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Center in the NBA can be one of the most dominant positions. If you get a big guy inside who can bang around and grab boards, you have a great piece to start a team with. But if that big guy can bang around, grab boards, block shots AND score, you picked yourself a good one.
The NBA has seen many great centers in it's time like Hakeem Olajuwan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O'Neal, Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell. Now that's a good list of players. That however is the past. I mean, O'Neal still plays but is nothing like he used to be. Today's NBA has many good centers as well. Most of the time now, players can play either center or power forward.
Great centers include Tim Duncan, Yao Ming, Dwight Howard, Tyson Chandler, Shaquille O'Neal, Jermaine O'Neal, Andrew Bogut, Greg Oden, Andrew Bynum and many, many others. Here is a list that I think will round up the top 5 centers in the NBA this coming season.
5. Greg Oden - Portland Trail Blazers
Oden will have a fantastic season this year in his first season playing in the NBA. He should have the starting center position down pat as Aldridge will now be able to go back to his natural position at power forward. Oden is a great young center who looks fantastic. He is very good with both hands and can grab rebounds and block shots. He won't have too much trouble scoring the ball either. Projected Stats: 14.8 ppg, 10.6 rpg, 1.8 bpg
4. Tyson Chandler - New Orleans Hornets
Chandler will have a much improved season this year with the Hornets as his chemistry with Chris Paul will blossom into something we haven't seen from them before. Chandler will not be their primary scorer but he will pick up his defense to a new level and be a strong defensive player of the year candidate. Projected Stats: 12.9 ppg, 13.6 rpg, 2.6 bpg
3. Yao Ming - Houston Rockets
Yao will have a Yao like season this year and he will be a West all-star. Injuries won't be as big of a factor this year and he will help finally lead the Rockets past the first round. With Artest there, teams won't be able to double down on him as much. With Yao, Artest and McGrady, the Rockets will have a good season. Projected Stats: 19.4 ppg, 11.2 rpg, 1.5 bpg
2. Tim Duncan - San Antonio Spurs
Although getting old, Timmy D will still get it done. He will still be a solid, consistent center that brings passion to his team everyday. Duncan still is and will be the heart and soul of the Spurs until he retires. As Parker gets more experience and he progresses into a better player, Duncan will get more feeds inside from Parker getting open and finding him. Projected Stats: 21.7 ppg, 10.9 rpg, 2.0 bpg
1. Dwight Howard - Orlando Magic
In my mind, Dwight Howard will eventually emerge as one of the greatest centers to ever play the game. Howard is one of the strongest, the fastest and the highest jumping center in the league. He can score inside and has been recently working on his jump shot. Howard is a block machine and grabs boards at will. He will have his best season yet. Projected Stats: 22.8 ppg, 15.1 rpg, 2.6 bpg
36 comments Last one added 3 months ago — Leave a Comment
Greg Haefner 11 months ago
Good article.
Here's my only beef:
1. I think Al Jefferson should be on this list, probably at number 5 with Chandler pushed to 5 and Oden off the list.
2. Just a technicality, but why do you have Aldridge and Oden both listed as centers? Aldridge has played PF in Portland since they unloaded Zach Randolph.
Other than those two bones I had to pick, I agree with your rankings, and I like this article!
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Greg Haefner 11 months ago
Jefferson at number 4* sorry about that typo
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Rojo Grande 11 months ago
I have to agree with Greg on this point: take Oden off the list (and I'm a Blazer fan!). He hasn't played a lick of NBA ball yet. At least give him a year to see what he can do.
Howard is a monster, indeed!
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Mark Brown 11 months ago
I agree with what Greg said. With Dwight Howard I am sure he will be a great defensive player, and will post monsterous rebounding numbers. His only flaw is that he is too raw offensively. I mean, all he can really do is dunk.
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Patrick McEachern 11 months ago
Why does it matter if Oden has played in the NBA yet?
It says, right there in the title. "NBA Predictions: Best Centers for the 2008-2009 Season." It's a prediction.
