2016-17 NBA Superstar Rankings: Top 5 Players at Every Position So Far
Is 2016-17 the NBA's year of the youngster?
Sure, veterans such as LeBron James, Kevin Durant, James Harden and Russell Westbrook are dominating. But in addition to those established superstars, each of the five positions features at least one up-and-comer who has been even better than expected in the season's early going.
Who could have predicted Giannis Antetokounmpo would be this good this fast? Who knew Kemba Walker, Kawhi Leonard, Kristaps Porzingis and Karl-Anthony Towns would just keep getting better?
As is the case in the overall superstar rankings, which don't take positions into account, we're not concerned with the level these players will reach by the end of 2016-17. The distant past doesn't matter, either. This is about who's the best on the floor right now, with a heavy emphasis on recent performance and a consideration of all facets of the game.
They didn't get any benefits from their youth, but the young studs still got rewarded.
They've earned it.
No. 5 Point Guard: Kemba Walker
1 of 25
Team: Charlotte Hornets
Age: 26
2016-17 Per-Game Stats: 24.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.6 steals, 0.1 blocks
Welcome to the NBA's most ridiculously talented position. Just take a gander at the three point guards relegated to honorable-mention status by the strength of the five featured players: Kyrie Irving, Damian Lillard and John Wall.
It may seem strange to list Kemba Walker above those three bigger names, but we're basing these rankings heavily on what's come to pass in 2016-17. And while his reputation lags behind, Walker has proved superior in a number of advanced metrics:
| Kemba Walker | 27.1 | 60.4 | 8.7 | Minus-0.8 | 7.9 | 74.06 |
| Kyrie Irving | 21.2 | 56.4 | 4.3 | Minus-2.6 | 1.7 | 15.13 |
| Damian Lillard | 25.6 | 61.6 | 7.2 | Minus-3.2 | 4.0 | 49.63 |
| John Wall | 24.9 | 54.1 | 5.7 | Minus-0.1 | 5.6 | 41.46 |
Walker has been the driving force behind the Charlotte Hornets' scoring a sensational 111.5 points per 100 possessions when he's on the floor. He's in complete control, boosted by his impressive finishing ability (64.2 percent within three feet) and knack for knocking down triples (43.8 percent on 6.9 attempts per game).
Basically, he's been an unstoppable scoring force while distributing the ball well, minimizing turnovers and playing adequate defense. As it currently stands, he's closer to rising into the top four than dropping out of the featured spots.
Honorable Mentions: Kyrie Irving, Damian Lillard, John Wall
No. 4 Point Guard: Stephen Curry
2 of 25
Team: Golden State Warriors
Age: 28
2016-17 Per-Game Stats: 26.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 1.3 steals, 0.3 blocks
It's only in the context of the last two seasons that Stephen Curry has been even remotely disappointing. Though he's ceded headlines to Kevin Durant, he's thrived on offense for a Golden State Warriors squad that looks every bit like the machine it was expected to be.
Those per-game numbers are quite impressive, despite the slight dips in rebounding and facilitating. And his overall scoring profile remains nearly inconceivable.
Averaging 26.4 points per game is tough enough—just eight players are doing so throughout the entire NBA. But Curry is throwing up those figures while on the cusp of joining the 50/40/90 club for the second consecutive campaign by knocking down 49.1 percent of his field-goal attempts, 42.3 percent of his threes and 92.2 percent of his freebies.
We also have to focus on the triples. Again. Because this is Curry we're talking about.
Despite the relative lack of attention his shooting has received (aside from his record-setting 13-trey showing against the New Orleans Pelicans), Curry is leading the league in both makes and attempts. Among the 307 qualified players in NBA history who have connected at no worse than a 42 percent clip, only 2015-16 Curry did so while taking more attempts per game.
No. 3 Point Guard: James Harden
3 of 25
Team: Houston Rockets
Age: 27
2016-17 Per-Game Stats: 28.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, 12.5 assists, 1.3 steals, 0.3 blocks
Yes, James Harden is a full-time point guard now.
