2021 taught us one curtail thing about the center position in the NBA, it is far from being abolished. In fact, the center position is as critical as it ever was in so many different ways. The emergence of Deandre Ayton last season propelled him into this season’s top 10 NBA centers list. Others like Gobert and Adebayo gave us additional visibility into their skillset and potential heading into the 2022 NBA season. Jokić and Embiid remain at the top of the list, as usual. However, ranking the top 10 NBA centers for the 2021-2021 season is challenging afterwards.
Here are the top 10 NBA centers for the 2021-2022 season, ranked in the preseason.
10. Jarrett Allen- Cleveland Cavaliers
Allen beat emerging center Christian Woods for the 10th seed in our top 10 NBA center rankings. While Woods has shown greater offensive versatility than Allen last season, Allen continues to do what all 30 teams need in a starting center. He averages around a double double each season, efficient scorer at over .600 FG%, and is an elite rim protector.
Being able to guard the pick & roll is one of the greatest challenges each team faces. If the Cavaliers young players are going to take that next step, they’re going to need to rely on Allen to take that next step, similar to Capela has, and emerge as a definite top 10 center in the NBA.
Respect to Allen on his improvement, who ranked as 17th on our top 30 NBA centers for the 2020-2021 NBA season rankings.
9. Jonas Valančiūnas- New Orleans Pelicans
Jonas Valančiūnas was one of the most underrated players in the NBA last season. Valančiūnas’s presence as a top 10 NBA center and veteran leadership helped the Grizzlies make the playoffs for the first time in years. Being paired with Williamson in New Orleans should make things challenging for opposing teams.
While his primary focus is to help take offensive pressure off of Williamson, he is a very capable scorer when Williamson is off the floor. I’m not sure if New Orleans is the best fit for him. However, if the system there enables him to succeed, Valančiūnas is talented enough to get the job done.
8. Clint Capela- Atlanta Hawks
Capela reemerged as one of the top 10 NBA centers last season, making NBA fans question why Morey traded him in the first place. The Hawks took the world by surprise, playing their way to the eastern conference finals. A huge part of their success can be attributed to Capela’s play in the pick & roll game with Young, and his defensive coverage.
The ideal center for all 30 teams is one who can protect the rim, guard the pick & roll, and athletic enough to run with elite NBA guards.
At times, Capela looks like the fourth best NBA center, leaving the 27 year old room to climb on this list.
7. Nikola Vučević- Chicago Bulls
Nikola Vučević has the talent to hang with the best of them. He is a very talented scorer and a borderline all-star every season. However, one thing worries me about Vučević ‘s ability to stay on the top 10 NBA centers rankings for the 2021-2022 season. When you have a scoring center, you typically need to build your entire offense around him. There is too much uncertainty with the Chicago Bulls, who recently added Lonzo Ball and DeMar DeRozan.
The Bulls still need to prove that their lineup can have the cohesion to get the most out of each of their players next season.
Team chemistry will be essential to Vučević ‘s success, as well as the Bulls.
As you all can probably tell, I have my doubts.
6. Deandre Ayton- Phoenix Suns
Heading into writing this article, I was certain that I would rank Ayton above Adebayo. However, the more I looked into it, the more I began to question just how good Ayton could be. Phoenix’s offensive system trusts the ball with their guards who are under pressure to make the right plays. This leaves little room for Ayton to have much flexibility in the offense. His options are often predefined based on where Paul feeds him the basketball.
Ayton took big strides last season in terms of efficiency, decision making, and defensive energy. He was a big part of the Suns’ ability to make it to the NBA finals. He has the ability to climb up to the third best NBA center ranking in the next few years.
5. Bam Adebayo- Miami Heat
Erik Spoelstra’s offense, which predicated on ball movement, ranked no.1 in AST% last season. The ball movement enabled the Heat to get the most out of their players, for the most part, all season. However, their no.1 AST% ranking could not be possible without Adebayo’s skillset and unselfishness.
He is an efficient scorer who the Heat are capable of running their entire offense through if they wanted to. His only weakness is that he is under sized. He is generously listed as 6’9, making it difficult for him to guard the NBA’s premier big men. While he is more athletic than some of the guys ahead of him, his size is the only thing holding him back from climbing on this list.
Worth noting, Adebayo is only 24 years old with a lot of room to grow.
4. Karl-Anthony Towns
Karl-Anthony Towns has the skillset to be the best center in basketball. However, his attitude and questionable passion of the game have prevented Towns from flourishing. The Timberwolves have cursed themselves with a culture of losing. Since firing Tom Thibodeau, both the Timberwolves and Towns have struggled.
Towns and the Timberwolves both have a culture problem, with a lot to prove. A little humility and hard work would go a long way for Towns and the Timberwolves.
With an attitude adjustment, Towns has both the athleticism and skillset to be a dominant NBA center for the 2021-2022 season.
3. Rudy Gobert- Utah Jazz
Perhaps no player in the NBA is unfairly criticized than and beaten up on NBA Twitter than Rudy Gobert. Gobert is one of the best defensive players, not just right now, but in NBA history. He is a passionate, high energy, and gifted defender. The Utah Jazz are a formidable defensive team with him, and abysmal without him.
Understanding Gobert’s greatness as as simple as watching the Utah Jazz of French Basketball play with vs without him.
The only thing preventing Gobert from climbing, is the fact that he is nowhere near as offensively gifted as the next two guys on the top 10 NBA centers list for the 2021-2022 season.
2. Joel Embiid- Philadelphia 76ers
Joel Embiid is currently the best two way center in the NBA. His versatility and skillset warrant comparisons to Hakeem Olajuwon. In fact, Embiid may have a deeper offensive arsenal as he constantly proves with his perimeter scoring. Unfortunately, his perimeter skillset often derails him from being dominant in the post when his team needs him to be.
The 76ers struggles, despite their depth, shines a negative light on numerous players, including Embiid. While Embiid is considered the best NBA center by many fans on twitter, he is going to need to do a couple additional things to be ranked as the best NBA center on my list.
Embiid is going to need to be available and dominate in the playoffs. NBA twitter can blame Simmons for the 76ers struggles all they want, I think there is enough blame to go around. Quite simply, Embiid got outplayed by Trae Young.
Nikola Jokić only gets outplayed by proven generational talent.
1. Nikola Jokić- Denver Nuggets
Nikola Jokić is once again the best center in basketball. For the second year in a row, he is ranked as the best center in the NBA. Jokić is proof that the center position has evolved more than any other. The Denver Nuggets, a consistent top tier offensive team, run their entire offense through their star center. Jokić has continued to improve year after year, which enabled him to earn the league’s highest honors, MVP.
Jokić, unlike many other stars, did not campaign for himself. Despite his tremendous skillset and well deserved success, he consistently thanked and honored his teammates.
We love a humble MVP.
What do you think about our top 10 NBA center rankings for the 2021-2022 season?
One thing we have seen is that the rankings can shake up several times throughout the NBA season. I’m sure this list will look a lot different in a few months.
Care to debate who the top centers in the NBA are right now?
Tweet me @TPRx11.