Now, you can disagree on whether or not Oden WILL be a top 5 center in the NBA next year, but you can't argue the legitimacy of putting him on the list. I don't think anyone would argue that it's POSSIBLE that he'll be the 5th best C in the league next year, so why can't he be put on this list, even if he hasn't played a lick of NBA ball yet? If the title would have been "Top 5 Centers in the NBA Right Now", then you'd have a legitimate beef.
Heck, he could put Robin Lopez at #1, and it'd be at least fairly legit. Probably wrong, but if the author can justify it, then it's legit. Remember, it's an prediction, so as long as you can back it up, your just as right as anyone else.
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Harris Beringer 11 months ago
Was Tyson Chandler's defense already not at a top level? I thought that's why he's on the Olympic team.
Oden is very unlikely to match his college stats playing in the NBA, especially after missing a year with injuries.
Yao Ming is already showing signs of being injured. I doubt he'll play more than 2/3 the season. Why would you expect his blocks to go down so much? He's still tall.
Aldridge is not a center.
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Andrew Ungvari 11 months ago
Where's Andrew Bynum? What makes you think Oden's going to have a better year? Both guys are coming off knee injuries but Oden's was much more serious and Bynum's going into his 4th year while Oden is going into his rookie season after a year of inactivity.
I'm not saying that Bynum is top-5. I'm saying that there's no reason to think Oden will have a better season.
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Michael Whittenberg 11 months ago
I agree with Drew--Bynum has to be on this list.
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Don Wayne 11 months ago
Bynum doesn't carry 1/2 the potential of Oden. Oden is going to own the NBA if his knee holds up. That's my prediction, and I'm sticking to it. But my prediction is based on the FACT that he has more athletic skills than anyone at his position (including Howard), more potential at his position than anyone (including Howard), and is stronger than anyone else (including anyone) in the NBA. He runs the floor like a guard, has developed a great 15 foot shot and turn around bank shot similar to Duncans to complement his offensive game, can already shoot free throws, and his knee appears to be 100% (we'll see about that soon enough).
On defense, he could end up leading the league in shot blocking. I think he'll average double digits in rebounds during his rookie year. He'll definitely lead the league in fouls committed (GRIN).
What he lacks right now is endurance (should be fine in two months), the ability to stay out of foul trouble - which will come with time and experience, and a proven track record. But in my view, his game can be projected - at least a range of what to expect - based on his ability.
So, take Howard in the #1 spot for now. I'll agree with you. I'd put Duncan #2. But Oden belongs in the three spot, simply for his athleticism alone. To drop him out of the top 5 is laughable and is based on ignorance. And next year, he will own the number one spot.
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Andrew Ungvari 11 months ago
The only thing laughable is this biased Blazer fan's views. You think he's better than Bynum? I'm fine with that. Bu he's nowhere near as athletic as Howard (did you watch the dunk contest, dude?) nor does he have the potential of Howard. Oden will never average 14 rebounds a season in his career and Howard did it at age 22. He may one day be a better offensive player but saying he's more athletic and has more potential, coming off of micro-fracture surgery, is outright retarded and homerism at it's finest.
I know that you're the Blazers lead attorney here on Bleacher Report, Don, but you're setting yourself up to look like a jack ass with your biased predictions.
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Stephane Morneau 11 months ago
Timmy D is not a center...why is he on this list?
I know he does guard the 5 very often but he is technically a PF and always has been.
Bynum should indeed be on that list and I know it's a weird pick but I would put Big Z in that list if he stays healthy. Ilgauskas has an awesome all around game and is very underated nowadays.
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Steve Wagner 11 months ago
Don,
Howard had more athletic skills in his rookie season than Greg Oden will ever have. Case closed on that. First off, Howard has never missed a game, Oden already has a bad wheel. Howard is going to be the best center for years to come. Mark my words, he'll be better than Shaq. He may not win as many rings, but he'll be a better all around player.
Oden may be good, but he's not going to be the best. I mean look at Okafur, we thought he was going to be a great NBA player. Now, I know Oden is better than Okafur, but I think Oden will around the same kind of player, good, but not great.
I actually think if Bynum heals, that he'll be a better player, which is something I would not like to think, because I don't like the Lakers.
