One of the most humbling things about our Per Sources community is how many people care about where I rank individual players. Last year, ranking the centers was a priority subject due to my controversial take on Hassan Whiteside not being a top 10 center. Many said I was crazy. It’s evident now that I was simply ahead of my time.
Last summer, I released my early projections for the top 10 centers for the ’18-’19 season. Another NBA season has gone by and it’s time to rank the top 10 NBA centers. The criteria I’m going by includes performance, contribution to winning, health, history, future projections, and my overall thoughts on how good the player actually is.
If you do not see a player on this list, like Kristaps Porzingis or Anthony Davis, chances are you can find them on top 10 NBA Power Forwards list.
Here are my rankings for the top 10 NBA Centers as of April 2019:
Let’s start with some honorable mentions:
The NBA is in a fortunate place to have a lot of great players at the center position. Several of them, who made my list just last year, did not make my list this time around. That does not mean they won’t make it again. Some of those players include DeAndre Jordan, Marc Gasol, Dwight Howard, and Steven Adams. The one player who did not make my list due to health, is DeMarcus Cousins. Get well soon Boogie.
10. Andre Drummond- Detroit Pistons:
Andre Drummond falls into the category of centers which were born in the wrong era. There is a legitimate argument that Drummond would have been a superstar twenty years ago. He rebounds, blocks shots, and can be involved in an offense without having to score.
However, I’m personally not a Drummond fan. In 2019, I believe you need a center who can guard against the pick & roll and be able to switch against guards. On the other end, you need to be able to run the lanes and stretch the offense by knocking down shots. I would not pay max money to a center like Drummond in 2019. That’s not a knock on him per say. The NBA is simply evolving.
9. Myles Turner- Indiana Pacers
There are very few big men showing signs of constant development like Myles Turner. Last summer, he dedicated himself to getting leaner, quicker, and improve his overall conditioning. His hard work paid off this year as he lead the NBA in blocked shots with 2.69 per game. He was also 76-196 from the 3 (38.8%). I expect Turner to continue to move up this list.
8. Clint Capela- Houston Rockets
Capela is one of the tougher players to rank, in an already difficult to rank position. While he may not be one of those stretch big men that you kind of need in 2019, he does do a lot really well. In fact, he may be the absolute most perfect fit for Mike D’Antoni’s Houston Rockets offense.
Playing alongside James Harden, Capela has averaged over 64% from the field over the last three seasons, with improvement each season in his scoring averages. In addition to that, he is a very solid defender who can guard the pick & roll and strong big men.
There is an argument, for the Houston Rockets, that Capela is the best center in the NBA. He is also proof that you do not not absolutely need to shoot the ball from distance to be effective in today’s NBA.
7. Jusuf Nurkic- Portland Trail Blazers
I was listening to Sirius XM NBA radio last season when one of the hosts was interviewing Neil Olshey, Trail Blazers GM. (I forget if it was Justin Termine or the Great Frank Isola). Olshey was asked what the Trail Blazers needed to do to improve.
To summarize, one of the most critical things was setting aggressive development and conditioning goals for Jusuf Nurkic. Statistically, Nurkic remained right around the same place except for his tremendous FT% improvement from a career below 66% to 77.3%.
However, there was a lot more to Nurkic’s development that points and rebounds. He was in better shape, which translated on the defensive end and offensive efficiency. He’s not a great defensive player, but he showed signs of improvement.
On the other end, He averaged more points than he had in 3 years, while shooting the least amount of shots. He did that by being more aggresive and getting to the free throw line more often. I believe in order for Nurkic to take the next steps in his development, he will need to work on his outside game.
6. Al Horford- Boston Celtics
Horford is the ultimate, “Do you actually watch basketball?” test. He’s not flashy. He is not a statistical force. Casual basketball fans are not Al Horford fans. However, he may be the most important player to the Boston Celtics.
Whether the Celtics are emulating the Warriors’ offense with a big man bringing up the ball or running their frequent dribble handoffs through Horford, he can do it all. He has also been a frequent deep threat for the Celtics.
While Horford is a very underrated clutch performer on the offensive end, he is also not given his due on the defensive end. Not only is he a very high IQ defender, his skill set allows him to guard several positions. Stevens has frequently asked him to guard various players from Simmons, to Antetokounmpo, to Embiid.
