Philadelphia 76ers Top 10 Centers of All Time

(last updated on October 16, 2025)

As one of the oldest professional basketball franchises in the United States, the Philadelphia 76ers have a rich history and tradition. Many great players have played for the team over the nearly 80 years of its existence, including many great centers. Who do you think is the greatest center to suit up for the Sixers? Here’s a list of the 10 best 76ers centers of all time.

It would be malpractice not to mention Wilt Chamberlain among the best 76ers centers of all time. Wilt was traded to the 76ers during the 1965 All-Star weekend and played for the Sixers from 1965-1968. This was his second professional stint in his hometown after beginning his career with the Philadelphia Warriors before the team was relocated to San Francisco. In his time with the club he averaged more than 22 rebounds per game and led the NBA in both rebounds per game and field-goal percentage in each of his three full seasons as a Sixer. He remains the franchise’s all-time leader in triple-doubles, field-goal percentage, minutes per game and rebounds per game. His number 13 jersey was retired by the Sixers in 1991.

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Joel Embiid was named the 2022-23 NBA MVP, the first 76er to win the award since Allen Iverson in 2000-01. Though he is still in the prime of his career, Embiid has cemented himself as one of the best 76ers centers of all time. Embiid made history when he became the NBA’s first foreign-born scoring champ in the 2021-22 season, averaging 30.6 points per game, a feat he would repeat the following season. He is the franchise leader in points per game, at 27.7, as well as the franchise leader in advanced statistics like PER and usage rate. One accomplishment missing from Embiid’s impressive resume, however, is a Larry O’Brien Trophy.

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In what may be the greatest free-agent signing in franchise history, the 76ers acquired reigning-MVP Moses Malone just before the 1982-83 season. Malone’s impact was immediate, winning his second consecutive MVP award and leading the team to the 1983 NBA title alongside fellow stars Julius Erving and Maurice Cheeks. Malone remained in Philadelphia until 1986 and would later return to the 76ers later in his career for the 1993-94 season. He is the franchise leader in total rebound percentage and is third in offensive rebounds. His number 2 jersey was retired by the 76ers in 2019.

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The 76ers acquired All-Star center Dikembe Mutombo at the 2001 trade deadline and what an acquisition it was. Mutombo earned Defensive Player of the Year averaging 2.5 blocks per game and 7.8 defensive rebounds per game with the Sixers in 2001. As the complementary defensive-minded big man to the scrappy, offensive powerhouse Allen Iverson, Mutombo was a key piece of the 76ers run to the 2001 Finals. Though the duo was no match for Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal and Mutombo only was with the Sixers through the following season, the Hall of Famer is easily one of the best 76ers centers of all time.

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Though Moses Malone proved to be the missing piece for a 76ers championship, his predecessor is still considered one of the best 76ers centers of all time. Dawkins forever cemented his place in NBA history even before playing a single professional game by becoming the first player to be drafted directly out of high school when the Sixers selected him fifth overall in the 1975 NBA Draft. After a few seasons developing and adjusting to the level of play in the NBA, Dawkins finally earned starter minutes in the 1979-80 season. His tough and physical style of play endeared him to the Philadelphia faithful, and he led the franchise to Finals appearances in 1980 and 1982.

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Though he split time at power forward and center and played much of his career when the 76ers were the Syracuse Nationals, old-school legend Dolph Schayes should still be considered one of the best 76ers centers of all time. Playing for the franchise from 1949 to 1964, Schayes is still the 76ers all-time leader in rebounds with 11,256. He is second in games played at 996 and third in scoring all time for the franchise with 18,438 points, only behind Hal Greer and Allen Iverson. Schayes was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1973 and had his number 4 jersey retired by the Sixers in 2016.

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Theo Ratliff had two stints in Philadelphia, one from 1997-2001 and another during the 2008-09 season. After being traded to the Sixers from the Detroit Pistons in 1997, Ratliff’s stats improved as he averaged 11.2 points, 3.5 blocks and 7.3 rebounds per game in his first season with the team, all then-career highs for Ratliff. He earned All-Defensive team honors in 1999 and was named an All-Star in 2001 after leading the league with 3.7 blocks per game. Ratliff was traded that season for Dikembe Mutombo but still should be regarded among the best 76ers centers of all time.

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Although he split time at the five with Darryl Dawkins during his time with the 76ers, Caldwell “Pops” Jones should be considered one of the best 76ers centers of all time. Jones was a powerhouse on the boards and a defensive menace who spent six seasons in Philadelphia. He is fourth all time in defensive rebounds for the franchise and seventh all time in offensive rebounds. As the Sixers developed into one of the NBA’s best teams in the early 1980s, Jones’ contributions were recognized by the league as he earned First Team All-Defensive honors in 1981 and 1982.

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The Haitian Sensation, Samuel Dalembert, spent nine seasons with the 76ers between 2001 and 2010, though he did not play in 2002-03 due to injury. Dalembert was never a dominant big for the Sixers like his predecessor Dikembe Mutombo, but he was remarkably consistent across the better part of a decade he played in Philadelphia. In his eight seasons played, Dalembert averaged just under two blocks, 8.3 points and 8.1 rebounds per game. Just the third Haitian-born player drafted, Dalembert spent 13 total seasons in the NBA and just under two seasons in China before retiring from professional basketball in 2017.

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Listed at 7’7” Manute Bol was one of the tallest players ever in the NBA. Though his most statistically remarkable seasons came before his time with the 76ers, Bol’s contributions over his four seasons in Philadelphia are enough that he should be considered among the best 76ers centers of all time. He averaged 2.7 blocks with the Sixers, is ninth all time in total blocks for the team and remains the franchise leader in block percentage at 9.4%. 

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This entry was posted on Friday, May 17th, 2024 at 4:05 pm and is filed under Top 10 Lists. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.