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Don Wayne 10 months ago
Steve, the case is not closed because you say it is. I'm telling you...I have followed Oden's rehab closely. This guy is a beast and is going to take the NBA by storm. I'm not a blind Portland fan. For one, I think Bayless is going to struggle for a while and Fernandez is going to struggle - maybe all year. But consider this.
Oden is nearly 300 pounds right now and has less than 6% body fat. The guys he's going against can't come close to stopping him. Granted, Hill and Frye are not Howard, but Frye has played against other NBA centers. He claims that nobody can move people at will like Oden.
He is two inches taller than Howard.
His reach is superior to Howard's.
His knee is 100% - in fact, so much that it is stronger than the one that didn't have the problem. To say that he already has a bad wheel is simply not true. This statement, more than any other, tells me that you really haven't seen the guy lately.
He is explosively quick and can leap like anyone. The backboard is in danger anytime he is within 8 feet.
Unlike Howard, he can shoot free throws. Although he only hit about 65% at Ohio State, that was with his left hand. He played the entire year with his left hand. He's right handed. Unlike Howard, teams probably won't use the Hack a Shaq technique against him.
Last year, many of the scouts and insiders were predicting him to be one of the best centers of all time. This year, many people have just forgotten about that. But what's happened in the meantime is simply that he is bigger, stronger, and has developed some pretty good offensive moves. He's going to shock some people with his strength.
I hope the NBA just kind of overlooks him, kind of like you have here. But if they do, I am sure it won't last for long.
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Allen Smith 11 months ago
Tim Duncan isn't a center
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Adam Miller 11 months ago
Tyson Chandler isn't a center
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Allen Smith 11 months ago
First and foremost: Duncan is not a center. Gasol should be on the list and in my honest opinion (which may be a bold prediction): Camby will have a chip on his shoulder next year and will have better stats than Oden. Other than that the list looks alright, just take off Duncan and Oden.
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Mike Turnell 11 months ago
Gasol will play PF because Bynum has now been cleared to play. Regardless I still think those on this list (with the exception of Oden) are, and will be, better players than Gasol.
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Allen Smith 11 months ago
Tyson Chandler is definitely a center!!!
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yungCaucasoid ... 11 months ago
Duncan isn't a Center, and Bogut *only dreams* of being one. Plus, a prediction should at least encompass some credibility/criterion/stats for a player to be listed amongst the best. Oden hasn't ran, so much as one play, on an NBA court.
So, that prediction is discombobulating, at least...I hope you're right.
Plus, to not have Jefferson nor Bynum on the list, while even mentioning Andrew BoguS...is veraciously suspect.
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Alex McVeigh 11 months ago
I would replace Oden with Chris Kaman. He had a pretty good year last year, while going pretty under the radar, and I think with Baron Davis there, he's going to get better.
Duncan is definitely a PF, just ask Oberto, and I would put Bynum on the list replacing him, even though there's no guarantee that his half-season wasn't a fluke.
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Greg Haefner 11 months ago
Also, why no love for Amare Stoudemire? He should be in this list no doubt.
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Brandon Toussaint 11 months ago
My God...a year ago Greg Oden was supposed to be the next great center...This is while Dwight Howard was playing. Oden will be great, unless he suffers from injury his success is guaranteed. I read someone said that he wont average the same as he did in college. You're right, he'll average more...A big man is like a huge block of ice you have to chisel down to a masterpiece...Oden's already close to completed...Thats the scary part, so everyone writing him off obviousy didnt pay attention to the scouting reports a year ago...Id agree he'll be top 3 next year...Tyson chandler? u serious, dude catches alley oops and plays D. His ofense is average at best..Chris Kaman? Andrew Bogut? Ok
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Brandon Toussaint 11 months ago
also.....1.8 blocks per game projected? He'll lead the league in blocks one day.
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Don Wayne 10 months ago
There's no question that Oden's better than Bynum - right now. There are so many reasons to make that claim. For example, Aldridge has been getting him ready for the season. He's played against everyone on this list. His comment? Greg Oden is already as strong an NBA player as he's ever come up against. Period. That includes Howard and everyone else.
