Top 10 NBA Centers Today

We rank the top 10 NBA centers and unpack what actually drives impact at the position: spacing, rim protection, passing, and fit. From Vucevic’s steady floor to Jokic’s genius, we test old assumptions and spotlight the rising wave headlined by Wembanyama and Duren.

• Why shooting and playmaking reshape the five
• How rebounding and rim deterrence still travel
• Where Vucevic, Hartenstein, Gobert, and Zubac add value
• Why Porzingis changes geometry when healthy
• Duren’s strength, motor, and midrange upside
• Towns as an elite stretch five despite defense doubts
• Wembanyama’s shot blocking and strength timeline
• Embiid’s dominance and availability question
• Jokic’s unmatched playmaking and efficient scoring
• Key honorable mentions and community rankings

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Transcript

Opening And Episode Setup

SPEAKER_00 0:00

What's up, everybody? It's your favorite show's favorite show, get a bucket. I'm your host, Trey, as usual. I hope you're all having a wonderful, wonderful day. Now, if y'all don't know by now, we're talking about the top 10 NBA centers. And again, like centers. I said centers, right? Or did I say centers? My bad. I hope I said centers. It's the accent. I just want to make sure y'all got it. But yeah, we're talking about the centers, okay? So we've talked about the point guards, the shooting guards, the small forwards, the power forwards. Now we got what? The big men, the centers. Exactly. So top 10. Number 10. Y'all know how this goes by now. I got Nikola Vusevich. Now, okay, hear me out. Hear me out. Hear me out. Vusi, yes, he's getting older, right? But he still got good skill to him. He still got good skill to him. Still be a solid rebounder and a quality playmaker. Plus, he's not bad as a defender. He can give you some good rim protection. Like, I ain't gonna say he's trash. I'm gonna say he's he's he's respectable. He's solid. He's decent. He's good. You know what I mean? But as a scorer, too, though, he can score on the block. He can face up game, mid-range, can step out to the three-point line. Like, buddy got a nice little repertoire in him. I can't hold you. So again, ladies and gentlemen, number 10, Nikola Vusevich. Like, until some of these bigs start getting a little bit better, a little bit older, a little bit more mature, because again, bigs take about five years to develop, to mature. So once that happened for a couple of these guys, then alright, cool, we'll talk about it. But in the meantime, Nikola Vusevich at number 10, I don't think that's that bad. But again, ladies and gentlemen, that I'll let you, I I want to hear from y'all what y'all think. Anyways, we're gonna move on up to number nine, which is Isaiah Hartenstein. I did not mean for that to rhyme, but I'm not I'm not trying to keep it going. I promise you, it was not scheduled. I'm I'm I'm I'm being genuine right now. But Isaiah Hartenstein at number nine, OKC has a quality center because here's the thing: he's a star in his own role. Nicola Vusevich actually has more skill than Isaiah Hartenstein. But Isaiah Hartenstein does play with a lot of heart. I'm not saying Vusey don't either, but Hartenstein will get a lot of rebounds. He also will play make, and he has better defense than Voosey. And uh respectably, whatever role Niku, whatever team like he's on the Celtics, right? He's not gonna be getting the amount of points that he normally would. He's gonna have an Isaiah Hartenstein sort of role. So I think Isaiah Hartenstein can flourish a little bit more because of his defensive tenacity. That's just me. Again, Boosey has more skill, but they both rebound pretty well. Hartenstein out rebounds them, gives you similar production in terms of playmaking. So I'm just saying defense, it kind of leans Hartenstein. But again, if you have a gripe with that, I hear you. Let's move on up, though. Number eight, Rudy Gobert. Now, hear me out, right? Rudy's a quality defender. We we we got to call Spade of Spade. Still at this time in the game, he's still a good rim protector. And at times he will give you about 15 to 20 points a game. The rebounds is where he does it, though, for me. Rebounds and defense. Plus, he's been playing fairly consistently this season, too. Now, I think he's still a little stronger than Isaiah Hartenstein. We can say that Isaiah Hartenstein, yes, he gives you more playmaking. He can match Rudy in terms of scoring. I think Rudy Gobert is still the better rebounder and the better defender. I genuinely do. If you have a gripe with that, I I don't know what to hear you. I don't know what to tell you. Like, I think Rudy Gobert could still potentially, I don't think he's going to, but could win a de-poy. I don't know if Isaiah Hartenstein is going to win a de-poy, respectfully. I genuinely don't. If you think Zoku, but like, I don't know. I don't know. But again, Rudy Gobert at number eight. If you have a gripe with that, I'd