For the Boston Celtics, I’d rather have Horford over several of the names I’m about to mention.
5. Nikola Vucevic- Orlando Magic
I’ve wanted to and have included Vucevic in my top 10 centers rankings off and on for years. Luckily, Vucevic has finally made my support of him a little easier in terms of the public eye.
Not only did Vucevic finish 7th in PER, he averaged career highs in games player, points, rebounds, assists, blocks, 3P%, and several other advanced categories. His availability and diversity on the offensive end helped Vucevic make his first all-star appearance. In addition to that, the Magic were able to make the playoffs for the first time in years.
To be clear, I’d rather have Horford or Capela over Vucevic, personally. However, it’s hard to deny his offensive talent when all things are equal.
4. Rudy Gobert- Utah Jazz
There are very few players more valuable to their individual team than Rudy Gobert. Gobert’s presence goes beyond shot blocking. His presence improves the confidence and performance of the entire team on defense. This was evident more than ever two seasons ago when Gobert missed some time.
Gobert averaged 15.9 PTS, 12.9 REB, 2.3 BLK, on 66.9 FG% and finished 8th in PER. Gobert does what he does really well and doesn’t try to go too beyond that. He is a defensive anchor and will probably win the DPOY award. His value to the Utah Jazz is undeniable.
3. Karl Anthony Towns- Minnesota Timberwolves
As you all know, I am not a fan of the way the Minnesota Timberwolves run their organization. I am even less of a fan of the way Timberwolves fans disliked Jimmy Butler and Tom Thibodeau.
In spite of their disfunction and failures, I cannot deny Towns of his impact. For starters, sometimes, your best ability is availability. Towns hadn’t missed a single game since being drafted by the Timberwolves before this season. He also managed to play 77 games this year, despite nagging injuries and Timberwolves being out of the playoff race.
Towns is the complete offensive center in my opinion. He can run the lanes and stretch the court efficiently. He is a high IQ player who can move the basketball well. He is also an impressive 3P and FT shooter.
Towns’ weaknesses are mostly on the defensive end. Luckily, most of them seem to be effort problems, rather than ability. In the right setting, I believe that Towns can take a step forward in this category as well.
2. Nikola Jokic- Denver Nuggets
Jokic was another player whose value was identified by yours truly a couple years ahead of most people. The Joker finally backed me up this year across the board.
Not only is he one of the most entertaining players to watch, he is also a very selfless player. Perhaps, selfless to a fault. The Denver Nuggets were able to finish 2nd, behind the Warriors, in assisted points scored. This was largely due to Jokic’s presence in the Nuggets’ offense.
We all know Jokic is a flashy passer and has a high basketball IQ. Jokic is also a very strong post player. Perhaps, the most talented post player we have in today’s NBA. LeBron said only Shaq and Jesus Christ could score on him in the post.
Jokic must be Jesus Christ because he has bullied LeBron in the post on several occasions. In my opinion, Jokic’s improvement would start by him being a little more selfish with the basketball. There are games where he is a little too selfless. Worth noting, Jokic is only 24 years old.
1.Joel Embiid- Philadelphia 76ers
Despite only having played 64 games this season, it is hard to deny that Joel Embiid is one of the most dominant players in today’s NBA on both ends of the court.
Embiid averaged 27.5 PTS, 13.6 REB, 3.7 AST, 1.9 BLK, .7 STL, on 48.4 FG%, 80.4 FT%, and 30.0 3P%.
Defenders have to pick their poison vs Embiid. He’s too strong for quick players and too quick for traditional stronger defenders. He’s a reliable deep threat who is more than willing to move the basketball.
In my opinion, Embiid is a modern day Hakeem Olajuwon and the best center we’ve seen since Shaquille O’Neal.
Joel Embiid’s only weakness is his health. It seems to be the only thing, besides Aron Baynes, capable of stopping Joel Embiid.
Summarizing my thoughts on the top 10 NBA centers in 2019:
In my opinion, the center position is the most difficult position to rank in today’s NBA. Different teams have different needs at the position. Some need a rim runner. Others need a rim protector. I tried to evaluate them based on the criteria mentioned above.
Let me know your thoughts about who you think the NBA’s top 10 centers are. Tweet me @TPRx11