Insider Breakdown:
The Center Position
Part I of V
By: Taylored Piston
.:08.:15.:01
Plenty of size, finally any talent?
Last season, the consistent underachiever Eric Montross, and undersized Ben Wallace manned the pivot. If only human cloning had been able to pair Big E's size with Big Ben's hustle. Standing 6'9, Wallace more than overachieved, he
shined as the Pistons starting center. Wallace (13.2 rpg.) was the best rebounder in the NBA after the All-Star break, finishing second only to Dikembe Mutombo (13.5) for the season. He also ranked in the top ten in Blocks (2.3) and led the Pistons in steals (1.3). Some, among them myself, feel that if Wallace had been on a winning team, as Mutombo was, that he would've gotten heavy consideration for DPOY.
What can you say about Monstrosity Montross? I want to find some good about the 7'0 UNC grad, but the only thing that surfaces is one good game, not just of last year, but of his entire 4 ½ season career with Detroit. In a blowout versus New Jersey, he gave a double-double performance, 13 points (including a monster jam) and 11 rebounds. Needless to say, he joined his 5th team in 7 years before the season ended.
As great as Ben Wallace played, Joe Dumars knew Big Ben couldn't continue playing out of position, especially since he showed no offensive touch. The answers have appeared in two Yugoslavian centers, one bangs, and the other scores.
Zelinko Rebraca is said to be the best center out of Europe since Zydrunas Ilgauskaus. This 29 year old is a man who has dominated the Euro leagues, winning a Jordan-esque 8 titles in 9 years, and leading his teams in scoring 5 of those seasons. Originally a second round draft pick of Seattle in 1994, Rebraca's rights have exchanged hands from Minnesota, to Toronto, and finally Detroit. The Pistons hope, in Rick Carlisle's offensive system, the 7'1 center can play a similar role to Rik Smits. The other, Rakto
Varda, earned his name in the Pistons' first summer ball of recent memory. His introduction to the Detroit media came after throwing the Pistons number 1 draft pick, Rodney
White, to the floor during a scrimmage the Small Forward bruised his shoulder and missed all of the summer games they were preparing for. Oops. Can he do that to Shaq? Probably not, but at least he proved he has strength.
The Pistons have added size, scoring and now depth with the acquisition of Clifford Robinson. Due to his perimeter
shooting and defensive skills, Cliff is bound to slide all over the frontcourt, but he certain to log heavy minutes where the Pistons are weakest, Center. But finally there is hope for the Pistons at the 5 spot, a situation not seen since Bison Dele played his final game.
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