2011-2012 Top 5 Centers [Votes]

1. Dwight Howard

2. Al Jefferson

3. Marc Gasol

4. Andrew Bynum

5. Roy Hibbert

brook lopez
dwight howard
al jefferson
marc gasol
andrew bynum

marcin gortat and greg monroe.  both are averaging a double-double.  

1. Dwight Howard

2. AndrewBynum (as long as he stays healthy)

3. Marc Gasol

4. Joakim Noah (Can’t teach the intensity he brings on the court defensively, plus with his body, he can guard many positions if needed)

5. Roy Hibbert

* I wish I could put Andrew Bogut in this list, but his lack of health makes me not do so.

 1. Dwight Howard

2. Andrew Bynum

3. Greg Monroe

4. Marc Gasol

5. Demarcus Cousins

6. Al Jefferson

7. Marcin Gortat

 1. Dwight Howard

 2 .Andrew Bynum

3.  Al Jefferson

4. Marc Gasol

5. Joakim Noah

1.  Dwight Howard

2.   Andrew Bynum

3.   Marc Gasol

4.  Al Jefferson

5.  Roy Hibbert

Noah is having somewhat of an off year but is still good for around 10 and 10 a night with a block or so.  His energy and versatility on defense almost made me put him into the top 5.  Consumate veteran Tyson Chandler is right there too and could give Hibbert a run for his money by the end of the year. 

DeAndre Jordan is right there too with 8 points, 9 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks.  He is the perfect center for the Paul/Blake Clippers. 

Brook Lopez is very solid as a center.  He can put up some stats but needs to rebound better. 

Monroe and Cousins are coming on strong as young centers. Both should make a run for an all-star berth in a couple of years.  Andrew Bogut is often injured, but when healthy he can rebound and block shots with anyone.  He can even contribute some points.  Those guys round out the rest of my Top 12.

While the center position is lonely at the top (with Dwight Howard being the only superstar, as compared to the Ewing/Olajuwon/Robinson/Shaq glory years or the Wilt/Russell/Kareem/Nate Thurmond golden era) there are some nice upper tier guys like Gasol and Bynum who would have been solid borderline all-star types in lots of eras.  Centers don’t get as many touches anymore but Gasol and Bynum are very talented and have classic center size. 

The league has a pretty good level of upper-tier/mid-level centers such as Noah, Chandler, Hibbert, Jordan, Al Jefferson, Lopez, Monroe, Cousins, and Bogut as well as McGee, Marcin Gortat, Camby, Chris Kaman, Pekovic, and Nene if he is playing center.  The lower end centers (Perkins and Joel Anthony are, at times, better than their counterparts at pivot) aren’t too great and neither are the backups (Darko, Omer Asik, and Nazr Mohammed are some of the better ones), but there are a lot of good centers in the middle class (not the top guys but the solid 5-15/20 range). 

Almost exactly like tongue outs.

1. Dwight Howard

2. Andrew Bynum

3. Al Jefferson

4. Marc Gasol

5. Greg Monroe

If Andrew Bogut could stay healthy he’d be in the mix as well. Cousins, Noah and Hibbert just miss the cut for me.

1.Dwight Howard

2.Andrew Bynum

3.Marc Gasol

4.Al Jefferson

5.DeMarcus Cousins

1- Dwight Howard

2- Andrew Bynum

3- Marc Gasol

4- Greg Monroe

5- Roy Hibbert

PD: DeMarcus Cousins + not head problems + 2,5-3,0 personals fouls = Best center in the league

1. Howard

2. Bynum

3. M. Gasol

4 and 5 are tough.  There are about 5 guys I want to put there.  Hibbert, Cousins, Monroe, Jefferson, and a healthy Bogut.  Gun to my head I probably go Al Jeff and Hibbert.

Howard, Bynum, Cousins. 

My boy Cousins getting some love finally.

 1. Howard 

2. Bynum

3. Marc Gasol

4. Monroe

5. Jefferson

1. Dwight-Nothing needs to be said here

2. Al Jefferson- He’s had a great year this year, even with Utah slipping in the standings. The reason I have him ahead of Bynum is because as great as Bynum is playing, I don’t think he can be a go-to guy in the low post yet, but he’ll get there. It’s very close between the two, but as of now you have to give Jefferson the nod.

3. Bynum- (See Above)

4. DeMarcus Cousins- He has been absolutly tearing it up this season, 16.5 and 11.5 in 29.5 minutes. Per 36 minutes he’s averaging 20 and 14. He leads the league in offensive rebounds. His Field Goal percentage is still scaringly low for a big man, but he’ll learn. If he continutes to improve, sky is the limit for him.

5. Greg Monroe- Marc Gasol and Roy Hibbert have been playing very well, but Monroe has been playing just as well, albeit it be for a losing team. Monroe is very skilled in the post looks to continue to improve

This list may be viewed as controversial, but I think this is the way it should be.

1. Dwight Howard- obvious choice
2. Andrew Bynum- as he has shown If he can stay healthy he is a beast in the paint
3. Marc Gasol- A beast in the paint especially defensively and probably the best passing big man in the game along with Greg Monroe
4. Al Jefferson- gets no love but consistently averages 18 and 9
5. Toss up between Cousins, Hibbert, Monroe, if I had to pick one it would be Monroe because he can score and pass very well for a big and doesn’t have emotional problems like Cousins has

1. Dwight Howard

2. Andrew Bynum

3. Marc Gasol

4. Al Jeffeson

5. Greg Monroe

 1-Howard

2-Bynum

3-Marc Gasol

4-Hibbert

5-Chandler

I’m shocked Hibbert has made this many top 5 lists.  He’s a good Center but I’m not sure what he does better then Bynum, Gasol, Jefferson, Monroe, Gortat or even Pekovic.  I’d take all those guys over Hibbert as I would Cousins too only I can understand why people would argue against Cousins.  The other 6 I’m not sure how what makes Hibbert better then them.

Hibbert shoots better from mid-range than most C’s.

My list:

1. Howard

2. Bynum

3. M.Gasol

4. Noah

5. Hibbert