1. Dwight Howard
Honestly, is there any question on why he shouldn't be? His one weakness is his poor free-throw shooting, but other than that he's a strong defender who shoots for a high field-goal percentage.
At just 22, Howard will continue to improve defensively. He'll soon be averaging around three blocks and 14-15 rebounds per game to go along along with his 20 points.
2. Al Jefferson
Very similar in age to Dwight Howard, but a little older. His game has matured the past two seasons, and with Kevin Love on the otherside of him look at him to have an even bigger year for the T-Wolves this year.
Jefferson is a solid free-throw shooter, but he doesn't have as good of a field-goal percentage as Howard. It's a decent percentage, but it needs to be improved on.
3. Amare Stoudemire
Most centers in the league are really combination power forwards-centers. Amare has all the capabilities to be a 25 and 10 player but he hasn't done that yet. He has yet to average over 10 boards per game.
Why is Stoudemire not No. 2 or 1? Well, it's not that Stoudemire doesn't have the abilities to be a number-one on this list—it's because he has more than enough talent and skill to succeed, but he's too busy caring what he does offensively then what he does on the defensive end.
Stoudemire picks up cheap fouls in key situations and is consantly complaining to officials. If he could reign in that energy and focus it on the defensive end he can be number one, but until then he'll remain at number three.
- B/R Ticket Guide
4. Chris Bosh
Bosh willl have a huge year this season. With Jermaine O'Neal playing alongside him in the post, it means more one-on-one situations for Bosh to take advantage of.
Bosh has the capability to be a 20 and 10 guy this year as well. Bosh is also a good free-throw shooter and his experience for playing on the Olympic team will help him in the coming season.
5. Shaquille O'Neal
He's no longer the 25-plus points per game scorer and 10-rebound player he once was, but Shaq is still solid in the post. His weakness is still free-throw shooting.
Although Shaq has lost a step, he still commands a double team in the post due to his massive size—and no one in the league can guard him one-on-one for a sustained period of time.
Shaq still has the ability to get his team 16 and eight. The best news for the Suns is that Shaq also becomes their best post defender and can still get a few blocks per game—but it also means other players have to be alert for rebounds if Shaq doesn't get the block.
6. Yao Ming
Yao has been overrated ever since he's come into the league. He's a solid center because of his length.
For a player who's 7'5", he doesn't average enough rebounds or blocks. He's very limited offensively, and very deliberate in his offensive moves. He's also shown a lack of durability.
7. Marcus Camby
Camby didn't have a great year last year with Denver, but he plays hard and plays defense.
Camby can get his team steals, blocks, and rebounds. He's not a bad offensive player, but he won't dominate anyone down on the blocks. He has a decent jumper and is a solid passer for a big man.
8. Tyson Chandler
Ever since he left the Bulls, Chandler has been improving. He's a solid defender and rebounder.
He's not a main offensive weapon, but most of his highlights were dunks because of the pick-and-roll used with Chris Paul—which usually resulted in an alley oop for Chandler.
9. Jermaine O'Neal
This is a case where a change of scenery is going to be a huge benefit. O'Neal will not average what he did when he was healthy with the Pacers, but he will definitely find a home up in Toronto.
With Chris Bosh in the post as well, O'Neal will see a lot of single coverage. Look for O'Neal to have a bounce back year.
10. Andris Biedrins
Andris Biedrins is one of the least recognized centers in the league. He quietly goes out and does his job. Look for Biedrins to be around 16 and 10 this year. He hustles, he's left handed, solid rebounder, and is young and his game has improved every year he's been in the league.
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3 months ago
1. I thought you hated Stoudemire, and how are you putting him ahead of Bosh now?
2. You're hating on Yao, but him above Shaq at least.
3. Bosh isn't a center.
4. Chandler is like Camby, only younger.
5. Dwight Howard should be #1, but he needs a jump shot. He's very raw offensively.
Good list. I'm glad you put Biedrins on here. We'll have to see how Bynum and Oden are post injuries (for Oden, we'll just have to see).
3 months ago
Great read. I love that Biedrins is on the list. Very well deserved.
