NBA 2016-17 Season News: 5 Best Centers Include DeMarcus Cousins, Marc Gasol
The NBA today is characterized by 'small ball' and 'pace and space', the brand of basketball made prominent by the Golden State Warriors. That is due to the prevalence of highly-athletic and skilled guards in today's league; perhaps no other era in the history of NBA has this so much talent in the back court.
Still, having a strong center is beneficial to the team. A great center can provide protection and assistance during the game. Here are the top 5 centers in the NBA to look out for in the 2016-17 Season.
1. DeMarcus Cousins
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DeMarcus Cousins is the best center in NBA right now, hands down. He has a plethora of moves around the basket and has other basketball skills beyond those aligned to the traditional center position.
DeMarcus Cousins averaged 26.9 points and 11.5 rebounds last season for the Sacramento Kings, the best numbers of his career. He has been an NBA All-Star player for the past two seasons, and is currently playing for Team USA in the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics.
2. Marc Gasol
Marc Gasol plays for the Memphis Grizzlies. At 7'1" and 255 pounds, he already has the size to dominate the paint in both offense and defense. He is also a skilled man posing as a constant offensive threat.
Gasol averaged 16.6 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.8 assists last season, but he only played in 52 games due to an injury.
While working on his recovery from the injury, he couldn't play for Spain in the 2016 Rio Olympics. However, this rest should help him prepare for the NBA 2016-17 season, which is great news for Grizzlies fans.
3. Andre Drummond
In some people's list, Andre Drummond could be the best center in the NBA. That's because he has an incredible skill set.
Some of his skills include incredible rebounding (which can be attributed to his 6'11" frame with a 7'5" wingspan), ability to block shots, great at dribbling the ball, shooting consistency, and so much more. At a a young age of 22, it's scary to realize he has yet to reach his peak.
Drummond averaged 16.2 points, 14.8 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game.
4. Hassan Whiteside
Seven-foot, 265-pound Hassan Whiteside is just 27 years old and yet, he has maintained a level of excellence in the past seasons. This got him considered as one of the best centers in the NBA. Last year, Whiteside averaged 14.2 points and 11.8 rebounds per game, and is also a defensive monster in the paint, with 3.7 blocks per game. He led the league in blocks last season.
5. DeAndre Jordan
Jordan averaged 12.7 points, 13.8 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game last season. Great stats for an 8-year veteran player who still dazzles with high-flying dunks and alley-oops from Chris Paul and the Los Angeles Clippers.
Jordan is currently playing in the Rio Summer Olympics for Team USA Basketball.