Whereas no more than 2 percent of his minutes have come at the 1 in previous seasons—last year, he even spent 21 percent of his playing time as a small forward—he's lining up as a floor general for 98 percent of his run in 2016-17. And the transition has worked.
Harden's defense has been shockingly adequate against opposing floor generals, and his offensive contributions have gone beyond just sparking the Houston Rockets. Without him, they're scoring a mere 97.1 points per 100 possessions, which pales in comparison to their 117.3 offensive rating with him.
But this shouldn't be surprising given the amount of time Harden spends with the ball in his hands and the utter reliance Mike D'Antoni's schemes have shown on his skills. If he isn't initiating the play, it often seems a safe bet that Houston won't be scoring any points.
Harden's assist percentage (57.7) would topple 1990-91 John Stockton's (57.48) for the best mark in NBA history, and he's doing that while nearly leading the league in scoring. That alone is impressive enough, as the bearded 1-guard has a chance to become the first player since Tiny Archibald (1972-73) to pace the field in points and assists per game.
But consider this: Of the 15 qualified seasons in NBA history in which a player recorded assists on more than half of the shots made by his teammates while he was on the floor, only Chris Paul joined the club while averaging at least 20 points per game. He topped out at 22.8 in 2008-09, and Harden is on pace to shatter that mark.
No. 2 Point Guard: Chris Paul
4 of 25
Team: Los Angeles Clippers
Age: 31
2016-17 Per-Game Stats: 18.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, 8.5 assists, 3.0 steals, 0.2 blocks
Considering most point guards begin to decline after celebrating their 30th birthdays—and many drop off a cliff during their age-31 seasons—it's almost inconceivable that Chris Paul has been this good.
His per-game numbers may not seem to stack up against those surrounding him in the rankings, but his efficiency levels and defensive ability push him into a new stratum.
We can't overlook that he's shooting 47.2 percent from the field, 43.9 percent from downtown and 88.1 percent at the stripe while taking a career-high 5.1 attempts per game from beyond the arc. Nor can we brush over the fact he's coughing the ball up a career-low two times per contest.
"My brother sent me a text the other day saying my percentage is up because of my Lasik eye surgery," Paul said, per Jesse Dougherty of the Los Angeles Times. "I was laughing, but my doctor ... his other clients, he said their percentages actually went up the next season."
As for defense, let's turn to NBA Math's defensive points saved, which shows only four players have been more valuable on the point-preventing end. Paul has been as complete as can be, serving as the unquestioned impetus behind the Los Angeles Clippers' historically excellent start.
Without him, Los Angeles wouldn't come close to owning the league's best net rating (14.2), which outpaces the Golden State Warriors' (12.4) mark by a significant amount.
No. 1 Point Guard: Russell Westbrook
5 of 25
Team: Oklahoma City Thunder
Age: 28
2016-17 Per-Game Stats: 31.8 points, 9.6 rebounds, 10.5 assists, 1.4 steals, 0.3 blocks
Impressive and impactful as Chris Paul and James Harden have been, Russell Westbrook has been on the proverbial next level. He's become a true one-man show for the Oklahoma City Thunder, carrying them to at least a moderate amount of success while the roster is still starved for established talent.
His per-game numbers put him on the cusp of averaging a triple-double. His defense has often been spectacular. He's getting his teammates involved. And while his shooting percentages and turnovers may appear lackluster, they're perfectly understandable in the context of his immense responsibilities.
But let's turn to two different advanced metrics to understand just how important he's been, beginning with his on/off splits:
| With Westbrook | 108.9 | No. 9 | 102.6 | No. 5 |
| Without Westbrook | 95.3 | No. 30 | 110.2 | No. 28 |
The Thunder are a dominant outfit when this indefatigable point guard is on the floor, but they're historically bad without him. And NBA Math's total points added tells a similar story of all-around greatness. Westbrook is on pace to add 899.25 points to the OKC cause during 2016-17, which would shatter the previous No. 1 mark of 822.25 TPA by Michael Jordan for the Chicago Bulls in 1988-89.