3 months ago
No Perkins, huh? Celtics hater!
3 months ago
Perkins is not in the top 10. He doesn't even get near double figures in points and rebounds. He's just a big body the Celtics can throw out there to play center.
3 months ago
Jefferson's a little high, Yao's a little low. Good read!
3 months ago
Al Jefferson over Amare Stoudemire? You're kidding right? Yeah, Jefferson is a beast in the post. In one game last year against the Suns, he went 15 for 29 from the field against Stoudemire for 39 points. That's awesome, except on the other end Stoudemire went *14 for 16* against Jefferson for 33 points, and the Suns won. Jefferson doesn't deserve to be anywhere near the top 3 until he learns something about defense.
Also, that is some serious hating on Yao. You say he has a lack of durability, but the guy ahead of him has missed just as many games the last three years (86) while averaging far fewer points and rebounds. Honestly, Shaq doesn't deserve to be anywhere in this conversation anymore. And a person does not become the second-highest scorer on this list (first-highest in 2006-07) by being offensively limited. Being offensively limited is Dwight Howard's other major weakness, not Yao's, who can score in all sorts of ways in the post and still step out and hit the mid-range jumper. Yao doesn't average as many rebounds and blocks because he has below-nba average athleticism, but his offensive skills are exactly what sets him apart from the Shawn Bradleys and Manute Bols.
Aside from that and bumping Shaq from the list for Chris Kaman, no other complaints with this list. I'd rank Tyson Chandler ahead of Marcus Camby because Chandler is actually the better defender (he doesn't take as many stat-padding risks on defense), but that's a judgment call.
3 months ago
Right now Perkins is better than Shaq, Camby, Biedrins and J O Neal. (and I despise the Celtics)
Shaq is not better than Yao
Why does everyone put Al Jefferson on the Center lists but not use the same criteria for Tim Duncan
...and then why is Amare still on the list if Shaq is here?
3 months ago
wow...yao ming?...number 6? sure al jefferson played well at cetner but has not proved he could lead a team to win yet..also agreeing with curly, wheres duncan if u have jefferson...if you forget about shaqs past stats...he would be lower...also...how can you have both bosh and jermain oneal on this list...they both cant be true centers on the same team can they?...wheres kamen or bogut or okafor...chandler should also be way higher...you mention stodiamire has a power forward/center...then why is on this true centers list...i like beindrins on this list though...
3 months ago
holy shit half these guys arent even centers amare isent a center no more al jefferson isent a center theo ratliff is on the the t wolves bosh isent a center he hasent been for a long time now and jermaine oneal wasent a center up until now when he got traded to raptors(im guessing hes gunna bee center
3 months ago
Give me a definition of a center then. Until then this is my list. There's a list of top 30 centers and most of them probably don't fit your definition of a center, but in today's game they can either be a forward or center. Tim Duncan is not a center because he's had players like Fabricio Oberton, Francisco Elson, and David Robinson playing center. Tim Duncan is a power forward.
from 3 months ago
then why you call it the true top10 center list... Its your arguable and subjective opinion. I read it and i didnt like it...but hey thats just me.
3 months ago
My God this list is bad.
I live in Orlando and love Dwight Howard. He seems like a good guy and he's very very talented. However, he really struggles on the offensive end. He has no outside shot like we've seen KG, Yao, Amare, Duncan, and other big man develope. He's a bad free throw shooter altough no where near Shaq status. In the post, he is a mess to watch. He looks uncertain of what he's doing when he gets the ball down low. He has a very limited back to the basket game. Once he developes a post game and a little outside shot he'll be unstoppable.
Yao, although not the most talented is probably the most solid of the group. He has some range, an excellent FT shooter (82%), and has good post moves. He's not a bad passer either. He's not a bad rebounder he's just not amazing at it.
I don't know how Al Jefferson made it above Amare and Bosh. I guess if you play on a bad team and put up good numbers then you get the nod. Amare is a PF anyways.
3 months ago
Good list, interesting choices (definitely stirring up lots of opinions). Love that you put Biedrins in there, nice to see some love for Beans.
