run for one day. You still have a good shot if you make the last voting round!

And a general note to everyone, I will be making a milestone post for 3500. Last time there were some premature celebrations when I got to 3000. please reserve 3500th reply for me

[The X]

Upon further reflection, I wasn't completely happy as my second vote was a throwaway on design 4. My final votes are for design 2 (1st preference) & design 7 (2nd preference).

[Fresh8]

Upon further reflection, I wasn't completely happy as my second vote was a throwaway on design 4. My final votes are for design 2 (1st preference) & design 7 (2nd preference).

Ah, you can change your vote?

[The X]

Upon further reflection, I wasn't completely happy as my second vote was a throwaway on design 4. My final votes are for design 2 (1st preference) & design 7 (2nd preference).

Ah, you can change your vote?

I cheated & used my mod powers

My original vote was for a first preference & a throwaway to give my first preference a better chance of winning. Of course making my change might doom design 2, but I felt in the spirit of fair play I should choose the best two.

[Fresh8]

Thought you did that re: changed your vote.

Guys, I am doing my monthly recap. Please post your virtual player's name so that I can recap their stats.

This is who I have so far:

Class of 2009

A Watson
M Moore
M Must

Class of 2010

C Hova
M Nissley

Class of 2012

L Washburn
A Spagnoletti
J Kalnins
L Lai

Class of 2013

J Dare
D Elliot
Z Otoo
C Olivier
J Manning
W Lewis
J Crewhead
G Koukoulis

Class of 2014

I have decided that I will accept draftees for the upcoming NBA Draft. Post if you are interested!

[Houndy]

Yeah, you have "Not in the Rotation" Lewis

[Fresh8]

That's cause you're still following so I know to include you.

I forgot L Lai. He's gonna be pissed.

There's also a lot of you I forgot your names for. Like George. I forgot your player's name. Or it's too hard to spell.

Mandich, your player is still around. Who's the other guy who was undrafted?

[George7]

Sit, It's George Koukoulis.

[|)e8*]

Do I have to say my name

[Valor]

I forgot L Lai. He's gonna be pissed.

You remembered me now, so it's cool

and I ain't the type to throw sissy fits

[Fresh8]

no de8! Already got you on the list!

[Fresh8]

September 21, 2013
Top 10 Centers
By Willard Smith

Following on from my successful ranking of teams, I will try my hand at ranking each NBA position 10 through to 1. Don’t crucify me if you don’t see your favorite player here. I’m sure you will all have your own arguments and justifications for including snubbed players!

Going through all of the pivot men in the league, there are no real standouts apart from the guy who comes in at number 1. There are definitely no guys you’d want to build your franchise around. It’s a shame as I’m a purist who loved the game back in the 90s because there were so many quality centers.

On the Bubble

Kevin Love, Phoenix Suns, 25, Years Pro: 6
2012-13 stats: 12.7 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 4.0 APG, 1.3 BPG, 82 GP, 82 GS
Career stats: 10.8 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 4.4 APG, 1.3 BPG, 410 GP, 410 GS

Byron Brock, Cleveland Cavaliers, 25, Years Pro: 5
2012-13 stats: 9.8 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 1.7 BPG
Career stats: 8.6 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 1.6 BPG

DJ Schmidt, New Jersey Nets, 25, Years Pro: 4
2012-13 stats: 12.4 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1.7 BPG, 82 GP, 82 GS
Career stats: 11.9 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1.6 BPG, 243 GP, 243 GS

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Top Ten

10. Coby Clark, Toronto Raptors, 19, Rookie
2012-13 stats: 19.8 ppg, 10.1 rpg, 1.2 bpg (with Kentucky)
Career stats: N/A

Yes, I know that he has not played an NBA game yet but this kid could be the real deal for the Raptors. It’s going to take time for him to grow as a player because he is still very raw. It’s pretty risky to project him to be a top ten player at his position but truth be told, the depth around the league is pretty woeful. If this kid can average 20 and 8 in his first year, he would be a top 5 centre. For every Travis Ward, you’re going to have a Donnell Lawrence. No matter how much upside you think they are going to have, you never really know what you will be getting. So who will Clark turn out to be more like?

