Greatest shot blocker in each NBA team’s history

Best shot blocker from Cleveland Cavaliers history: Zydrunas Ilgauskas

Everyone in NBA circles is familiar with the set of skills international big men such as Pau Gasol and Dirk Nowitzki have brought to the table for years now. Another guy who wasn’t quite on the same level as those two perennial All-Stars, but who could play in his own right, was Zydrunas Ilgauskas.

The typical European stereotype fit “Big-Z” like a glove, but not necessarily in a bad way. He stood 7-foot-3 and possessed a terrific touch from the free-throw line extended. Similar to Nowitzki, nobody could get a hand near Ilgauskas shot when he went to fire, essentially leaving it up to the Lithuanian to decide whether his shot would hit or miss.

That jumper made him into an ideal pick-and pop candidate. Playing next to a guy with the passing skills of LeBron James, Ilgauskas got plenty of open looks.

When it came to his defense, one has to remember the era in which Ilgauskas played. Centers weren’t asked to guard anywhere outside the paint. This was probably a good thing for the lumbering center, allowing him to stay near the basket and use his size to protect the rim.

As someone who tall, blocking shots probably didn’t require too much effort, even if he could barely get off the ground, which is why Ilgauskas averaged a respectable 1.6 blocks per game during his 12-year career.

Many people tend to criticize James’ supporting cast during his first stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers. There is certainly an argument to be made that his teammates weren’t suited to help him go on a championship run.

When it comes to Ilgauskas though, he probably would’ve gotten more recognition had he not been asked to do too much. A guy with his size and abilities are a sight to behold. Maybe if there weren’t so many unrealistic expectations on a guy who more often than not was Cleveland’s second best player, the NBA world could recognize it.