1. Demarcus Cousins - 24 years old
24.7ppg
12.3rpg
1.5bpg
1.1spg
Easily the best offensive center in the league, people will argue about whether or not he's a 4 or a 5, but he's playing center for now and he's the best one under 25 that we've seen in a minute. One of the most skilled bigs in the league regardless of age and can play bully ball on the low block or stick the mid-range jumper. He has been much better on defense this season and that is one of the major reasons the Kings have looked so good when he's in the lineup, opponents are shooting 44% at the rim vs him, if the Kings could get a legit PF to start next to him they'd be a nightmare.
What I don't like about him?
Turnovers and reliance on the jumper at times, he tries to do way too much sometimes, taking dudes off the dribble from 20 feet out or throwing some horrible pass, he also gets blocked a lot but that's to be expected. Outside of that the only center that has been better than him this year is Marc Gasol who is 5 years older than him and wasn't even remotely this good at the same age as Boogie.
2. Andre Drummond - 21 years old
12.6ppg
12.3rpg
1.7bpg
1.0spg
He's had a down year compared to last year, but that's because the young dude is trying his best to learn how to play with his back to the rim. He's been on an upswing lately and has been averaging 16/14/2/1 over his last 10 and has been showing off a consistent jumphook lately, he's also starting to incorporate counter moves into using the hook shot. The second most physically gifted center under 25 (Embiid is 1) has a good chance of being a two way big. The lazy comparison is to say he's DeAndre Jordan, but 77% of Jordan's offense is assisted to only 57% of Drummonds, he's already shown more ability to score for himself in a quarter of a season than Jordan has in his whole career.
What I don't like about him?
His defense has improved a lot but he still makes some
type of rotations that look like he just started playing basketball last week. He also thinks about what he's going to do in the post, he's improving but you can see it going through his mind when he gets the ball. Also, he's become really foul prone this year, he has a lot of trouble staying on the floor now because of stupid fouls,the type he didn't commit as a rookie or 2nd year player.
3. Nikola Vucevic - 24 years old
18.1ppg
11.6rpg
0.9bpg
0.7spg
The second most skilled offensive center under 25, he shocked everyone with how good he was, and probably has the Sixers wondering why they even traded him. Really good offensive player that can make the jumper, or score in the post with the right matchup and is the best passer out of all these guys. You can run an offense through him and expect him to make the right decisions. He's really like a poor man's Pau Gasol when you think about it
What I don't like about him?
Same reason why I have Drummond above him, he offers very little rim resistance and is giving up 54% opponent FG% at the rim, for comparisons sake Drummond gives up 49%. You absolutely need a shotblocking PF next to him to cover up his inability to protect the rim.
4. Rudy Gobert - 22 years old
5.6ppg
6.2rpg
1.8bpg
(18.5 minutes per game)
By far the best young defensive center in the world, already has elite level impact on the defensive end and is going to force Quin Synder's hand to start him. The Jazz go from a horrific defensive team to respectable when he steps on the floor, his impact on defense is massive and it's only going to get better in the future. Opponents are shooting 40.5% at the rim against him, the only centers better than that are Bogut and Howard at 38% & 39%.
The best way to describe him for people that haven't seen him, is if Roy Hibbert had JaVale McGee's mobility and quickness, he's arguably the best shotblocker in the NBA. He has a 7'9" wingspan and a 9'7" standing reach, the Stifle tower will be a force on defense in a few years.
What I don't like about him?
He'll most likely never be an offensive option, he has good hands but his feet are
at best and he makes some awkward looking moves which isn't a shock since he's 7'2" in shoes.
5. Jonas Valanciunas - 22 years old
12.6ppg
8.9rpg
1.1bpg
He's been flying under the radar but his defense this year has been good to great at times, his comparison coming into the NBA was Joakim Noah and that seems to be on point for now, his numbers are solid and I know my dude @Miggs expects more from him but compare him to the other young 5s and he's right in line with everyone else in his age group. I think he'll get better offensively and take a step next year or the year after that, wouldn't shock me if he eventually becomes a 17/11 guy.
What I don't like about him?
He's incredibly foul prone, in part because he's probably bulked up too much over the last 2 years. He reaches a lot because he's slow on rotations and fouls as a result, it also affects his offense since he's not as explosive as he was when he was a rookie. I know he wants to be strong, but he should consider dropping down to 245lbs. He's also inconsistent but so is everyone else on here, with the top 3 being the exceptions.