No. 5 Shooting Guard: Klay Thompson
6 of 25
Team: Golden State Warriors
Age: 26
2016-17 Per-Game Stats: 20.7 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.3 blocks
Remember when Klay Thompson was struggling to connect on his bread-and-butter shots from behind the three-point arc, even failing to hit when wide open? So much for that.
He's rebounded nicely, to the point he's now shooting 36.2 percent from downtown while taking 7.8 attempts per game. And while we expect more from this Golden State Warriors' Splash Brother, it's hard to complain when a 2-guard is firing away so frequently and still connecting at a better rate than the league average (35.1 percent).
Thompson has by no means been perfect in 2016-17, of course.
His ability to build chemistry with Kevin Durant is an ongoing process, and his defense has been atrocious. According to ESPN.com's defensive real plus/minus, only Marcus Thornton has been worse among the 93 qualified 2-guards—though that seems like an exaggeration of his deficiencies.
Eventually, Thompson should have a chance to climb back up these ranks. But for now, he can count his blessings that there aren't many other legitimate candidates for the featured slots while Zach LaVine refuses to play defense and Bradley Beal and J.J. Redick struggle to do more than shoot triples.
Honorable Mentions: Bradley Beal, Zach LaVine, J.J. Redick
No. 4 Shooting Guard: Dwyane Wade
7 of 25
Team: Chicago Bulls
Age: 34
2016-17 Per-Game Stats: 18.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.5 steals, 0.7 blocks
Dwyane Wade's success in his Chicago Bulls homecoming has been one of the NBA's best feel-good stories.
The 34-year-old didn't just join the squad and fade into the background. Instead, he's climbed to the forefront of this surprising Eastern Conference contender by revamping his offensive game and showing more commitment to defense than we've seen in the last few seasons.
Shockingly, Wade has made 1.4 three-pointers per game while shooting 38.8 percent from downtown, which means he's knocked down more in his average outing than he did from 2012 to 2016 combined. He's always had the ability but is finally in a role that asks him to space the floor, based on what he told K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune:
"A lot of people have talked about me not shooting 3s, but no one has been able to take away what I wanted to do. So why would I do something else? When you take it away, I have the ability to knock it down. I'm not Doug McDermott. I'm not Niko [Mirotic]. But I'm comfortable with the shot and I'm going to shoot it. I know it's going to be there, so I have a better chance of knocking it down.
"
But Wade hasn't just been a sniper. He's turned back the clock by attacking the hoop, finishing tough plays around the rim, throwing down a few slams (five, to be exact) and looking like an All-Star shooting guard capable of contributing in every facet of the game.
No. 3 Shooting Guard: C.J. McCollum
8 of 25
Team: Portland Trail Blazers
Age: 25
2016-17 Per-Game Stats: 21.9 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.2 steals, 0.5 blocks
Sure, C.J. McCollum's ability to contribute on the glass and as a distributor has helped the Portland Trail Blazers. His defense also hasn't looked as bad as it was during his Most Improved Player campaign either, even if he still has a long way to go in many situations.
But we have to focus on his shooting. It's now possible to mention McCollum as one of the league's most underrated snipers.
Last year, he was great, hitting treys at a 41.7 percent clip while taking 5.9 per game. But now he's been even better, joining Mike Conley, George Hill and Channing Frye as one of only four qualified players to top 44 percent and five attempts per outing. In fact, that's something only a dozen players had ever done prior to this year.
And as Rob Mahoney explained for SI.com, McCollum puts up shots in a variety of situations:
"McCollum might only be second to Curry, too, in terms of sheer range of shooting application. Since the beginning of the 2015–16 season, McCollum has made 42.6% of his threes above the break, 46% of his shots from the corner, and a defense-bending 40.2% of his threes off the dribble, according to NBA.com.
