Lakers News: Hall Of Fame LA Power Forward Believes NBA Big Men Are Back In Vogue

Luckily for LA, they have one of the best.

Former Los Angeles Lakers championship-winning power forward Spencer Haywood recently chatted with Brandon "Scoop B" Robinson for a career-spanning interview via YouTube Scoop B Selects. 

The 6'8" Hall of Famer, a five-time All-Star in the NBA and ABA during a 13-year pro career, notched his lone NBA title with the 1979-80 Lakers, the first season to boast the superstar tandem of point guard Magic Johnson (then a rookie) and center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Having played alongside or against a litany of talented big men during a 1970s NBA era veritably dominated by centers, Haywood knows how effective frontcourt behemoths can prove to be when they're fully unleashed.

With reigning champion Nikola Jokic now a two-time MVP and the 2023 Finals MVP as the center for the Denver Nuggets and 7'4" No. 1 draft pick Victor Wembanyama expected to be a superstar-in-the-making for the San Antonio Spurs, it appears the big man could be on the rise once again in the league. 

In their chat, Robinson asked Haywood if he felt the age of the center was going to last this time around.

"Yes it is because basketball can’t survive with guys just shooting 3’s because you can guard the 3-point line, so you’re going to have to go inside with the ball and put it back out," Haywood responded.

Jokic ran through a litany of star centers en route to his first-ever championship in the playoffs this past spring and summer. 

He beat two three-time All-Stars Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert on the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round, former Phoenix Suns No. 1 draft pick Deandre Ayton in the second round, your Los Angeles Lakers' own Anthony Davis in the Western Conference Finals, and Miami Heat All-Star big man Bam Adebayo in the NBA Finals. 

The 6'11", 284-pound All-NBA Nuggets star has emerged as probably the single-greatest player in the game, and Denver looks poised to contend in 2023-24 once again. 

Haywood is right. The future of the position seems to be in good hands.

Are you following us on Twitter, Facebook, or YouTube yet? Join the conversation as we discuss the latest Lakers news and rumors with fans like you!