6. Steven Adams - 21 years old
7.8ppg
7.5rpg
1.3bpg
The most annoying man in the NBA, love his physical play and he is more skilled than he's shown, not really sure how high his ceiling is but he's had some flashes of what he could become, most recently thoroughly outplaying the Great One in San Antonio. He's been blocking shots at a much better rate than he was at the start of the season when it looked like he had no idea how to do it. He's improved a hell of a lot since the start of the season and has made Perkins seat on the bench permanent.
What I don't like about him?
Like most of the other young bigs his offense needs work, and I can't see him being much more than a hustle big but that's mainly because of who he's playing with. He could expand his game in the future and we'd never get to see it since he's going to be relegated to PnR or second chance buckets.
7. Alex Len - 21 years old
6.0ppg
5.2rpg
1.3bpg
(19.0 minutes per game)
Yeah, that is Len's girlfriend, be on the lookout for their 9 foot tall son in the 2034 draft. As for Alex, he's going to be a really good player in the future if he can stay healthy, he showed offensive potential at Maryland and had a nice post game, he's yet to show that in the NBA and is being used mostly as a PnR hustle big but I think in the future we'll see him with a game more like Vuccimane's where he can post or use the jumper. He's an excellent shotblocker and had he been healthy I think the Cavs may have taken him with the first pick, he has a chance to be a two way big.
What I don't like about him?
He can't seem to stay healthy, and he's going to need to add another 10-15lbs in the future, if his body is stressed this much at 255lbs, how will he be able to stay healthy at 265-270lbs?
8. Jusuf Nurkic - 20 years old
5.1ppg
4.5rpg
0.7bpg
(11.7 minutes per game)
This kid is a horse in the paint, he's looking like the white Boogie and he's much better defensively than I thought he'd be. For the time being Mozgov is just a placeholder for when this kid eventually takes the starting job, he's only 20 so they can afford to take their time with his development. He plays bully ball, has great hands and good feet and can play with finesse at times.
What I don't like about him?
He'll need a shot blocker next to him in the future, length will bother him at times and he's going to have to get with a personal trainer cause he's got a 40 year olds body right now. Also, I'd imagine he's going to lead the NBA in flagrant fouls.
9. Gorgui Dieng - 24 years old
9.3ppg
8.1rpg
1.6bpg
The pride of Senegal has been putting up solid numbers (10/9/3/2/1) for the Wolves since Pekovic got hurt, he's got more to his game than people think, I've seen him make a bunch of 16 footers which you don't expect him to do.
What I don't like about him?
He's supposed to be a defensive 5, but he has been terrible on that side of the floor this year, he jumps for everything and is out of position cause he's looking to block shots. He gets pushed around a bit and looks a little soft right now, last I checked teams were shooting 59% at the rim vs him which is AWFUL.
10. Mason Plumlee - 24 years old
8.8ppg
6.6rpg
1.0bpg
He's pretty much the only bright spot for the miserable ass Nets and I can understand why they wouldn't want to include him in a trade since he's their only player under the age of 83 that actually has any value. He started the season really slow, but has turned it on lately averaging 16/10/2/2/1 in his last 10 and makes Brook Lopez look a bit expendable right now, not that anyone would actually trade for Brook. He's the basic center of the group, won't do anything that really stands out but could be a solid starter if given the job.
What I don't like about him?
Doesn't have a very high ceiling compared to some of these other guys, and while I understand why the Nets wouldn't want to trade him if they can get back a pick for him they need to do it. He could be a solid starter, or he could be a really good big off the bench.
Feel free to disagree or add on anyone I may have missed, I don't have Favors on here because he's listed as a PF and will eventually be starting next to Gobert who will clearly be the 5. I put Nurkic above Dieng/Plumlee cause both turn 25 before the end of the season, and in limited minutes Nurkic has been a monster to be honest.
Also, from a pure talent standpoint Embiid would probably be 1, but he hasn't played a single NBA minute so I can't have him in the top 10 even though he's more talented than everyone on the list in my opinion. The center position has often been shytted on over the last few years but it's really on the rise, some of these guys will be really good around 25-28 years old and that's not including guys coming in next year like Towns & Okafor.