love to hear why. But we're gonna move it on. We're gonna keep this pushing and move on up. Number seven, Iveca Zubok. Now hear me out. I love Zubi. Alright. I miss Zubi on my Lakers. It was a wonderful time. I miss it. I genuinely do. I knew he was a double-double machine at that point in time, ladies and gentlemen. I was just waiting for it to happen. And that's what he still is. And I think on the Pacer squad, it could be a little interesting. Paired with Pascal Sialcom, paired with Tyree Talliburton, you get a nice little half-court game or transition. I think something's about to happen for Vuzi. I mean, for uh for Zubi. Because again, Zubi and a we've seen Zubi work with a pass first point guard. Well, he's supposed to be. James Harden, he was working real well with Zubi. Tyree Talliburton can do very similarly. He's more of a pass first point guard than James Harden is. So again, ladies and gentlemen, Aveca Zubak still gives you double doubles, still can play make a little bit, defends pretty well, and gets you, like I said, a bunch of rebounds. Because the man does breathe double doubles. But if you have a problem with Zubi being number seven, okay, cool. I hear it. But I want to know where y'all rank all these guys. But we're gonna move on up. Number six, Chris Dops Porzingis. Listen, the unicorn when healthy is arguably better than some of these players that I'm gonna list off. But I respectfully have to put him at number six. Because again, some of these players do a little bit more than Christophs. Now, Chris Dops can score pretty well at a decent clip. He can stretch the floor out, 7-3, 7-2, can defend pretty well, solid rim protector. When he's healthy, he's very helpful. Like if he can remain healthy for the playoffs, the Warriors in him have something. They could have something. They can make some things a little interesting. Christoph Sportzingas, like I said, he scores a little bit better than everybody that we have on this roster so far. Defends at a similar-ish level. He does not rebound the same. It does not play make, but again, his scoring is by far better than everybody. So again, when I'm looking at it, I gotta say the margin is that wide and capped and coupled with the defense. Yeah. Chris Tops at number six. We gotta have it there. Now, number five. Jalen Durin, right? All-star this season. Well deserved. Well deserved. The man is strong as an ox, and it is ridiculous. Like the the brother is strong. Okay, he's young, too. Thoroughbred. Like, it's ridiculous. And he's just a walking double-double. Like, if he were to ever get a reliable, consistent mid-range. I'm talking about one of them jumps like KG. Not KD, KG, Kevin Garnett. If he gets one of them, oh, it could be interesting. It could be interesting. And the quality defender. Really good rim protector. Like, I mean, I I ain't gonna lie to you. I would be very curious to see how he does against Jokic. Jokic would win out of this, just because he has skill. Right? But like Jalen Duran would be able to throw some strength at him, though. So that would I'd be curious if he tires out Jokic, meaning, because Jalen Durin kind of strong. And he about the same height. So that would be an interesting one. But Jalen Duran, number five, one of the younger players on this list. That's kind of scary when you think about it, because he has a solid ceiling. And sometimes I question should I keep him behind number four, which is called Anthony Towns. Now, Kat was an all-star this season, right? Some people are wondering why. I understand it, right? Both of you wondering why and why he was an all-star. Kat is a center that can, I mean, you can question if he should be a power forward or not, but either way, he's been slated as a center. Stretch five, can play make a little bit. We can question his defense, but respectfully, his offense surpasses all of these guys. Every single last one of them. And I mean, it's by a very sizable margin, personally. Plus, he can rebound with the best of them. And again, his playmaking, it ain't that far off from like Avoosi or Hartenstein. So, like, for me personally, Carl Anthony Towns at number four. I don't think that's that bad. Now, it's gonna be funny too, because number three and number two I can interchange. But it's funny because when I like when we're talking about everybody healthy, there can be arguments made for either of these players. But Wimby, Victor Wimbyama, is number three for me. Now, again, this was his all-star year. I know y'all wonder who's number two, number one. But Wimby for me, ladies and gentlemen, he still is trying to figure it out. Remember, he's about 7'5, right? Easily, easily one of the tallest players in the league. The most agile player at that height. League league leader in blocks. Like the man is still young in the game. And when he gets stronger the way Giannis did in like year four, maybe year five. I'm thinking year four, but possibly year five. That's when