Over the last few years, fears of the center position becoming redundant have become a hot topic amongst NBA fans. So when a season has so many promising centers it is worth discussing.
For the 2022 season, centers are becoming the main focal point when it comes to NBA lines odds. This is because all of a sudden we have some serious contenders for MVP awards out on the court.
So we have compiled a list of the 8 centers we believe will dominate the 2022 season.
1. Nikola Jokic
There is no doubt that Jokic deserves the number 1 spot on our list. Already he is showing himself to be an all-time great and we are sure his skills will improve over time.
Jokic is mainly known for his quick hands and instincts on the court, this helped him earn the record for the fastest triple-double at 14 minutes and 33 seconds.
So far he has won 2 league MVP awards in a row which demonstrates how talented he really is. Jokic also secured a silver medal at the 2016 summer Olympics.
He was honored to the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 2016 and has been named NBA All-Star four times.
2. Joel Embiid
If it wasn’t for Jokic, there is no doubt that Embiid would have some MVP awards. His skills in defense are incredible and he plays particularly well in the post.
Embiid had a slow start to his NBA career due to injuries but that didn’t stop him from showing off his talents. Despite only playing 31 games due to his injuries, Embiid was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 2017.
Throughout his career, Embiid has been named NBA All-Star five times, All-NBA Second Team four times, and NBA All-Defensive Second Team three times.
In the 2021-22 season, Embiid led the NBA in scoring.
3. Bam Adebayo
Adebayo is an incredibly versatile player, he is known by many as the most switchable defender.
This incredible defense allowed him to be named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team three times and helped him win a gold medal at the 2020 summer Olympics.
He got his first NBA All-Star honors in 2020 and we are sure he will be further up this list in the coming years if he becomes more willing to shoot threes.
4. Rudy Gobert
Gobert is a powerhouse of a defender and is considered by many to be one of the best rim defenders.
Due to his defensive skills, Gobert was named Defensive Player of the Year three times and honored six times to the All-Defensive First Team
He led the NBA in blocks in the 2016-17 season and then later in the 21-22 season he led the NBA in rebounds.
Throughout his career, Gobert has receded three All-Star campaigns and has been honored four times to the All-NBA Team.
Although his defensive plays are incredible, Gobert will need to show some offensive skills in order to rise further up our list.
5. Deandre Ayton
Ayton was considered one of the top prospects of the 2017 recruiting class and for good reason. He became the first pick for Phoenix in the 2018 draft and since then has been showing his skills as an incredible center.
During his on-season games, Ayton is one of the best finishers in the NBA, especially near the basket. These skills led him to achieve the NBA All-Rookie First Team award in 2019.
Unfortunately, Ayton is rather inconsistent and doesn’t show his full skills during the off-season games. We hope he remedies this so we can put him higher on our list.
6. Jarrett Allen
With his incredibly long arms, Allen is a fantastic shot blocker which makes him a great defensive center.
He received his first NBA All-Star honors in 2022.
Allen was a part of the controversial four-team trade in 2021 for James Harden which led Allen to be the center for Cleveland.
7. Karl-Anthony Towns
In the 2015-16 season, Towns showed himself to be a formidable rookie earning himself the Rookie of the Year award and being honored to the NBA All-Rookie First Team.
Since his incredible start to the NBA, Towns has also been named NBA All-Star three times and has been honored to the All-NBA Third Team twice.
In 2022, Towns further showed off his talents after becoming the NBA Three-Point Contest Champion.
8. Robert Williams III
Williams has an impressively large wingspan, which leads him to be an equally impressive defender. More specifically, Williams is an incredible rim-running defender.
Pre-NBA, Williams was named the SEC Defensive Player of the Year twice in a row.
Williams received his first honors in 2022 to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team.
Conclusion
Each of these centers brings something new to the table and is helping NBA fans re-learn the importance of the center position.
Their versatile talents are what make them stand out on the court and we are so excited to see what they will bring to the next season as they continue to grow.