2 months ago
Can someone explain to me why Shaq is on this list. He is old, washed up and hasnt produced in the last two seasons. He should be left off to make room for younger and way better centers such as Chris Kaman or even Pau Gasol.
2 months ago
Andris Biedrins is a good center, and he had to develop his skills by his self he had no Kareem or Ewing
Just get him a big man to teach him like Nate Thurmond, and he can improve. He's still 22
AL Jefferson over Yao Ming?
2 months ago
Here's the reason why Jefferson is over Yao right now over the last two years Jefferson has averaged 18.5 points per game and 11 boards per game while averaging 75.5 games. Yao Ming 24 points per game and 10.25 rebounds per game and an average of 51.55 games over the last two seasons. The reason is that Jefferson will be out on the court and Ming will be on the sidelines in a suit wishing he was out on the court.
2 months ago
This is by far one of the worst lists i've ever seen in my life, Steven's hate for Yao is pathetic .
2 months ago
Hey Darren you don't have any arguments to support why Yao should be higher on the list? Of course not!
from 2 months ago
All you did was say Yao was overrated, you didn't even have a good reason to put Yao so low.
2 months ago
It's more so the fact that this guy hates Yao Ming and is completely ignorant, It's a joke he's still a member here.
2 months ago
Yao is the Ichiro of basketball. It's all about hype. Let me know when Yao averages that 20 and 10 for a 75 plus games then maybe you have a chance at an argument.
from 2 months ago
Using health once again as an excuse, YAo is better than Dwight Howard when healthy does that cheer you up you racist prick?
from 2 months ago
You know what's funny about this? Amare has NEVER averaged 20/10, Bosh has never done it for 75+ games, and Shaq hasn't done it for 75+ games in EIGHT years. At least Yao is the most recent to put up 20/10 (pretty much 22/11, actually), even if he did miss part of the season.
Also, Bosh has never come close to averaging 2 blocks and has barely ever shot over 50%, Amare is the worst defender on this list and possibly the weakest rebounder, and Shaq has played the exact same number of games over the past 3 years as Yao.
2 months ago
Hahahaha Yao Ming wishes he could do the things that Dwight Howard does.
from 2 months ago
You fail as an article writer and you fail at life.
2 months ago
This is awful. Bosh and Stoudemire aren't Centers. Both played some in the past, but both are naturally PFs. Honestly, how did you not catch that you put both of them on the list, then listed the actual Cs on their teams later on?
And the Yao hate is ridiculous. Doesn't average enough rebounds and blocks for his height? Find me a 7'4"+ player in history who's been a decent rebounder, much less averages nearly 11 boards a game. I don't see how you can rip a guy for 11 boards and 2 blocks. Limited offensively? Great range on his jumper, good post game, a good passer, and one of the best FT shooting bigs in the league.
Howard's only weakness is FT shooting? How about his utter lack of offensive skills? He can finish right underneath the basket, and maybe once per game he'll spin around a defender and finish. He is turnover prone, has 0 range, and is extremely limited in his post moves.
God, I seriously have to LOL at you saying Yao is 'very limited' offensively while Howard only has 1 weakness. For the record, Yao destroys Howard when they go head-to-head. 24.3 points, 9.3 rebounds, 55% shooting to Howard's 12.0/9.9/44.3%.
And where's Andrew Bynum? You can't honestly believe Biedrins is better, can you?
2 months ago
I actually meant Andrew Bogut at the end there... but Bynum deserves some mention on there, as well, though right now he's all speculation.
2 months ago
Please watch more basketball games before writing about it. Thank you.
And oh, looking at box scores is not the same as watching actual games. Thank you.
Using NBA Live/2K to simulate games is not a viable option either.
2 months ago
Cameron all I hear is blah, blah, blah, blah........Wake me up when you have something worthwhile to say.
2 months ago
lmfao author is a joke
2 months ago
Andrew Bogut is a legitimate top 10 center because Bosh isn't a center and is just as good or better than biedrins. That is if his teammates will start running the offense through him.
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