During the predraft workouts last season, Oden had the second fastest time of anyone working out for the Blazers. That includes all the guards they had in there last year, the small forwards and everyone else...and they had a lot of them. His power jump is crazy, has incredible lateral quickness, he's taller and has a longer reach than Howard and he's a beast the NBA has not seen yet. He's not the same guy he was at Ohio State, where he played his only season with a broken shooting hand, and was not nearly as strong or had near the offensive moves that he has now. Heck, he hasn't even played in an NBA game yet, but anyone who has been following his rehab progress has been in utter awe...Blazer fan or not. The only drawback right now seems to be his conditioning, which is understandable - and will be corrected in time for the season.
Hill, a former Arkansas center was hired to wear on Greg during practice. Here is what he had to say.
“He is the toughest player I’ve ever had to play against, definitely the strongest, He’s a beast,” Hill said.
Oden has reportedly developed a much better offenisve game than most people are aware of. He has a very nice 15 foot jumper, a baby hook and even a turn around bank somewhat like Duncans. But his signature shot is the one that can't be stopped. Aldridge was asked if he was favoring his knee (which he was not at all). His response was that Oden favors dunking on your head. It's unstoppable if he gets the ball inside.
FYI Andrew, I never said he would be the greatest offenisve center in the NBA. He won't be for several reasons, including the fact that he'll be playing on a team with 7 other guys who can go for 20 at any time. I think Oden will be around 15 PPG and 12 RPG a year or two from now. Howards offensive stats will be better. But Oden will dominate the defensive end of the court far more than anyone else. And in the end, he is going to walk away with a heck of a lot more rings than the guy in Orlando.
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Don Wayne 10 months ago
I had to add one thing about the Oden-Bynum-Cayman-Bogut comparison. Suppose those four were the only ones eligible for the draft next season.
Honestly now, does anyone on here think any of those guys would go number one other than Oden? I don't care who the team is, Oden's going first by anyone who knows anything about basketball. It's not even debateable. Howard-Oden is debateable, but not those three.
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Gaz V 10 months ago
Three things:
1) All this talk about Oden being one of the best centers in the NBA is senseless because he is so injury prone. In his lone "season" at Ohio State, he missed several games because of the well-known wrist injury. Then, before the 2007 NBA draft, it was reported that he was suffering from a "bulging disk" in his lower back (never a good thing, because back problems rarely improve and can be career-ending). Finally, he sat out all of his first season in the NBA because of a serious knee-injury. The only "competition" he has really played against for an extended period of time has been a bunch of developing 16-17 year old high school athletes, 99.5% of whom would be extremely lucky to land a 10-day contract in the D-League today. I'm not saying he lacks talent. Instead, I'm saying that he has done nothing yet in the NBA to justify a ranking and instead seems more likely to pick up another long-term injury than dominate at the center position.
2) To repeat what several others have already noted, Duncan is not a center. Many will argue that Duncan is the best power forward to have ever played the game; few will make the same claim about Duncan at the center position. Do the right thing, get him off this list and slot him in at #1 or #2 on your power forward list.
3) Where the F@#K is Kendrick Perkins, PJ Brown or Brian Scalabrine on this list? It's bad enough these guys are ignored at All-Star ballot time, but why exclude them here? I guess I can understand leaving PJ off the list (given his imminent retirement), but I'm so tired of all these Celtics haters!
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Don Wayne 10 months ago
WHile it's true that some players tend to attract injuries more than others - for whatever reason - it's way too early to start calling Oden "injury prone". While having an injured hand/wrist at Ohio State, he still played and did pretty well. The back thing is not documented and may not be true. And the knee is now stronger than the one that was never a problem. Point being, RIGHT NOW, Oden is looking really, really good. If you don't want to accept what Aldridge, Hill and the others are saying about him, that's fine. In fact, I don't mind him coming in low on your radar at all. I've been following it closely and believe that in Oden, Portland has a great young center on their roster. I'm good for now, and believe the rest of the NBA will find out soon enough what I and many others know now. Like I've said before, of course this is all predicated on him staying healthy. And of course we don't know that for sure. But if he does, watch out. He will own the NBA.
