Center

The center, colloquially known as the five or the pivot, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well. A typical NBA center is 6'10" (2.08 m) or taller. In many cases, the center's primary role is to use his or her size to score and defend from a position close to the basket. A center who possesses size along with athleticism and skill constitutes an unparalleled asset for a team. The centers are also generally the players who are chosen to take jump balls. They are the leaders in blocks and rebounding. Many famous examples are Wilt Chamberlain, Dwight Howard, Shaquille O’Neal, Bill Russell, Yao Ming, Kareem Abdul Jabar and Yasutaka Yotama who was also the tallest player to play the game at 7”8.

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