Top 5 centers in Philadelphia 76ers' history
Joel Embiid just signed a four-year supermax extension with the Philadelphia 76ers worth $196 million. The deal puts him under contract through the 2026-27 NBA season with a player option in the final year. He was the runner up for the 2021 NBA MVP award and is unquestionably one of the best centers in the game today.
Five best centers in the history of the Philadelphia 76ers
Joel Embiid joins a long list of Philadelphia 76ers big men who have been key players for the franchise. Several players like Dolph Schayes and Charles Barkley won't make this list because they were traditionally listed as power forwards. However, Embiid is following on the footsteps of several NBA all-time greats who have donned the colors of the 76ers and represented the 'City of Brotherly Love'. So without further ado, let's take a look at the best 5 centers in Philadelphia 76ers' history.
#5 Dikembe Mutombo
The man famous for his 'finger wag', Dikembe Mutombo, rejected a lot of players while playing for the Philadelphia 76ers. He played for the team for just one and a half year but was an All-Star for the both the seasons. He famously posted 3.1 blocks per game during the 2001 NBA Playoffs and helped Allen Iverson, the league MVP at the time, lead the Philadelphia 76ers to the NBA Finals.
He averaged a double-double during his time with the Philadelphia 76ers with 11.5 points and 11.2 rebounds along with 2.4 blocks per game.
#4 Johnny "Red" Kerr
Johnny "Red" Kerr entered the league as a 6-foot-9 center in 1954 and helped lead the Syracuse Nationals to their first title in franchise history in his rookie season. Red Kerr has always averaged double-digits in points except one season in 1965 and was a double-digit rebounder for eight solid seasons.
He was a three-time All-Star with the Nationals and moved to Philadelphia with the franchise when the Nationals converted to the 76ers. He has been with the franchise for 11 years and was one of their best centers in the late 1950s and early 1960s.