Run him off curls and McCollum will duck his defender with time enough to fire away. Feature him in a high pick-and-roll and McCollum will rely on his high, quick release to shoot over the top of even a responsive contest. It doesn't really matter that McCollum doesn't have the acceleration to dart all the way to the rim when he has the handle and touch to score from everywhere else.
"
No. 2 Shooting Guard: DeMar DeRozan
9 of 25
Team: Toronto Raptors
Age: 27
2016-17 Per-Game Stats: 30.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.5 steals
DeMar DeRozan was overrated last year.
This year, he's challenging to be the league's best shooting guard while carrying his—yes, his, and not Kyle Lowry's—Toronto Raptors to the Eastern Conference's upper echelon.
Previously, he was an empty scorer who relied on inefficient mid-range shooting and extreme volume to post gaudy figures.
Now he's challenging for the scoring lead and turning mid-range zones into his own personal playthings while redefining our preconceived notions of superstar efficiency levels.
Last year, he added 81.41 points to the Raptors, per NBA Math's total points added, which ranked 50th in the NBA.
This year, he's on pace to record 138.92 TPA, which would've ranked 22nd.
We can do away with the "overrated" label.
No. 1 Shooting Guard: Giannis Antetokounmpo
10 of 25
Team: Milwaukee Bucks
Age: 21
2016-17 Per-Game Stats: 21.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 2.0 steals, 2.2 blocks
Prior to this year, only two qualified players in NBA history had averaged at least two steals and two blocks per game in the same season: David Robinson and Hakeem Olajuwon (four times).
Giannis Antetokounmpo—who qualifies as a 2-guard because he's been listed as such for 61 percent of his minutes—is set to become the third member of the exclusive club.
The list of players to average no fewer than 21 points, eight rebounds and five assists isn't quite as short, but it's by no means lengthy. Just 17 have done so, and the vast majority of them are in the Hall of Fame.
Robinson and Olajuwon are not on the second list.
Antetokounmpo is.
No. 5 Small Forward: Paul George
11 of 25
Team: Indiana Pacers
Age: 26
2016-17 Per-Game Stats: 20.8 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.8 steals, 0.6 blocks
"We're all out of whack," Paul George told the Indianapolis Star's Nate Taylor about his Indiana Pacers. "There's no trust. There's no chemistry. There's no belief. We're kind of just lifeless right now."
That's not entirely his fault, but George is the leader of these Pacers. The team goes as he does, and his relatively lackluster defense and inefficient shooting are parts of the problem, even if his overall individual performance has still been excellent.
Why the negative spin for a top-five small forward? Because George is talented enough to challenge for a top-three honor but is lagging well behind his ceiling, barely beating out lesser players for the last of the featured spots.
Few players are capable of contributing in every facet of the game as this 26-year-old. And in the grand scope of things, it's still impressive to shoot 43.9 percent from the field, 37.2 percent from downtown and 93.0 percent from the charity stripe. It's better still to do so while playing league-average defense—George has a minus-0.1 defensive box plus/minus and a minus-0.17 defensive real plus/minus.
But such contributions feel disappointing for this small forward.
Honorable Mentions: Carmelo Anthony, Rudy Gay, Andrew Wiggins
No. 4 Small Forward: Jimmy Butler
12 of 25
Team: Chicago Bulls
Age: 27
2016-17 Per-Game Stats: 25.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.6 steals, 0.1 blocks
Even with Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo on the Chicago Bulls roster, Butler has taken over. He's displayed an aggressive mentality and has taken plenty of key shots while constantly attacking the basket, and it's proved nearly impossible to stop him from rising and firing over defenders on mid-range jumpers.
"There is only one alpha in Chicago. The Bulls are absolutely Jimmy Butler's team now, and they're better for it," Dieter Kurtenbach of Fox Sports wrote.
