Ohio State Basketball: Power Ranking the Top 12 Centers in Buckeyes History

The Ohio State University basketball program is rich with prestige and tradition, and many Buckeye products have gone on to be great NBA players after their illustrious collegiate careers.

Hundreds of athletes have come through to play the center position, but only a handful are worthy of outstanding recognition.

Let's take a look at those who have set themselves apart from the rest of the field and name the greatest centers in Buckeyes basketball history.

12. Neil Johnston (1946-48)

Johnston made a quick stop at Ohio State before making an eight-year run in the pros, ultimately landing him a spot in the NBA Hall of Fame.

The 6’8” center averaged nine points per game at the age of 18, utilizing his unique hook shot against his opponents.

Johnston then went on to lead the NBA in scoring for three straight seasons for the Philadelphia Warriors before an injury forced an early retirement.

11. Kosta Koufos (2007-08)

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Kosta Koufos played just one year for Ohio State, but he left his mark in little time on the court. The seven-foot freshman averaged 14.4 points and 6.7 rebounds per game with the Buckeyes in the 2007-08 season.

Koufos was drafted in the first round by the Utah Jazz and is now a member of the Denver Nuggets as a result the Carmelo Anthony deal.

10. Lawrence Funderburke (1991-94)

Lawrence Funderburke spent his freshman year in Bloomington playing for the Indiana Hoosiers before transferring to Ohio State.

He averaged 12.2 points and 6.5 rebounds per game during the 1992 season, when the Buckeyes made their first Elite Eight Appearance since 1971.

Funderburke spent most of his professional career with the Sacramento Kings after being drafted in the second round. He averaged as many as 9.5 points and 4.7 rebounds per game as a backup power forward.

9. Frank Howard (1955-58)

Frank Howard was one of Ohio State's earliest dominant rebounders in the game. Although nowadays, 6'7" isn't the average height for a center, it was above average in the '50s.

Howard, who played a combination of center and power forward, holds the school record with 32 boards in a game. He averaged 15.3 points and 13.6 rebounds a game during his junior and senior seasons.

Although he was an excellent basketball player, he was even better at baseball.

Howard became a pro outfielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Washington Senators. He had 382 career homers, won Rookie of the Year honors and a World Series ring during his major league tenure.

8. Ken Johnson (1997-01)

Ken Johnson owns the Ohio State school record with 444 blocks during his four-year career with the Buckeyes. He also has the single-game mark with 11 blocks in a game, a feat which he accomplished on two occasions.

The 6'11", 240-pound monster led the team in blocks every season. He averaged 12.5 points per game during his senior campaign and was known for amping the crowd with his ground-shaking dunks.

7. Greg Oden (2006-07)

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Greg Oden—another one-and-done center to go through Ohio State—was an immovable force in his lone season.

Despite being barred with lingering injuries, the seven-footer managed to score 501 points, which stands as third all time for OSU freshmen.

He also holds the freshman record for blocks in a season (105) and is second on the list in rebounds (306).

6. Terence Dials (2001-05)

Terrance Dials was a five-year contributor for Ohio State, which featured him coming back from a nasty knee injury only to seemingly improve his game.

Dials averaged 11.9 points a game during his collegiate career, adding over six rebounds per contest. His 103 blocks rank ninth all time.

5. Brad Sellers (1984-86)

Brad Sellers played in two seasons as a Buckeye after transferring from Wisconsin. His 187 blocks were the fourth most in school history and he averaged 19.8 points and 12.6 rebounds per game his senior year.

After being selected as a lottery pick by the Chicago Bulls, Sellers averaged 9.5 points and 3.0 rebounds a game in his only season as a starter in his six-year NBA career.

4. Luke Witte (1970-73)

Luke Witte was a very physical post player, which led the way to his 16.6 points-per-game average and ability to crash the boards (11.2 per contest), especially on the offensive glass.

In all three seasons as a Buckeye, he led the team in rebounds. His 819 ranks seventh all time.

3. Clark Kellogg (1979-82)

Clark Kellogg is one of the most famous athletes to come through the program. You've probably seen or heard him on the television during big games, as he's the lead college basketball analyst for CBS Sports.

"Special K" averaged 14.9 points a game throughout his career in Columbus. He led the team in scoring and rebounds in the 1981 and 1982 seasons, while also tallying the team's most steals in 1982 (1.8 per game).

His 872 career rebounds ranks sixth all time in the program's history.

2. Perry Carter (1987-91)

Perry Carter had a strong habit for grabbing tough rebounds and blocking shots, especially on defense. His 989 boards rank third on the school's list (led the team in rebounds all four seasons as a starter), and his 105 swats places him at seventh.

However, he could shoot, too. Carter possessed a smooth shot that allowed 56 percent of his attempts to be successful. The forward/center scored 12.8 points per game, finishing with a total of 1,613.

1. Herb Williams (1977-81)

Herb Williams' presence sure was felt in the post.

Aside from Dennis Hopson, Williams is the only Ohio State basketball player to surpass 2,000 points in his collegiate career. He averaged 17.6 points per game along with 9.7 rebounds.

The 6'11", 260-pound center finished with 1,111 rebounds—second behind Jerry Lucas—and 328 blocks—second behind Ken Johnson—during his time in the state capital.