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Ranking All 30 NBA Centers Before the 2021/2022 Season

Ranking the top starters, and highlighting some of the best backups.

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Alex Goodlett / Stringer via Getty Images

The center position is probably the most iconic in NBA history. The aim of basketball is to put a ball into a ten-foot hoop, so when the game was first created, height was the most important tool for a player. From Bob Petit, the first league MVP, to Wilt Chamberlain, the greatest stat-stuffer of all time, all the way to Shaquille O’Neal, the most dominant center the game has ever seen, the bigs have defined the NBA. The center position has drastically changed today, as many label the modern NBA a position-less league. The rankings for this list are based on the best STARTING centers in the NBA. However, there are some great backups, so let's first tackle some honorable mentions.

Honorable Mentions:

Daniel Gafford

Washington Wizards

Al Horford

Boston Celtics

JaVale McGee

Phoenix Suns

Chris Boucher

Toronto Raptors

Enes Kanter

Boston Celtics

Hassan Whiteside

Utah Jazz

Mo Bamba

Orlando Magic

Montrezl Harrell

Washington Wizards

Dwight Howard

Los Angeles Lakers

Andre Drummond

Philadelphia 76ers

The Best Starting Centers, Ranked:

30.) Toronto Raptors - Khem Birch

2020/21: 11.9 PPG, 7.6 REB, 1.2 BLK

29.) Detroit Pistons - Isaiah Stewart

2020/21: 7.9 PPG, 6.7 REB, 1.3 BLK

28.) Oklahoma City Thunder - Isaiah Roby

2020/21: 8.7 PPG, 5.6 REB, 0.6 BLK

27.) Dallas Mavericks - Dwight Powell

2020/21: 5.9 PPG, 4.0 REB, 0.5 BLK

26.) Los Angeles Lakers - Marc Gasol

2020/21: 5.0 PPG, 4.1 REB, 41% 3PT

25.) Orlando Magic - Wendell Carter Jr.

2020/21: 11.2 PPG, 8.2 REB, 0.8 BLK

24.) San Antonio Spurs - Jakob Poetl

2020/21: 8.6 PPG, 7.9 REB, 1.8 BLK

23.) Golden State Warriors - James Wiseman

2020/21: 11.5 PPG, 5.8 REB, 31.6% 3PT

22.) Boston Celtics - Robert Williams

2020/21: 8.0 PPG, 6.9 REB, 72% FG

21.) Brooklyn Nets - Blake Griffin

2020/21: 11.0 PPG, 4.7 REB, 38% 3PT

20.) Charlotte Hornets - Mason Plumlee

2020/21: 10.4 PPG, 9.3 REB, 61% FG

19.) Memphis Grizzlies - Steven Adams

2020/21: 7.6 PPG, 8.9 REB, 61.4% FG

18.) Los Angeles Clippers - Ivica Zubac

2020/21: 9.0 PPG, 7.2 REB, 65% FG

17.) New York Knicks - Mitchell Robinson

2020/21: 8.3 PPG, 8.1 REB, 1.5 BLK

16.) Sacramento Kings - Richaun Holmes

2020/2021 14.2 PPG, 8.3 REB, 1.6 BLK

15.) Washington Wizards - Thomas Bryant

2020/21: 14.3 PPG, 6.1 REB, 42% 3PT

14.) Milwaukee Bucks - Brook Lopez

2020/21: 12.3 PPG, 1.5 BLK, 34% 3PT

13.) New Orleans Pelicans - Jonas Valanciunas

2020/21: 17.1 PPG, 12.5 REB, 0,9 BLK

12.) Cleveland Cavaliers - Jarrett Allen

2020/21: 12.8 PPG, 10.0 REB, 1.4 BLK

11.) Indiana Pacers - Myles Turner

2020/21: 12.6 PPG, 6.5 REB, 3.4 BLK

10.) Portland Trail Blazers - Jusuf Nurkic

2020/21: 11.5 PPG, 9.0 REB, 1.1 BLK

9.) Houston Rockets - Christian Wood

2020/21: 21.0 PPG, 9.6 REB, 1.2 BLK

8.) Atlanta Hawks - Clint Capela

2020/21: 15.2 PPG, 14.3 REB, 2.0 BLK

7.) Phoenix Suns - Deandre Ayton

2020/21: 14.1 PPG, 10.5 REB, 1.2 BLK

6.) Chicago Bulls - Nikola Vučević

2020/21: 23.4 PPG, 11.7 REB, 40% 3PT

5.) Miami Heat - Bam Adebayo

2020/21: 18.7 PPG, 9.0 REB, 5.4 AST

4.) Minnesota Timberwolves - Karl-Anthony Towns

2020/21: 24.8 PPG, 10.6 REB, 4.5 AST

3.) Utah Jazz - Rudy Gobert

2020/21: 14.3 PPG, 13.5 REB, 2.7 BLK

2.) Denver Nuggets - Nikola Jokić

2020/21: 26.4 PPG, 10.8 REB, 8.3 AST

1.) Philadelphia 76ers - Joel Embiid

2020/21: 28.5 PPG, 10.6 REB, 1.4 BLK

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