24.7ppg
12.3rpg
1.5bpg
1.1spg
Easily the best offensive center in the league, people will argue about whether or not he's a 4 or a 5, but he's playing center for now and he's the best one under 25 that we've seen in a minute. One of the most skilled bigs in the league regardless of age and can play bully ball on the low block or stick the mid-range jumper. He has been much better on defense this season and that is one of the major reasons the Kings have looked so good when he's in the lineup, opponents are shooting 44% at the rim vs him, if the Kings could get a legit PF to start next to him they'd be a nightmare.
What I don't like about him?
Turnovers and reliance on the jumper at times, he tries to do way too much sometimes, taking dudes off the dribble from 20 feet out or throwing some horrible pass, he also gets blocked a lot but that's to be expected. Outside of that the only center that has been better than him this year is Marc Gasol who is 5 years older than him and wasn't even remotely this good at the same age as Boogie.
2. Andre Drummond - 21 years old
12.6ppg
12.3rpg
1.7bpg
1.0spg
He's had a down year compared to last year, but that's because the young dude is trying his best to learn how to play with his back to the rim. He's been on an upswing lately and has been averaging 16/14/2/1 over his last 10 and has been showing off a consistent jumphook lately, he's also starting to incorporate counter moves into using the hook shot. The second most physically gifted center under 25 (Embiid is 1) has a good chance of being a two way big. The lazy comparison is to say he's DeAndre Jordan, but 77% of Jordan's offense is assisted to only 57% of Drummonds, he's already shown more ability to score for himself in a quarter of a season than Jordan has in his whole career.
What I don't like about him?
His defense has improved a lot but he still makes some
type of rotations that look like he just started playing basketball last week. He also thinks about what he's going to do in the post, he's improving but you can see it going through his mind when he gets the ball. Also, he's become really foul prone this year, he has a lot of trouble staying on the floor now because of stupid fouls,the type he didn't commit as a rookie or 2nd year player.3. Nikola Vucevic - 24 years old
18.1ppg
11.6rpg
0.9bpg
0.7spg
The second most skilled offensive center under 25, he shocked everyone with how good he was, and probably has the Sixers wondering why they even traded him. Really good offensive player that can make the jumper, or score in the post with the right matchup and is the best passer out of all these guys. You can run an offense through him and expect him to make the right decisions. He's really like a poor man's Pau Gasol when you think about it
What I don't like about him?
Same reason why I have Drummond above him, he offers very little rim resistance and is giving up 54% opponent FG% at the rim, for comparisons sake Drummond gives up 49%. You absolutely need a shotblocking PF next to him to cover up his inability to protect the rim.
4. Rudy Gobert - 22 years old
5.6ppg
6.2rpg
1.8bpg
(18.5 minutes per game)
By far the best young defensive center in the world, already has elite level impact on the defensive end and is going to force Quin Synder's hand to start him. The Jazz go from a horrific defensive team to respectable when he steps on the floor, his impact on defense is massive and it's only going to get better in the future. Opponents are shooting 40.5% at the rim against him, the only centers better than that are Bogut and Howard at 38% & 39%.
The best way to describe him for people that haven't seen him, is if Roy Hibbert had JaVale McGee's mobility and quickness, he's arguably the best shotblocker in the NBA. He has a 7'9" wingspan and a 9'7" standing reach, the Stifle tower will be a force on defense in a few years.
What I don't like about him?
He'll most likely never be an offensive option, he has good hands but his feet are
at best and he makes some awkward looking moves which isn't a shock since he's 7'2" in shoes.5. Jonas Valanciunas - 22 years old
12.6ppg
8.9rpg
1.1bpg
He's been flying under the radar but his defense this year has been good to great at times, his comparison coming into the NBA was Joakim Noah and that seems to be on point for now, his numbers are solid and I know my dude @Miggs expects more from him but compare him to the other young 5s and he's right in line with everyone else in his age group. I think he'll get better offensively and take a step next year or the year after that, wouldn't shock me if he eventually becomes a 17/11 guy.
What I don't like about him?
He's incredibly foul prone, in part because he's probably bulked up too much over the last 2 years. He reaches a lot because he's slow on rotations and fouls as a result, it also affects his offense since he's not as explosive as he was when he was a rookie. I know he wants to be strong, but he should consider dropping down to 245lbs. He's also inconsistent but so is everyone else on here, with the top 3 being the exceptions.
