To compete in today’s NBA, you need to have a quality center. Whether it’s a rim protector who patrols the paint or an offensive savant who provides a serious matchup problem, having a top center greatly improves your chances of winning on a nightly basis. Narrowing a list down to the NBA’s top 10 centers wasn’t easy. Several impactful players just missed the cut. However, we did the dirty work and compiled a list of the top centers in the league. Here are the 10 best big men heading into the 2024-25 season:
10. Kristaps Porziņģis — Boston Celtics
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Boston’s big man can change a game on both ends of the floor. We saw as much during Game 1 of this past NBA Finals. After missing the previous two series, Porziņģis came off the bench in the opening quarter and wreaked havoc on his former team, the Dallas Mavericks. He was hitting jump shots over smaller defenders, launching threes from well beyond the arc, and protecting the rim like a Defensive Player of the Year candidate. Health has been a major issue for him throughout his career, but he’s an extremely unique player who can have a massive two-way impact.
9. Domantas Sabonis — Sacramento Kings
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There aren’t many centers more productive nightly than Sacramento’s Domantas Sabonis. The bruising center acts as an offensive hub for the high-powered Kings. He’s their best passer and would be considered the undisputed best passing big man if it weren’t for a certain three-time MVP in Denver. Sabonis has led the league in rebounds each of the last two seasons, which is especially impressive considering he’s not the tallest center (6-foot-10) and isn’t known for his leaping ability. He’ll face some challenges defensively, but Sabonis is undoubtedly a top-10 center and continues to improve each year.
8. Karl-Anthony Towns — New York Knicks
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A move to New York for the former No. 1 overall pick means a move back to center. Towns shifted to power forward for the last two years following Rudy Gobert’s arrival. While Minnesota’s jumbo lineup gave some teams problems out West, it wasn’t the best configuration for Towns’ skillset. Now surrounded by guards and wings with the Knicks, Towns can utilize his speed to zoom past flat-footed centers. He’s always been an excellent shooter who is just under 40-percent from three over his career. Additionally, playing next to an ascending Anthony Edwards proved that Towns can still be effective as a second option. He’ll be just fine next to Knicks star Jalen Brunson.
7. Chet Holmgren — Oklahoma City Thunder
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Holmgren’s status on this list is a bit up for debate. He started all 82 games (plus 10 postseason games) at center for the Oklahoma City Thunder last year. However, the Thunder signed Isaiah Hartenstein to a three-year deal in the offseason. That signing could signal a shift to power forward for Holmgren in ’25. Hartenstein’s arrival will allow Holmgren to adopt a rover role defensively while keeping the narrowly-built 22-year-old away from the more burly centers across the league. Holmgren exceeded all expectations during his “rookie” season. The sky is the limit for the Gonzaga product, though he may be ineligible for this ranking moving forward.
6. Rudy Gobert — Minnesota Timberwolves
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Rudy Gobert added a fourth Defensive Player of the Year award to his trophy case last season. Gobert is an elite rim protector who snags every rebound within his vicinity. Oftentimes, you will see opposing players avoid the paint completely when Gobert is stationed there defensively. His offensive woes are well-documented. Gobert isn’t an overly skilled player and most of his points come via putbacks and lobs. Still, you can’t deny his impact on the defensive end. Gobert is the best defender on a team that ranked first in several major defensive categories last season.
5. Bam Adebayo — Miami Heat
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Miami’s Bam Adebayo takes a top-5 spot over Gobert due to his offensive skill set. Adebayo is an elite defender in his own right, but he’s also capable of doing damage on the other end of the floor. He’s always boasted good passing vision for a big man and has improved as a scorer over the years. With the league shifting toward a perimeter focus, having bigs who can switch onto guards defensively and hold their own is supremely valuable. There’s no center better than Adebayo in that aspect. He’s the backbone of a Miami Heat defense that always seems to rise to the occasion when it matters most.
4. Victor Wembanyama — San Antonio Spurs
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Judging rookies can be a bit tricky. Looking at the totality of Victor Wembanyama’s freshman campaign doesn’t tell the whole story. He vastly improved after the All-Star break, and gave the NBA world a glimpse of what the future holds. Over the last 22 games of the season, Wembanyama averaged 23.5 PPG, 12.0 RPG, 5.3 APG, 4.5 BPG, and 1.5 SPG. Those are All-NBA numbers being posted by a 20-year-old. Adding veterans like Chris Paul and Harrison Barnes to the mix will only help his development. This No. 4 ranking might look low in just a few weeks…
3. Anthony Davis — Los Angeles Lakers
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Though he may not like it, Anthony Davis is best used as a center. The Laker big man has been vocal about his desire to play next to another big man. However, Davis has flourished when operating as the team’s lone big. His athleticism shines and he becomes a massive matchup problem for opposing teams. Davis carries the Lakers defensively on most nights while also being asked to score efficiently. In ’24, Davis made his first All-NBA team since his debut season with the Lakers (2020). He’s still chasing that first Defensive Player of the Year award but is undoubtedly one of the league’s most impactful players on that end of the floor.
2. Joel Embiid — Philadelphia 76ers
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Joel Embiid was on his way to securing another MVP trophy before his season was cut short due to injury. In 39 games last year, Embiid averaged 34.7 PPG, 11.0 RPG, and 5.6 APG on blistering efficiency (52.9-percent field goals and 38.8-percent on threes). No player in the league can guard him one-on-one. He’s too big, too strong, and too skilled for every defender in the league. And, Embiid doesn’t have the same weakness at the free throw line (88.3-percent in ’24) as other all-time great centers have. Staying healthy will be imperative for Embiid’s trajectory. He’s gotten hurt during each of the last two postseason runs and his overall numbers have dipped in the playoffs. Leading the 76ers to the NBA Finals could open up the debate for the league’s No. 1 center again.
1. Nikola Jokić — Denver Nuggets
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Nikola Jokić remains the top center in the league and is widely considered to be the best player in all of basketball. Until Embiid can prove he can get it done in the postseason, Jokić keeps his spot as the top dog. The 29-year-old Denver Nugget is one of the greatest offensive players the game has ever seen. He’s been named league MVP in three of the last four seasons. Jokić’s play typically rises during the playoffs. He was completely dominant during Denver’s 2023 run to an NBA championship. The 29-year-old has shown no signs of slowing down and will continue to demolish the league for years to come.