Last year, Butler shot 36.3 percent from between three and 10 feet while knocking down 36.0 percent of his two-pointers from between 10 and 16 feet. This season, those percentages are 63.4 and 46.7.
In some ways, it's a shame Butler has to play small forward, though Wade's pushing him to the 3 has worked nicely for the Bulls. If he still qualified as a 2-guard, Butler would rise to the top of the positional rankings as opposed to being relegated to No. 4 by the trio of MVP candidates above him here.
But don't take this standing as an insult. Butler is playing by far the best offensive basketball of his career and is on the cusp of emerging as a bona fide MVP contender.
No. 3 Small Forward: Kawhi Leonard
13 of 25
Team: San Antonio Spurs
Age: 25
2016-17 Per-Game Stats: 25.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 2.2 steals, 0.5 blocks
Remember when Kawhi Leonard was "just" a two-time Defensive Player of the Year?
Take a gander at how he's continuously improved in so many different offensive metrics:
| 2012-13 | 16.4 | 59.2 | 0.240 | 7.7 | 9.6 | 16.4 | 1.4 |
| 2013-14 | 19.4 | 60.2 | 0.195 | 10.4 | 10.3 | 18.3 | 2.3 |
| 2014-15 | 22.0 | 56.7 | 0.307 | 13.0 | 9.4 | 23.0 | 2.6 |
| 2015-16 | 26.0 | 61.6 | 0.306 | 13.0 | 7.8 | 25.8 | 5.5 |
| 2016-17 | 28.4 | 60.3 | 0.390 | 16.8 | 7.9 | 30.8 | 6.9 |
The only issue is that Leonard's defense has suffered as a result of his heavy offensive burden. He's still an imposing presence, but he hasn't had quite the same impact he posted in previous seasons.
Still, the San Antonio Spurs will take his two-way ability without any questions. This has become his team, and it's one that's scoring an additional 9.6 points per 100 possessions when he's on the floor.
No. 2 Small Forward: Kevin Durant
14 of 25
Team: Golden State Warriors
Age: 28
2016-17 Per-Game Stats: 27.0 points, 8.1 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.7 steals, 1.3 blocks
A move to the Golden State Warriors has worked wonders for Kevin Durant.
With Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson helping space the floor, he's received far more open opportunities than ever before. And as a result, one of the most efficient players in NBA history has suddenly grown even deadlier, shooting 57.3 percent from two, 42.5 percent from downtown and 84.0 percent at the line.
Durant's true shooting percentage of 68.2 leads all qualified players this year, and that's by no means his most impressive efficiency statistic: Prior to the 2016-17 campaign, only 12 individual seasons had been recorded in which a player posted a true shooting percentage north of 68.
Tim Legler and Kyle Korver are the only players to do so while making more than three shots from beyond the arc; the vast majority on the list are big men who thrived around the hoop. No one has joined the club while averaging more points than Artis Gilmore, who scored 18.5 per game in 1981-82.
Durant is going to change that in a big way.
No. 1 Small Forward: LeBron James
15 of 25
Team: Cleveland Cavaliers
Age: 31
2016-17 Per-Game Stats: 23.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, 9.3 assists, 1.2 steals, 0.6 blocks
What more could you want from LeBron James?
Though he's deferring more of the scoring responsibilities to Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love in an attempt to stay 100 percent through a grueling campaign and the ensuing postseason run, he's doing everything at a high level.
James has never averaged so many rebounds per game. He's never come this close to dropping 10 assists per night. He's rediscovered his three-point stroke. He's playing defense at a high level. He's throwing up triple-doubles.
Without James on the floor, the Cleveland Cavaliers have posted a minus-10.1 net rating, which, per NBA Math, would top only 20 teams in all of league history. With him, that number jumps to 15.0, which would best the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls for the best mark ever.
Again, he's doing everything.
