With the NBA continuing to evolve, traditional back-to-the basket centers are slowly getting more and more obsolete. Due to the modern game that puts premium on perimeter shooting, ball movement, and speed, we’ve seen various centers expand the facets of their game that allow them to contribute outside of the paint. Some of the centers in the league that show that are Nikola Jokic, Nikola Vucevic, Karl Anthony-Towns, and Joel Embiid as they are the best centers in the league right now.
Although having a modern skilled big man is ideal in today’s situation, the traditional center is still a great asset to have. They not only have the ability to dominate the paint, but they also anchor the team’s defense which are helpful when a team goes through a scoring drought. For this piece, let’s rank the five best traditional big men in the NBA today.
Honorable Mention: Some big men who barely made this list are Philadelphia 76ers’ Dwight Howard and New Orleans Pelicans’ Steven Adams.
5. Hassan Whiteside
NBA Career stats: 13.4 points, 11.4 rebounds, 0.7 assists, 0.6 steals, 2.4 blocks
Awards: 1x All-Defensive Second Team, 1x League Leader in Rebounds, 2x League Leader in Blocks
The fifth spot was a debate between Steven Adams and Hassan Whiteside. But if there is a center that can become a nightmare for opposing teams in the paint, it would be Whiteside. Because of this, the 7’0 center makes this list.
Although Whiteside has been relatively underutilized this season, he makes an impact whenever he is on the floor. In fact, when he was finally given the green light to play 24 minutes, Whiteside made franchise history by becoming the first player since Chris Webber to register at least a 25-15-5 statline. Furthermore, he also became the first Kings player to accomplish the feat off the bench as he finished with 26 points, 16 rebounds, and six rejections in a loss against the Brooklyn Nets.
Because of Whiteside’s upside, there is no doubt that some contenders like the Los Angeles Lakers wanted to add the prized center to their roster before trade deadline. The 7’0 big man has the ability to protect the rim with authority, given the fact that he has led the league in blocks and rebounds on multiple occasions. He has proved to everyone that a traditional big man are still a useful commodity in this era.
4. Jarrett Allen
NBA Career stats: 10.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.5 steals, 1.4 blocks
Jarrett Allen is arguably one of the best rising big men in the league today. Standing at 6’11, equipped with great timing and athleticism, Allen has the potential to become an elite shot blocker in the NBA. In fact, he might already have his name there given that he has made emphatic blocks against star players such as LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and even Giannis Antetokounmpo.
At first, it looked like Allen would become one of the critical pieces that would fortify the paint for the star-powered Brooklyn Nets. However, we saw him become one of the pieces that was traded to Cleveland in order to bring James Harden to Brooklyn. Although this certainly took Allen’s chances of winning a championship from great to zero, he has been individually great for the Cavs to establish himself as one of the best traditional centers in the league today.
In 32 games so far, he is averaging 13.8 points and 9.7 rebounds per game for the Cavaliers. Allen has been a double-double machine that has helped the team become a contender to snag a place in this year’s Play-in Tournament. In fact, he even dropped a monster double-double against Houston last February where he registered 26 points and 18 rebounds while making an efficient 10 of his 11 shot attempts. Because of this, there is no question that the Cavs are making Allen one of their critical young pieces in their rebuilding process, as they attempt to make some noise in the East. As a result, Allen takes the fourth spot of this list.
3. Clint Capela
NBA Career stats: 12.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.7 steals, 1.5 blocks
The Atlanta Hawks are finally back in the playoff conversation and a part of that is thanks to Clint Capela. The Swiss center has been great for the Hawks this year, as he is posting 14.6 points and a league-best 14.1 rebounds per outing. He has been a walking double-double that has complimented the team’s franchise player, Trae Young. With Young shooting most of his shots from the perimeter, it gives Capela sufficient space to operate effectively in the paint. In fact, Capela had a dominant outing against the Oklahoma City Thunder earlier this year, where he tallied 17 points and 21 rebounds, while shooting eight of 11 from the field.
Aside from his impact on the offensive end, like a dominant center, Capela has emerged as the primary defensive anchor of the Hawks. It is worth noting that the 6’10 center is also third in the league for blocks with only Myles Turner and Rudy Gobert accumulating more. He is averaging 2.2 blocks per game this year. As a result, the defense of the Hawks has looked more formidable as compared to before.
If Capela continues to keep up his intensity to man the paint, then it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Hawks make it to the postseason this year. But individually, Capela has already established himself as one of the best centers league. And for this list, he sits at the third spot.
2. Andre Drummond
NBA Career stats: 14.6 points, 13.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.5 blocks
Awards: 2x All-Star, All-NBA Third Team, 4x League Leader in Rebounds, 1x All-Rookie Second Team
Despite not being a multifaceted modern big, Drummond has made himself effective in the league with his unmatched rebounding prowess. In fact, he has even made an impact this year by putting up a monstrous 17.5 points and 13.5 rebounds per game, which was enough to become the top five in the league at one point. Because of this, he is no question one of the best traditional centers today. As a result, he takes the second spot of this list.
The old school center had a lot of drama regarding his place in Cleveland this season. He was shut down by the team, as the franchise wanted to trade him before the trade deadline. Dummond also saw his trade value drop, as expected by some executives. However, he is no question still a back-to-the basket center who is capable of of racking up the double-doubles any night. Had Drummond played in the earlier eras, he could’ve possibly been one of the most dominant big man we’ve ever seen in the league.
Fortunately for the All-Star center, Drummond will have a chance to finally return to the playing court again by playing for the defending champions, after agreeing to a buyout with Cleveland and signing with the Lakers. Drummond gives the Purple and Gold an All-Star caliber player to lean on, while the team weathers the absence of LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
1. Rudy Gobert
NBA Career stats: 12.0 points, 11.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.7 steals, 2.2 blocks
Awards: 2x All-Star. 2x Defensive Player of the Year, 4x All-Defensive First Team, 1x All-NBA Second Team, 2x All-NBA Third Team, 1x League Leader in Blocks
If there is a traditional center who can still make the All-Star ranks, it would be Rudy Gobert. At 7’1, Gobert has successfully anchored the paint for the Utah Jazz. This season, he has averaged 14.7 points, 13.4 rebounds, and 3.0 blocks per game, which is good for second in the league. But more importantly, he has also played a critical role in allowing the Jazz to sit at the top seed of the Western Conference. In fact, Gobert had a dominant outing against the Chicago Bulls a few days ago where he tallied 21 points, 10 rebounds, and a season high nine rejections.
Although Gobert isn’t as skilled as his European counterparts in Jokic or Vucevic, he makes up for it with his rim protection and ability to finish in the paint. Because of his defense, the French center has made two All-Star trips and established himself as an elite rim-protector. In fact, he has been a consistent candidate in the race for the Defensive Player of the Year Award and a fixture in the All-Defensive Teams for the past few years.
Gobert can even be considered as one of the top big men today, despite not fitting the modern big man mold. This only shows you how his defensive prowess is unmatched, and that a traditional big man can still be relevant today. As a result, Gobert easily tops this list as the best traditional center today.
