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NBA: Ranking the NBA’s Top 10 Current Centers

By Blake Holmes

Apr 10, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Utah Jazz forward Trevor Booker (33) guards Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) in the third quarter at the Pepsi Center. The Jazz defeated the Nuggets 100-84. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 10, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Utah Jazz forward Trevor Booker (33) guards Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) in the third quarter at the Pepsi Center. The Jazz defeated the Nuggets 100-84. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 24, 2016; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Detroit Pistons center Andre Drummond (0) walks to the bench during the second quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers in game four of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Cavs win 100-98. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 24, 2016; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Detroit Pistons center Andre Drummond (0) walks to the bench during the second quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers in game four of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Cavs win 100-98. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports /

Starting out the top five, it’s the Detroit Pistons center Andre Drummond.

When it comes to a big man carrying a team in the Eastern Conference, there isn’t a better fit to that than Andre Drummond. He’s been in the league for four years now, but last year the Pistons barely made the playoffs in the Eastern Conference, taking the number eight slot in the bracket. You may be asking, what significance does this make? The answer is that the Pistons’ playoff chances were basically depending fully on the play of their center. Yes, the Pistons have a few other play-makers and potentially good players, but when your arguably second best player is Reggie Jackson, they did not look like a likely playoff team. During the last season, Drummond averaged about 16 points and 15 rebounds per game. That is mind-boggling, as he almost averages more rebounds than he does points! He holds a career field goal percentage that stands at about 55 percent, so he is also very efficient with his chances at the basket.

One of the only things that is a glaring weakness to him is his free throw performance, which in short, is terrible. He holds a career free throw percentage at 38 percent, which means he makes less than half of his free throws. In the 2015-2016 season, he averaged 7.2 free throws attempted per game. He would only make 2.9 of them. His free throw performance is definitely something that Drummond should look to improve going into this season’s campaign.

He has the tools to take the Pistons back to the playoffs, and be one of the best centers in the NBA.

Next: 4. DeAndre Jordan

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