Power Forward No. 5: Kristaps Porzingis
16 of 25
Team: New York Knicks
Age: 21
2016-17 Per-Game Stats: 21.0 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.7 steals, 1.1 blocks
Just accept it: The NBA will belong to Kristaps Porzingis before too long. He's already the New York Knicks' best player, as Dan Favale of Bleacher Report highlighted:
"Over the last three decades, two players have tallied at least 275 points, 100 rebounds, 15 blocks and 30 three-pointers through their first 14 games: Kevin Durant (2015-16) and Kristaps Porzingis (2016-17).
I'm not saying Porzingis is already the New York Knicks' best player, but that's only because it should be an unspoken fact by now.
"
Kevin Love just scored 34 points in a single quarter. LaMarcus Aldridge is still a dominant offensive player for the San Antonio Spurs, and he's protecting the rim better than ever. Jabari Parker is a legitimate pick for Most Improved Player.
But the versatility of Porzingis' game is astounding and overwhelming. No 7-footer should be capable of knocking down threes and driving for an off-hand dunk in the same game.
And he's making those plays feel routine.
Honorable Mentions: LaMarcus Aldridge, Kevin Love, Jabari Parker
No. 4 Power Forward: Paul Millsap
17 of 25
Team: Atlanta Hawks
Age: 31
2016-17 Per-Game Stats: 17.0 points, 8.1 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.7 steals, 0.9 blocks
Paul Millsap still means everything to the Atlanta Hawks.
Even though Dwight Howard and Dennis Schroder draw most of the media attention, this starting power forward remains the team's best player. Even though surprising bench play has been one of their biggest keys to success, the Hawks wouldn't be close to the top of the Eastern Conference without Millsap.
The 31-year-old is a steadying force on both ends, and his versatility allows him to stave off the advances of Father Time. His pump fake remains a devastating weapon when paired with his finishing ability and knack for knocking down jumpers, while his passing keeps the ball moving in a fast-paced offense.
It was always unreasonable to expect this veteran to remain just as good as he was in 2015-16, when he arguably asserted himself as a top-10 contributor. But he's left little doubt he's still a strong All-Star contender who's capable of carrying a team to plenty of victories and earning fringe consideration among analytic-minded voters for Defensive Player of the Year.
No. 3 Power Forward: Draymond Green
18 of 25
Team: Golden State Warriors
Age: 26
2016-17 Per-Game Stats: 10.4 points, 9.1 rebounds, 7.1 assists, 2.1 steals, 1.7 blocks
Forget about scoring. Seriously, just don't worry about it at all.
Even if Draymond Green never shot the basketball, he'd be an All-Star-caliber player for the Golden State Warriors, capable of sparking one victory after another with his facilitating and defensive excellence. His defense has been so good that he could sit down when the Dubs have the ball and still be a valuable presence.
Just take a look at his total points added score compared to his most notable teammates', per data provided by NBA Math:
| Kevin Durant | 80.56 | 13.96 | 94.52 |
| Draymond Green | 19.73 | 46.73 | 66.46 |
| Stephen Curry | 95.15 | Minus-28.96 | 66.19 |
| Klay Thompson | 15.58 | Minus-39.46 | Minus-23.88 |
Green continues to serve as a great litmus test for basketball knowledge. Those in the know understand just how valuable he continues to be, as well as how indispensable he is to one of the league's premier squads.
No. 2 Power Forward: Blake Griffin
19 of 25
Team: Los Angeles Clippers
Age: 27
2016-17 Per-Game Stats: 21.3 points, 9.1 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.3 steals, 0.6 blocks
Blake Griffin is fully healthy and better than ever. To prove it, let's turn to three distinct pieces of evidence.
First, we can look at how frequently he's recording dunks: With 16 in his first 15 appearances, he's averaging more than he did during 2015-16. His per-game figures still don't match up with his pre-injury years, but that's largely because he's a more well-rounded player capable of creating his own offense. And if you doubt the ferocity of his play, you can just ask Robin Lopez how he feels.
