Best Defensive Center of All Time | Page 2 | The Boneyard

Best Defensive Center of All Time

Who is the best defensive uconn center

  • Clingan

    Votes: 37 42.5%
  • Thabeet

    Votes: 13 14.9%
  • Okafor

    Votes: 37 42.5%
  • Other (Comment)

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    87
Thabeet at the draft combine- 22 years old, 7'1.25 barefoot, 267 lbs, 7'6.25 wingspan, 9'5 standing reach

Clingan at the draft combine- 20 years old, 7'1.75 barefoot, 282 lbs, 7'7 wingspan, 9'7 standing reach
Wow good pull, certainly did not remember that measurement for Thabeet did not realize the Clingan measured bigger
 
I think this is a reasonable take here. They’re very different styles of defense. In the modern game, I’m probably taking Clingan’s ability to play all-world drop coverage and all at once cut off the lob, drive, , pick and pop, and passing lanes. He was just so impactful off the pick and roll (Illinois being his Mona Lisa). If I’m picking a guy to play against more traditional big lineups, it’s Okafor to me and I don’t think there’s too much debate. That’s not to say either wouldn’t be elite defenders in any generation, we’re splitting hairs here.
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.
 
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.
You forgot Toby Kimball and Cliff Robinson
Uuuuu
 
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.
Why don't you think we want to play drop coverage? Did the staff mention that at some point? Seems to me the staff builds defensive schemes inside out playing to whatever the strength of the big on the floor is.
 
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.
 
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.
 

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