USD Men's Basketball 1999-2000

IN TODAY'S GAME, THE MAN IN THE MIDDLE IS NO LONGER THE CENTER OF ATTENTION.

BY TOM CARACCIOLI

CHI recently had a chance to talk to Billy Packer about his view on college basketball's "big time" centers.

CHI: Not long ago, college teams were defined by their centers - Bill Walton's UCLA Bruins, Hakeem Olajuwon 's Houston Cougars and Patrick Ewing's Georgetown Hoyas. Today; it seems as if teams are defined by their point guards - Scoonie Penn's Ohio State Buckeyes is one example. Is the "big time" center a dying breed in college basketball? BP: I think the "big time" center is a dying breed. Not just in college but the pros, as well. You don't see big men playing with their backs to the basket anymore. Kids today are reluc– tant to be labeled as centers because the role of the big man has become more versatile in today's game. It's just such a dif– ferent game than when Kareem and Bill Walton were playing. CHI: Why? Has the game changed that much in such a brief period of time? BP: The game is so much faster today. And, it is played so much above the rim that you no longer see the halfcourt-style offenses you saw when I was in college. You don't see it in the pros either. Look at David Robinson's role in San Antonio's championship this past season. His role as a big man was much different this year than when he first came into the league. CHI: What is the role of the big man in today's game? BP: Rebound. Block shots. Shoot. Score. Try and intimidate the opponents and alter their style of play. The same as it's always been. CHI: Will the teams with those big men be in a better position to win than, say; a team without a big presence in the middle? BP: I don't think so. I mean, look at Patrick Ewing. As dominating as he has been, he still doesn't have an NBA championship. Today's game is built around speed and versatility. I think teams have proved in the last few years that a cham– pionship can be won without a dominating center. Will college coaches say they don't want a big man's presence? No, I don't think they'd ever say that.

The days of dominating centers like UCLA's Bill Walton are gone.

BILLY PACKER

Billy Packer h as covered 2 5 c onsecutiv e Final Fours and begin s his 19th season as CBS Sports' lead NCAA College Basketball analyst. Packer, a 1993 Sports Emmy award winner, was an All-Atlantic Coast Conference g u ard w hile attending W ake Forest (1960 -6 2 ). He led his t eam s t o t hree ACC regu lar-season titles and the Final Four in 1962. In 1965, he returned to W ake Forest as an assist ant coach under " Bones" McKinney and J ack M cCloskey. Packer got his start in b roadcasting in 1972 as a fill-i n analyst for regionally televised Ace games. He is the author of four books: Hoops, College Basketball's 25 Greatest Teams, History of the Final Four a n d Why We Win: Great American Coaches Offer Their Strategies for Success in Sports and Ute.

TOM CARACCIOLI is managing editor of College Hoops Illustrated.