Secondly, Griffin has traded the mid-range jumpers he relied upon last year for more finishes around the hoop, and his efficiency hasn't suffered. He's shooting 71.7 percent from within three feet and 43.5 percent on two-point jumpers from beyond 16 feet, both of which stack up well against anyone.
Finally, there's his defense.
The power forwarded entered 2016-17 with a career-best defensive box plus/minus of 1.9, which he posted in 2012-13. This year, he's upped that number to 3.0 and, per NBA Math, has saved more points on defense than anyone but Russell Westbrook, Draymond Green, Rudy Gobert, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Chris Paul.
No. 1 Power Forward: Anthony Davis
20 of 25
Team: New Orleans Pelicans
Age: 23
2016-17 Per-Game Stats: 31.3 points, 10.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.9 steals, 2.8 blocks
Do we actually need to justify this?
Anthony Davis' per-game line is sensational. He's on pace to become one of just 10 qualified players in NBA history to average at least 30 points and 10 rebounds per game—all nine who have previously done so are members of the Hall of Fame.
But that's not it. Just Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson and Andrei Kirilenko—none of whom made the previous list—have averaged at least 2.1 assists, 1.9 steals and 2.8 blocks.
Davis is a dominant scorer. He's a dominant rebounder. He's a dominant defensive player. He's a dominant everything.
And perhaps most impressively, he's single-handedly carrying the New Orleans Pelicans—while remaining efficient—by shooting 51.4 percent from the field and 81.9 percent from the charity stripe. It's almost impossible to find a significant flaw in his game, so please don't point to his team's record as justification that he's overrated.
He's not.
No. 5 Center: Dwight Howard
21 of 25
Team: Atlanta Hawks
Age: 30
2016-17 Per-Game Stats: 14.8 points, 13.3 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.3 steals, 1.7 blocks
Apparently, Dwight Howard isn't even remotely washed up.
The big man has experienced a resurgent season for the Atlanta Hawks, completely changing the tenor of their schemes with his rebounding acumen. All of a sudden, the team that ranked 30th in offensive rebounding percentage and 25th in defensive rebounding percentage last year is up to eighth and 11th.
But Howard has also been so much more than just a rebounding threat.
He's given Atlanta a convincing interior presence capable of deterring opponents from even entering the paint. According to NBA.com's SportVU data, he's holding the opposition to 43 percent shooting at the rim while facing 6.6 shots per game—numbers that only Joel Embiid, Rudy Gobert and Hassan Whiteside have matched.
But Howard has also been so much more than just a dominant interior defender.
NBA.com's data shows he's scored 1.18 points per possession when serving as a roll man, which puts him in the 73rd percentile. Better still, he's been more willing to accept his role on offense than he was while with the Houston Rockets or Los Angeles Lakers, and he's shot a career-best 62.5 percent from the field while posting his first positive offensive box plus/minus since he left the Orlando Magic.
Honorable Mentions: Andre Drummond, Marc Gasol, DeAndre Jordan
No. 4 Center: Hassan Whiteside
22 of 25
Team: Miami Heat
Age: 27
2016-17 Per-Game Stats: 17.9 points, 15.4 rebounds, 0.7 assists, 0.9 steals, 2.6 blocks
Let's turn things over to Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra, who had this to say about Hassan Whiteside, per Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel:
"Last year, and the two years before this, he was putting up crazy shot-blocking numbers. There's two factors: One, teams know that he's back there now. Two, he's becoming a much more disciplined and savvy team defender. And sometimes, and often times, that means not chasing down a block, but defending a pick and roll before it gets to that.
He's getting even better. He seems to be growing every week and I can't wait to see his growth as this season goes on. I don't know where he'll be in the spring the way he's improving right now.
"
Whiteside is also leading the league in rebounds. But his offense is preventing him from rising higher in the center rankings.
This may seem strange to say about a 27-year-old big man who's averaging 17.9 points per game, but Whiteside's offense is actually hurting the Heat. They've entrusted him with way too much responsibility—a byproduct of having lost key pieces in the offseason and surrounding him with lesser talents. He's responding by shooting worse from all over the court and turning the ball over more than ever.