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9. Andrew Bynum, LA Lakers, 26, Years Pro: 9
2012-13 stats: 13.4 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 1.9 APG, 1.8 BPG, 58 GP, 58 GS
Career stats: 10.7 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 1.3 APG, 1.8 BPG, 550 GP, 465 GS

Bynum continues to improve every year and this season will be his remarkable ninth NBA season. Pretty impressive considering that he is all of 26 years of age. Bynum has grown into a dependable two-way player. He was hurt last season and it clearly hurt the team as they missed the playoffs by one game. The team is getting old and Bynum looks likely to inherit the keys to the ‘kingdom’ this season. Let’s hope he stays healthy!

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8. Al Horford, Atlanta Hawks, 27, Years Pro: 7
2012-13 stats: 10.5 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 2.9 APG, 1.2 BPG, 82 GP, 82 GS
Career stats: 9.8 PPG, 8.9 RPG, 1.8 APG, 1.0 BPG, 491 GP, 487 GS

It’s admitted that Al Horford is not the most exciting player in pro basketball but his solid play, dependability and team success is what cements him in the top echelon of NBA big men. Without Horford anchoring the Hawks defense, Atlanta would not be half as tough as they are. However, as the Hawks begin to suffer more losses, courtesy of the aging of their backcourt rotation, Horford’s reputation will probably suffer. He is an All-Star because of his reputation as the lone big man on a strong team. All of that could be gone if he does not lift his game and prove that he is a strong player in his own right. Sometimes numbers do tell the full story.

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7. Lamarcus Aldridge, Washington Wizards, 28, Years Pro: 8
2012-13 stats: 16.3 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 1.5 BPG, 82 GP, 82 GS
Career stats: 14.4 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 1.5 BPG, 507 GP, 395 GS

There have been many times before when people asked if Lamarcus was underrated. These days, I’m asking myself if he is in fact overrated. Aldridge has had the privilege to play for a strong Wizards team and has never gotten them far enough to even play in the NBA playoffs’ first round. How will this season be any different? Aldridge is as talented as any of the guys in this top 5 that I have made. He just has not done anything to prove that he is a winner.

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6. Greg Oden, Portland Trailblazers, 25, Years Pro: 6
2012-13 stats: 13.2 PPG, 2.4 ORPG, 8.1 RPG, 2.4 BPG, .545 FG%, 82 GP, 82 GS
Career stats: 10.5 PPG, 2.2 ORPG, 7.6 RPG, 2.3 BPG, .514 FG%, 410 GP, 410 GS

410 games on and Greg Oden is still going strong. No injuries but no rings to boast either. Remember when he was first drafted and everyone predicted he’d be an NBA champion by 2012? Well – not quite. However, he has been very close. This guy is a monster on the defensive end. His numbers on offence are improving slowly but Portland doesn’t need him to score to win. They already have Carlos Boozer in the pivot. Oden is the entire defense and without him, Portland would be nothing. (Even though the almighty Darko Milicic is his number 1 backup)

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5. Al Jefferson, Sacramento Kings, 28, Years Pro: 10
2012-13 stats: 16.5 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 1.8 BPG, 1.0 SPG, .522 FG%, 80 GP, 80 GS
Career stats: 15.1 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 1.7 BPG, 0.9 SPG, .502 FG%, 689 GP, 558 GS

Was this the guy who pushed the Kings to the next level? Probably. He’s a big guy who can block shots, grab rebounds and score buckets. Jefferson has already proven his worth time and time again by having big quarters whenever Moses Chara might be having a rare cold spree. Jefferson’s NBA title helped pull him up to the top shelf of NBA centers. He finally became an All-Star in Minnesota but moving to the Kings made him become a champion player. All-Star berths may not be in the horizon for him but multiple titles do. And the latter earns you as more kudos on my top 10 lists than the former.

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4. Yao Ming, Houston Rockets, 33, Years Pro: 12
2012-13 stats: 17.5 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 1.4 BPG, 82 GP, 82 GS
Career stats: 18.3 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 2.2 BPG, 814 GP, 805 GS

Father Time is catching up with Yao and even the casual NBA fan could see him laboring on the basketball court. Yao is still a serviceable starting centre but at age 33 pushing on 34, will he be as mobile as he used to be? Yao has played with the Rockets his entire career and we all know he wants to win a championship for Houston before he retires. The current state of the team demands for Yao to be in top form if they are to have any shot at that goal. For now, he remains one of the top players at his position and hopefully his decline can be as graceful as his career has been so far.

