Utah Jazz: Top 5 Centers in Team History

By Ryan Aston

5 Greatest Centers in Utah Jazz History

Utah Jazz Top 5 Centers of All Time Derrick Favors Al Jefferson
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With Derrick Favors starting and French phenom Rudy Gobert backing him up, the Utah Jazz have one of the most promising center couplings in the NBA. Throughout the years, some other great big men have manned that post for the team. Here are the five best.

5. Derrick Favors

Derrick Favors Utah Jazz Five Best Centers of All Time
NBAE/Getty Images

5. Derrick Favors

Derrick Favors Utah Jazz Five Best Centers of All Time
NBAE/Getty Images

With all due respect to Rich Kelley, Felton Spencer and Mike Brown, who one could argue were among the better centers to play for the franchise, Utah's current starter gets the nod as the fifth-best center in team history. Favors is a core contributor and leader for the current Jazz squad and a player with the potential to drop 15 points, 10 rebounds and two or three blocked shots on any given night.

4. Al Jefferson

Al Jefferson Utah Jazz Five Centers All Time Big Al
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4. Al Jefferson

Al Jefferson Utah Jazz Five Centers All Time Big Al
NBAE/Getty Images

"Big Al" was a point for debate among Jazz fans during his time with the club. Many felt the minutes given to Jefferson and Paul Millsap would have been better served with Favors and Enes Kanter on the floor. Still, Jefferson was the go-to guy on offense, one of the better clutch players in the league, a solid rebounder and a borderline All-Star player during his three years in Utah.

3. Greg Ostertag

Greg Ostertag Utah Jazz Shaq LA Lakers Jazz Top 5 Centers of All Time
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3. Greg Ostertag

Greg Ostertag Utah Jazz Shaq LA Lakers Jazz Top 5 Centers of All Time
NBAE/Getty Images

Your eyes aren't deceiving you. Ostertag was much maligned by the media and fans over the course of his Jazz career, but he was still the starter on the best teams in Jazz history and actually ranks as one of the NBA's career leaders in blocked shots (30th in BPG, 45th in total blocks). Not bad for a late first-round draft pick.

2. Mehmet Okur

Mehmet Okur Utah Jazz Money Man Best Centers of All Time
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2. Mehmet Okur

Mehmet Okur Utah Jazz Money Man Best Centers of All Time
NBAE/Getty Images

The Money Man was a key player for the Jazz during the mid-to-late 2000s era, along with Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer. During that time, he was one of the elite shooting big men in the game, connecting on over 37 percent of his career three-point attempts. The one-time All-Star recently rejoined the team in a consultant/coaching role.

1. Mark Eaton

Mark Eaton Utah Jazz All-Time Top 5 Centers
NBAE/Getty Images

1. Mark Eaton

Mark Eaton Utah Jazz All-Time Top 5 Centers
NBAE/Getty Images

Make no mistake about it, Mark Eaton remains one of the most intimidating defensive forces in the history of the game. His 3.50 BPG average is No. 1 on the league's all-time list. He was twice named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year and was an All-Star in 1989.

Ryan Aston covers the Utah Jazz for RantSports. Follow him on Twitter @MrMaryKateOlsen or add him to your network on Google.

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