Best Defensive Center of All Time

[Hoophound]

Calhoun came on board in 1986 and before Travis Knight and Jake Voskuhl, we had no big men of note. You would have to go back to the Art Quimby and Walt Dropo days.

I think they were still calling us a “donut” team with Travis. He became a solid player and got drafted, but he got no respect early on.

 

[superjohn]

Opposite for me. Okafor can defend essentially 1-5. He had some of the best timing I've ever seen, allowing him to be a block machine despite giving up so much length to DC or Thabeet. He impacted shots all over the floor, not just the paint, because he could close out on shooters and block their shots. He's almost an ideal 5 for this era, and would have developed an outside shot had be been in this time.

Drop coverage isn't something UConn even wants to play. We did because DC was great at it, but also because he couldn't move well enough to get outside and cover smaller players. Was it effective? Sure, because the rest of that team, especially Castle, were so good at taking away the perimeter that DC shutting down drives was enormously valuable. He also let us play tighter and not worry if someone got by a defender.

Okafor could guard 1 through 5. Now I've heard it all, lolz.