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3. Travis Ward, New York Knicks, 23, Years Pro: 3
2012-13 stats: 17.1 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 2.3 BPG, .494 FG%, 82 GP, 82 GS
Career stats: 16.1 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 2.1 BPG, .482 FG%, 164 GP, 164 GS

So when this guy was drafted, everyone called him a consolation prize for the Knicks after they missed out on Ricky Rubio. See who has the last laugh? While Rubio languishes in Indiana and looks like your average run of the mill point guard, Travis Ward has finally played to the lofty standards set by New York Knicks fans who still dream of the 1990s and Patrick Ewing. The pivotal moment of last season for Ward was when he matched up with former Knicks’ prospect and lottery pick Byron Brock in Philadelphia. Brock admitted to Ward that he quit on the Knicks because he was not confident he would ever play to the standard that people wanted him to play at. If Ward continues his rise up, Knicks fans may finally have a real superstar to cheer for – the first in a very long time.

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2. Andrew Bogut, Seattle Stealth, 28, Years Pro: 9
2012-13 stats: 15.1 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 4.6 APG, 2.1 BPG, .563 FG%, 82 GP, 82 GS
Career stats: 11.7 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 3.4 APG, 1.6 BPG, .523 FG%, 636 GP, 631 GS

This guy is a true professional who fills up the stat sheet effortlessly. Bogut gets most of his points on scrappy possessions and second chance shot attempts. This guy is one of the most underrated defensive players in the NBA. He’s Australian. What is there not to like about him? On a weak team, he’d be averaging 20 points, 10 rebounds and 2 blocks a game. This is the burden of playing alongside prime time scorers and big name has-beens. Andrew Bogut gets lost in the mix. But have no fear as I know your true value Andrew. You are easily the second best centre in the NBA and no one is even close to matching you.

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1. Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic, 27, Years Pro: 10
2012-13 stats: 17.5 PPG, 12.0 RPG, 3.0 BPG, 1.1 SPG, .552 FG%, 82 GP, 82 GS
Career stats: 16.6 PPG, 11.8 RPG, 2.4 BPG, 1.0 SPG, .544 FG%, 738 GP, 737 GS

Dwight Howard is a machine. We all know that. What I want to see from him is to finally crack that 20 point mark again. Dwight hasn’t done it in a long time and I just do not understand how it is humanly possible for him not to. This guy could average 30 points a game if he wanted to. As a perennial defensive player of the year and MVP candidate, the Magic just need to fill in the team with a few more pieces to surround him and they would be prime title contenders.

[The X]

Nice coverage

Ward could pass Bogut for number 2 spot soon Although Bogut is having a good season this year, he might be able to just hold on to the spot. I'd like to see his rebounding numbers up though

[Martti.]

Wow, no C averaging over 20 ppg. And only 1 averaging double-digit rebounds. At least you have Bogut who can block.

[Fresh8]

Thanks for the comments guys. With the logo putting the story on hold, thought it was a good time to posy a player ranking! If you guys like them, I will post the rest before continuing the story after logo contest is done.

- Ward is good but there are no giod players on New York. No idea if his stats are inflated because of that. Bogut has been a near triple double machine for me this season. If he was ona weak team, I think he'd average a lot better across the board and challenge Dwight for the number 1 title.

- Feedback is good. What do you guys think of the rankings?

- And Martti, no idea whats up with the sim engine lol

[Martti.]

Keep them coming.

[dare]

Really weak Center class compared to the 90's. I think only Howard and Ward are franchise players.

[Fresh8]

Keep them coming.

Will do.

What position do you guys want to see next.

Power Forwards or Shooting Guards?

[Martti.]

PF's obviously.

[Lamrock]

Small Forwards. I really enjoy articles like that. Glad to see Bogut at #2.

[dare]

PF.

[Fresh8]

Small Forwards. I really enjoy articles like that. Glad to see Bogut at #2.

Small Forwards coming last