Utah Jazz: Is Rudy Gobert the best center in franchise history?

Here at the J-Notes, we’ve already spilled considerable ink in the name of the late, great Mark Eaton. There are three reasons for that. The first is his recent, tragic passing. The second is that the NBA offseason is an ideal time for reflection on the franchise’s history, which Eaton was a very significant part of. The third, and most important reason, is that Mark Eaton was absolutely incredible.

We’ll scream this from the rooftops until our lungs cease to function: Mark Eaton blocked 5.6 shots per game in 1984-85. There is simply no NBA 2k simulation wherein that feels realistic, yet, it happened in real life.

Eaton has a case as not only the best rim protector in Utah Jazz history, but in fact, NBA history. That season holds the record for most blocks-per-game in an NBA season by a comfortable margin. More astute readers may point out that blocks per game are not simply a proxy for measuring the NBA’s best rim protectors: sometimes, elite rim protectors deny themselves blocked shots for the sake of proper positioning.

Point taken, but Eaton was no stat-stuffer. His Defensive Rating of 96 over that same season proves as much, as do the other two sub-100 Defensive Ratings he posted over his 10-year career, spent entirely with the Utah Jazz.

Offensively, Eaton was about as limited as Greg Ostertag. In fact, the two are remarkably similar players, in keeping with a rich Utah Jazz tradition of lumbering, defensive minded bigs. Consider Eaton the luxury model.

News of Eaton’s untimely passing shocked the Utah community-at-large, and for good reason. He was an invaluable member of it, and not just as one of the best players in Utah Jazz history.