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Rodrick Jones 10 months ago
Everyone harps on athleticism all the time that doesnt mean nothing until Greg steps on the court and play against Dwight, Bynum, Duncan and everyone else. He's gonna have a good year but Dwight and Andrew Bynum r gonna have a better year. Everybody is talking like Bynum is just slow and bummy did any of u look at his stats. He didnt play 30mins. a game and avg. 13ppg 10rpg 2bpg shot over 62 percent from the field. People gone say having Pau there is gonna take away from his stats I doubt it. Before he got injured he was taking off. I gaurantee oneday Bynum is gonna lead the league in rebounds. But still in all I Love Greg Odens potential but i have to see him play a game against Centers Not hill and aldridge. All three of them r under 23 Im loving the center position 4 next year. LOLOLOL
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Don Wayne 10 months ago
Rodick, you're contradicting yourself. First you completely discount anything Oden might do by saying that his athletic ability doesn't mean anything until he steps out onto the court. Then you make the claim that Dwight and Andrew Bynum are going to have a better year. How in the world can you pretend to take any kind of consistent stance when you discount him for not having played yet, and then assume that someone else is going to play better than him? If your point is that he hasn't proven anything yet, let it ride at that.
Look, I"m good with everyone thinking he's going to have a mediocre year. I really don't care because it really doesn't matter, does it? But at the end of the year, when he owns nearly every center in the league, remember that you heard it here from one who already knew.
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Scott Orman 10 months ago
Greg is humble and will humble every center in the league. Anyone who compares him to Andrew BUY-NONE is drinking the purple kool-aid being distributed in the greater LA area.
Portland is smiling and the league is scared of what the Trail Blazers have put together. Pritch-Slapped GM's are still shaking their heads about how the Blazers managed the Roy/Aldridge swing or the Bayless steal or "got lucky" in the 07 draft with Greg. Portland is the youngest team in NBA history and has a ton of cap room in the next two years with the richest owner in sports franchise history. It is not fair! But ohhhhh is Portland smiling.
Keep taking shots at Greg "avid blogger on Yardbarker" Oden. He is pinning the quotes up in the locker room. He is getting into running shape with his 290 lbs frame at 6% bodyfat. His wrist is healthy and so is his ability to shoot with both hands.
Greg is real. Portland is real. The league is getting real scared. Nice predictions. I concur.
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Don Wayne 10 months ago
From Jason Quick interviewing Steve Blake:
"Working out with Greg the last couple of days - you can't help but get excited,'' Blake said. "You throw a bad pass on a lob and you think it's too high, but he grabs it and gets it. That changes a lot of things.''
Blake said he is most impressed by Oden's size and with how Oden knows how to use it.
"His explosiveness with his size is unlike anything I have ever seen,'' Blake said.
"He's special. Special. I have played with a lot of good big guys ... I haven't really played with him in a game yet, but even when he played with us before he got hurt, he just moves people out of the way. You see another guy 6-foot-10, 250 pounds or something, and he can't even hold his ground against him. There's not too many guys you can find like that.''
Scott...you are so right. Greg IS real. I can't wait for the rest of the NBA to find out how real he is.
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Don Wayne 10 months ago
But maybe Blake hasn't seen Howard right? Right!
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Don Wayne 10 months ago
So for all you boneheads claiming Howard is the greatest, how is it that Gasol (both of them) just dominated him tonight? How is it that the US couldn't even keep him in the game, even though he was the only player on the US big enough to try and guard their center? Why can't he hit a free throw to save his life?
Howard is a good player...perhaps is is still the best in the NBA. My point is this - all you Howard lovers are going to drop yer drawers when Oden moves him around like a piece of used up furniture. He was pitiful tonight. Did he even get to 40% free throw shooting? Did you see that sick slam by Fernandez over him and Bryant?
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Don Wayne 10 months ago
That should have read that he is a good center...perhaps the best...
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larry white 9 months ago
we will see two real centers take over in oden and bynum more mature and will be great at it. howard is not really a center he is a power farward like tim duncan
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Rodrick Jones 3 months ago
Where is the guy who was so angry about what i said about greg oden
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