Alright, let’s gab about these shorty centers in the NBA, you know, the fellas who ain’t exactly giants but still bang with the big boys. Folks always think centers gotta be sky-high, like them beanpoles, but there’s a few scrappy fellas who prove ’em wrong.
Now, I heard tell of a fella named Chuck Hayes. They say he was only 6’6”. Can ya believe that? A center, barely taller than my grandson Billy! He played for the Rockets, the Kings, and even them Raptors up in Canada. Folks say he wasn’t no superstar, but he was tough as nails, a real workhorse. He’d scrap and fight for every rebound, wouldn’t let them taller guys push him around. That’s what I like to see, a fella with some grit!
Then there’s this Draymond Green fella. He ain’t a center all the time, more like a forward, but sometimes he plays center, you know, when the team needs him to. He’s about the same height as Chuck, 6’6” or so. Folks say he’s a real firecracker, always yappin’ and gettin’ into it. But hey, he can play! He’s tough and smart, knows how to use his body, even if he ain’t the tallest guy on the court. He’s got a mouth on him, that one, but he backs it up with his play.
- Chuck Hayes: 6’6” – Played for the Rockets, Kings, and Raptors. A real scrapper, they say.
- Draymond Green: 6’6” – More of a forward, but plays center sometimes. A tough fella, and loud too!
Now, I also heard about a fella named Wes Unseld. He was a bit taller than Chuck and Draymond, maybe 6’7” or so. They say he was a real legend back in the day. Played his whole career for the Bullets, that’s what they used to call the Wizards. He was strong as an ox, they say, and a great rebounder. Proves you don’t gotta be 7 feet tall to be a good center, right?
Speaking of short fellas, there was this one guy, Muggsy Bogues. Now, he wasn’t no center, he was a guard, but he was the shortest fella to ever play in the NBA, only 5’3” ! Can you imagine that? Playing against giants when you’re barely taller than my kitchen table! He was quick as a hiccup, though, and a real good passer. Shows you, heart and skill can take you a long way, even if you ain’t got the height.
And then there’s this Nikola Jokic fella. He’s a real big fella, not short at all. Folks say he’s the most skilled center ever. He can do it all: score inside, score outside, pass the ball like a guard, grab rebounds like a magnet. He’s averaging crazy numbers this year: 32 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists! He’s a whole different story, but I just thought I’d mention him ‘cause everyone’s talkin’ about him. He ain’t short, but he sure is somethin’ special.
So, yeah, there ain’t many short centers in the NBA. It’s a tall man’s game, mostly. But fellas like Chuck Hayes and Draymond Green, they prove that you don’t gotta be a giant to make it. You just gotta be tough, smart, and have a whole lotta heart. That’s what I always say, it ain’t the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog!
Being a shorter center in the NBA is a real challenge. You gotta be strong, quick, and smart to compete with them giants. But some fellas, they got that somethin’ special, that grit and determination, that lets ’em bang with the best of ’em. They might not be the tallest, but they sure ain’t afraid to get in there and mix it up.
And that’s the story of the short centers in the NBA, as best as I can tell ya. It ain’t an easy road, but some fellas, they find a way to make it work. They use what they got, their strength, their smarts, their heart, and they prove that height ain’t everything. It’s a good lesson for life, too, you know? You don’t gotta be the biggest or the strongest to succeed. You just gotta have the will to fight and the determination to never give up.
Tags: NBA, Shortest Centers, Chuck Hayes, Draymond Green, Wes Unseld, Basketball, Height, NBA History, Nikola Jokic, Muggsy Bogues
