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Even as the NBA has metamorphosed into a backcourt-dominated game, the importance of a dominant center cannot be overemphasized. To stay relevant in the modern-day NBA that is focused on shooting, centers have evolved and can now do a bit of everything.
The goal of basketball is to put the ball in the opposition net that stands at 10 feet. Who better to do it than a seven-foot big man standing just under the rim?
The likes of Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar have shown just how important a center is in scoring and rebounding the ball. More recently, Shaquille O'Neal and Dwight Howard have been the NBA's gold standard with regards to how a big man should play.
As we countdown to the start of the 2021-22 NBA season, here are the top ten centers.
#10 Christian Wood
Christian Wood was by far the most improved player during the first half of the 2021-22 NBA season. Unfortunately, his impressive run was cut short due to injury.
Wood was on course to have his breakout season in his first year with the Houston Rockets. He was a versatile scorer but proved that he can be productive on both ends of the floor. In 41 starts for the Rockets, he averaged 21 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.2 blocks while shooting an efficient 51.4% from the field.
#9 Jonas Valanciunas
Jonas Valanciunas did not get as much credit as he deserves for his role in getting the Memphis Grizzlies to the 2021 NBA playoffs. He played with so much poise and experience, averaging a career-best 17.1 points and 12.5 rebounds.
Although it is unclear how good a fit he will be playing alongside Zion Williamson in the 2021-22 NBA season, the Lithuanian is undoubtedly an asset. He is a capable scorer who can help ease the scoring burden for Williamson and Brandon Ingram.
#8 Clint Capela
The Atlanta Hawks benefited a great deal from Clint Capela's partnership with John Collins at the frontcourt. In his first season with the Hawks, he created a synergy with the team that would be improved upon.
Capela was a beneficiary of several of Trae Young's lobs. Defensively, he is a solid rim protector and rebounding machine. He finished the 2020-21 NBA campaign with 15.2 points and 14.3 rebounds (league leader). With the Hawks maintaining their core roster, the partnership will certainly flourish.
#7 Nikola Vucevic
It will be exciting to see how the Chicago Bulls will utilize Nikola Vucevic, especially since they made a splash in the offseason and acquired Lonzo Ball and DeMar DeRozan. With so many scoring options, one would wonder how Vucevic would fit into the team.
However, he is one of the best centers in the NBA right now and will be a huge factor in the Bulls' failure or success in the coming season. He is an incredible floor spacer, which will bode well for the explosive players on the roster.
After a trade deadline move away from the Orlando Magic, he was quick to deliver the goods in a Bulls uniform, finishing the 2020-21 NBA season with 21.5 points and 11.5 assists per game in the 26 matches he featured in for the Chicago Bulls.
#6 DeAndre Ayton
DeAndre Ayton showed how great he can be in the NBA during the 2021 playoffs. He battled for superiority in the paint with several experienced centers and came out on top. His last-second inbound dunk over Ivan Zubac in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals has been ingrained in the memories of NBA enthusiasts worldwide.
Heading into the 2021-22 season, Ayton will function in the same capacity as he did last campaign. It will be interesting to see how much he improves his game, especially on the defensive end. Although Devin Booker and Chris Paul did most of the scoring, Ayton averaged 15.8 points and 11.8 rebounds in the 2021 NBA playoffs.
#5 Karl-Anthony Towns
Karl-Anthony Towns has the potential to be one of the top three centers in the NBA. His athleticism and skillet are top-tier, as he has averaged 20+ points every year except his rookie season.
The 2020-21 NBA season was sublime from an individual standpoint, but not so much for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Despite Towns' dominance, they finished 13th in the Western Conference standings. Inserting him into a championship-caliber team like the LA Lakers or New York Knicks will create an unstoppable unit.
Towns finished the 2020-21 NBA season, averaging 24.8 points and 10.6 rebounds. It marked his 6th double-double season since he was selected as the 1st overall pick in the 2015 NBA draft.
#4 Bam Adebayo
The NBA has only a few centers that can be regarded as two-way big men, and Bam Adebayo is one of them. Of every center on the list, he alone can comfortably guard all five positions in the league.
The Miami Heat finished the 2020-21 NBA season ranked 1st in assists, an achievement made possible by Bam's unselfishness. He is an efficient scorer and a decent defender. Although his size puts him at a disadvantage against some of the league's elite centers, he holds his own in those matchups.
With Bam being only 24, he has a lot of room to grow and improve on every aspect of his game. He finished the 2020-21 NBA season, averaging 18.7 points, 5.2 assists, and nine rebounds.
#3 Rudy Gobert
There is no better center in the NBA at protecting the rim than Rudy Gobert. He has won the Defensive Player of the Year three times in the last four seasons and has been on the NBA All-Defensive First Team since 2017.
However, he is not the most effective on offense compared to the centers on the list. Despite his offensive deficiency, he is still one of the best centers in the NBA right now.
Gobert finished the 2020-21 NBA season with 14.3 points and 10.1 rebounds per game. The two-time All-Star had the best totals in rebounds (960) and blocks (190). Although he finished with a career-high 2.7 blocks per game, it wasn't enough to topple Myles Turner and his average of 3.4 blocks.
#2 Joel Embiid
Joel Embiid has drawn comparisons to the great Hakeem Olajuwon because of his versatility and skillet. He is the best two-way center in the NBA right now.
Injuries have been a major hindrance to Embiid's development as the big man is yet to play 82 games in a season. Although he finished as a finalist in the 2021 NBA MVP race, he had a good shot of winning the title if he stayed healthy for longer.
Embiid can do it all on offense, which is an advantage he has over other centers in the NBA. In the 2020-21 season, he shot 37.7% from the perimeter and ended the season with a career-high .513 field goal percentage.
Regardless of the outcome of the Ben Simmons saga, Embiid will play with a chip on his shoulder as he has a lot to prove. We just might see him unlock new levels in a bid to lead the Sixers to the elusive NBA Finals.
#1 Nikola Jokic
Nikola Jokic deservingly won the 2021 NBA MVP award for his incredible run throughout the 2020-21 season. It was an efficient all-around game from the big man who was all over the court night after night.
Simply put, there was nothing Jokic did not do for the Denver Nuggets as he embodied the roles of all five positions and executed them effectively. He recorded career-high averages in points (26.4), rebounds (10.8), and assists (8.3).
Jokic still has a lot to prove in the NBA as the Nuggets will be looking to run it back for a chance at the championship. With Jamal Murray not expected early in the season, Jokic will have to single-handedly carry the Nuggets again.
Guess the Lakers players!