we're gonna really see some stuff happen. And he's already doing some stuff right now. But Wimby still got to get a little bit stronger because respectfully, these other guys can kind of get him off his spot. And sometimes that kind of derails what you're trying to do. Like some of the games, he he he seems out of it. He shoots low percentages because he can't really get the right footing. Again, he's taller than everybody. So he should be able to get 25 every night, not just average it, but every night. And I get it, sometimes you can't get 25. I hear you. But he shouldn't have like single-digit games unless he's injured. Because again, he has that much skill. So again, he got a little bit of work to do. He got a little bit of work. But he can match Kat in terms of scoring. Much better defender. Playmaking depends on the day. Rebounding, I might lean Wimby. I might. But again, you got a gripe with that? Alright, cool. I hear you. I'm curious where you want Wimby to go. Just like Kat. But we're gonna hang going up to number two, which I feel like this one's gonna get the most controversy. But Joel and B. Alright, hear me out. Just hear me out. Just hear me out, right? Because yes, Joel and B is consistently injured, okay? I hear you. When healthy though, and and kind of sort of when he's still injured, weirdly enough, he he he does give you about 30 points a game. He does give you about 11 to 12 rebounds, maybe 10. 8 to 12, I'll say 8 to 12. That's a solid range. And he's been in, he's been up, he's been up in the assist. Like I gotta give him credit. He's been up in the assist. And the man has been a very good shot, like rim protector. Like very good shot blocker. So again, when healthy, easily number two. And when he about 70-80%, I wonder how I wonder how healthy he was when he dropped 71 on Wimby. I'm just saying. Like, oh 70 on Wimby. I'm just saying. Like he was he 100% at that time. Cause again, the man is still about what 280? Shem one and nimble. Got good touch. Excellent scoring. Did y'all hear me when I said he dropped 70 plus? Like, come on now. And got good defense too. Ladies and gentlemen, Joel and B was healthy, especially is number two for me. And when injured, depending on how injured, is still arguably number two. Until when we get a little stronger, then we can have another conversation. But in the meantime, we're gonna go up to number one. Now, if you got a gripe, let me know. I'd love to hear it. But number one, obviously, Jackson Hayes. Now I'm joking, I'm disrespectful. He's on my team. Shout out, Jackson. You're a solid backup, big man, right? But number one, Nicola Jokic. Now he was an all-star. Okay? He did not play more than five minutes. And that was because due to injury, right? Hear me out though. Jokic is easily the best center in the game. We already know that. Offensively, what he brings to the table, like it. I know I mentioned DeMontis Sabonis at one point in time, right? And you're wondering why shouldn't he have been higher? Nicola Jokic is actually able to shoot the ball a lot better and way more efficiently than DeMontis Abonis. Plus, he can actually guard the rim a little bit better than DeMontes does. Or at least had, has. And he's actually a better defensive player, in my opinion. He's able to steal the ball a little bit better than DeMontes. I don't know what to tell you. Like, the man has been, he's been on the tear. Like, people think he should have won three MVPs in a row. I don't, but again, some people do. But he he he at least earned the right for people to say that, though. Like I can give them that. Like he earned the right to be MVP each season. Just like some other people did too, though. But Nicola Jokic, best center in the game, respectfully, if they get one, if he's healthy, and if Aaron Gordon comes back healthy, there's a real chance that we could see the Nuggets in the finals, ladies and gentlemen. Because he is that dangerous. He is that dangerous. So again, Nicola Jokic, number one as a center, I don't think that was really that tough, right? That's a solid, that's a solid no-brainer. Now keep in mind, if you have some gripes with any of the players that I mentioned, I mean, I do have some honorable mentions, right? Like Derek Lively, Jared Allen, Alex Sarr, Mitchell Robinson, Walker Kessler, Donovan Klingon, Zach Edy, Derek Queen, Nicholas Claxton, Mark Williams, DeAndre Ayton, Kell L. Ware, Wendell Carter Jr., Brooke Lopez, Andre Drummond. Like, we got some honorable mentions. All right, cool. So if you feel like any of those guys are better centers than the ones that I mentioned, then I would love to hear your thoughts. But and please comment below. But ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, that does conclude the end of the episode. So please make sure to like, subscribe, comment, tell anyone who's anyone about the show. My name is Shrey. I'm the host of Good A Bucket. I hope you are all having a good one. Take care.