His value will be hampered until that changes.
No. 3 Center: Rudy Gobert
23 of 25
Team: Utah Jazz
Age: 24
2016-17 Per-Game Stats: 10.5 points, 10.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.7 steals, 2.3 blocks
Rudy Gobert might not score as much as Hassan Whiteside, but he's been the more valuable offensive presence. By not trying to do too much and playing within himself, he's leading the league in field-goal percentage, shooting free throws at an adequate clip and limiting his turnovers.
According to data obtained from NBA Math, Whiteside has subtracted 10.76 points on offense; Gobert has subtracted minus-1.87. But that's not the only reason the latter is ranked higher.
The Utah Jazz are wholly reliant on Gobert's defense, and he's rewarded them. In fact, the team has allowed 5.8 fewer points per 100 possessions when he's on the floor, thanks primarily to his awe-inspiring rim protection. As shown by NBA.com's SportVU data, Gobert is facing the second-most shots per game at the hoop during his average appearance:
| Robin Lopez | 11.5 | 48.4 |
| Rudy Gobert | 9.8 | 41.0 |
| Myles Turner | 9.7 | 50.0 |
| Marcin Gortat | 9.5 | 56.1 |
| Tristan Thompson | 9.4 | 50.0 |
No. 2 Center: DeMarcus Cousins
24 of 25
Team: Sacramento Kings
Age: 26
2016-17 Per-Game Stats: 27.5 points, 9.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.1 steals, 0.9 blocks
Trade rumors in and of themselves are not reflections of on-court abilities. On an episode of The Lowe Post with guest Marc Stein (h/t HoopsHype), ESPN.com's Zach Lowe noted the Sacramento Kings may be ready to deal DeMarcus Cousins:
"I've had a couple of guys from other teams tell me they're hearing the Kings are starting to get sick of Cousins. Whatever that means. I mean no one knows who's making the decisions from the ownership level, not who's making the decisions, but there's just so many voices among ownership. They have a million minority owners. Vlade [Divac] and Ken Catanella.
"
If the Kings truly are sick of Cousins, it's not because of his raw talent. Instead, it's because they know they can't win with him and this poorly assembled supporting cast, which has to be frustrating the big man. After all, it's tough to pin the blame on him for continuous lottery finishes when he's been so good as an individual.
At 6-9, Sacramento has three players with positive box plus/minuses: Cousins (5.8), Garrett Temple (1.4 BPM) and Rudy Gay (2.1).
Is there any doubt who's carrying this team?
No. 1 Center: Karl-Anthony Towns
25 of 25
Team: Minnesota Timberwolves
Age: 21
2016-17 Per-Game Stats: 21.3 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.6 steals, 1.4 blocks
Don't let the youthful exuberance of Karl-Anthony Towns fool you. Even though he just celebrated his 21st birthday, he's already the best true center in the league. Only Anthony Davis' moving exclusively to the 5 could dethrone him right now.
Towns possesses an unfair set of talents.
He's capable of creating his own mid-range looks off the bounce and ranks in the 96th percentile for isolation scoring, per NBA.com's SportVU data. He has a growing set of post moves that include a veritable arsenal of spins and drop steps, which have helped him rank in the 67th percentile for post-up scoring. He's even faring well as a roll man (64th percentile) and transition threat (71st percentile) while flashing three-point range (42.6 percent on 3.9 attempts per game).
As if that weren't enough, he's a tremendous rebounder, a growing facilitator who knows how to minimize his turnovers and a strong defender.
Towns isn't an MVP candidate, but he will be before too long. He's the total package, and all the pieces are coming together nicely.
Adam Fromal covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter: @fromal09.
Unless otherwise indicated, all stats are from Basketball-Reference.com, NBA.com or NBA Math and are accurate heading into games Nov. 25.
