re: In college basketball, would most teams be better off rarely playing a true center?

I don’t remember any SEC team being able to handle Shaquille O’Neal or Leon Douglas. But generally you are correct. Very big men who are mobile and a scoring threat do not grow on trees. Vandy has had its fair share of big man flops.

I do remember with fondness Mark Eaton of the Utah Jazz. He was 7’4” and muscular. He looked like Paul Bunyon with the beard he wore. Although he didn’t score much and was slow, he was a menace on defense. He often stayed at the half court line on offense so he could get back on defense and create havoc. Malone and Stockton did the scoring.