6. Steven Adams - 21 years old
7.8ppg
7.5rpg
1.3bpg
The most annoying man in the NBA, love his physical play and he is more skilled than he's shown, not really sure how high his ceiling is but he's had some flashes of what he could become, most recently thoroughly outplaying the Great One in San Antonio. He's been blocking shots at a much better rate than he was at the start of the season when it looked like he had no idea how to do it. He's improved a hell of a lot since the start of the season and has made Perkins seat on the bench permanent.
What I don't like about him?
Like most of the other young bigs his offense needs work, and I can't see him being much more than a hustle big but that's mainly because of who he's playing with. He could expand his game in the future and we'd never get to see it since he's going to be relegated to PnR or second chance buckets.
7. Alex Len - 21 years old
6.0ppg
5.2rpg
1.3bpg
(19.0 minutes per game)
Yeah, that is Len's girlfriend, be on the lookout for their 9 foot tall son in the 2034 draft. As for Alex, he's going to be a really good player in the future if he can stay healthy, he showed offensive potential at Maryland and had a nice post game, he's yet to show that in the NBA and is being used mostly as a PnR hustle big but I think in the future we'll see him with a game more like Vuccimane's where he can post or use the jumper. He's an excellent shotblocker and had he been healthy I think the Cavs may have taken him with the first pick, he has a chance to be a two way big.
What I don't like about him?
He can't seem to stay healthy, and he's going to need to add another 10-15lbs in the future, if his body is stressed this much at 255lbs, how will he be able to stay healthy at 265-270lbs?
8. Jusuf Nurkic - 20 years old
5.1ppg
4.5rpg
0.7bpg
(11.7 minutes per game)
This kid is a horse in the paint, he's looking like the white Boogie and he's much better defensively than I thought he'd be. For the time being Mozgov is just a placeholder for when this kid eventually takes the starting job, he's only 20 so they can afford to take their time with his development. He plays bully ball, has great hands and good feet and can play with finesse at times.
What I don't like about him?
He'll need a shot blocker next to him in the future, length will bother him at times and he's going to have to get with a personal trainer cause he's got a 40 year olds body right now. Also, I'd imagine he's going to lead the NBA in flagrant fouls.
9. Gorgui Dieng - 24 years old
9.3ppg
8.1rpg
1.6bpg
The pride of Senegal has been putting up solid numbers (10/9/3/2/1) for the Wolves since Pekovic got hurt, he's got more to his game than people think, I've seen him make a bunch of 16 footers which you don't expect him to do.
What I don't like about him?
He's supposed to be a defensive 5, but he has been terrible on that side of the floor this year, he jumps for everything and is out of position cause he's looking to block shots. He gets pushed around a bit and looks a little soft right now, last I checked teams were shooting 59% at the rim vs him which is AWFUL.
10. Mason Plumlee - 24 years old
8.8ppg
6.6rpg
1.0bpg
He's pretty much the only bright spot for the miserable ass Nets and I can understand why they wouldn't want to include him in a trade since he's their only player under the age of 83 that actually has any value. He started the season really slow, but has turned it on lately averaging 16/10/2/2/1 in his last 10 and makes Brook Lopez look a bit expendable right now, not that anyone would actually trade for Brook. He's the basic center of the group, won't do anything that really stands out but could be a solid starter if given the job.
What I don't like about him?
Doesn't have a very high ceiling compared to some of these other guys, and while I understand why the Nets wouldn't want to trade him if they can get back a pick for him they need to do it. He could be a solid starter, or he could be a really good big off the bench.
Feel free to disagree or add on anyone I may have missed, I don't have Favors on here because he's listed as a PF and will eventually be starting next to Gobert who will clearly be the 5. I put Nurkic above Dieng/Plumlee cause both turn 25 before the end of the season, and in limited minutes Nurkic has been a monster to be honest.
Also, from a pure talent standpoint Embiid would probably be 1, but he hasn't played a single NBA minute so I can't have him in the top 10 even though he's more talented than everyone on the list in my opinion. The center position has often been shytted on over the last few years but it's really on the rise, some of these guys will be really good around 25-28 years old and that's not including guys coming in next year like Towns & Okafor.
