Ranking the 10 Best Centres in NBA 2025

The center position in the NBA is part of the fundamental stats in basketball and represents the rebounds and blocks. There are offensive ones and defensive ones, but the ones that keep the opponent at bay are the defensive ones. That's why the centers are often one of the tallest players who have played the sports so far to surpass the height of the power forwards who attack the rim. The 2024-25 season was a rollercoaster ride for the players since the last season's runner-up, the Dallas Mavericks, could not make it to the playoffs.

Amid such turns of competence in just a single season, the centers have also evolved into all-around players rather than just big men who block the rim. The players who adapted to such requirements sooner and performed the best in the current season are present on the list of the top 10 best centers in the NBA right now. So let's move ahead with it.

Ranking Factors

The list that we have prepared to enlist the top centers in the NBA for the 2024-25 season, the following factors have been taken into consideration for the respective players. So the ones who topped them all made it to the number one rank.

• Statistical Performance: Points, rebounds, assists, blocks, shooting percentages.

• Impact on Team Success: How much they add to the winning games.

• Defensive Ability: Rim protection, rebounding, and versatility on defense.

• Offensive Skills: Scoring ability inside and outside the paint, passing, and shooting range.

• Durability and Consistency: Consistent performance and how much they are available to the teams instead of being prone to injury.

• Accolades and Achievements: MVPs, All-Star appearances, All-NBA Teams, etc.

Ranking 10 Best Centers in the NBA Right Now

On the basis of the parameters that have been mentioned above to rank the top centers in the NBA currently, the following players have made it to the table of the top 10 best centers in the NBA right now, as per Sporting News data. These players not only fulfilled their designated role but also nailed the opportunities to score, or to create opportunities on the court, or to help in keeping the ball rolling among the players. Overall, it took more than being a center to make it on the list while excelling at their center duties.

Players like Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid are unlikely to avoid such a list of the best centers in the NBA right now, since they have been dominating the league for a long time. Joker is a generational player who shone the most despite another international star like Victor Wembanyama, who is yet to make a splash and take the San Antonio Spurs to the postseason.

#10: Draymond Green (Golden State Warriors)

Draymond Green is past his prime and was part of the best dynasty ever assembled in the NBA when the Golden State Warriors dominated the league. However, he is not the same anymore, and his health has been a concern for the team. In the 2024-25 season, he missed 15 games, with 10 games just during January 2025, due to back issues. Yet he was able to maintain a 6.1 rebounds and 5.6 assists average in the league at the age of 35 years.

Moreover, he is just 6 feet 6 inches tall, which is shorter than the height of a great center in the league. Yet, if he is not troubled with the players or getting ousted from the hardcourt, he is great at passing the ball around and making the blocks.

#9: Rudy Gobert (Minnesota Timberwolves)

He was much better than Draymond Green in terms of missing games, since he missed only nine games due to his back issue. Yet, the 3x Defensive Player of the Year performed to his standard and did not fall below the 10 rebounds per game mark in the 2024-25 season as well. It was not his best in terms of his previous defensive performances, but Rudy Gobert tallied 10.9 rebounds and 12 points per game during the current season.

He denied the extension that the Minnesota Timberwolves front office was offering him in October 2024. Instead, he decided to sign a three-year extension with the squad and prove his mettle once again. Although he did not surpass the performance from the last six years, there is a chance that he will make a redemption arc better than the current one and make it to the top of the list in 2025-26.

#8: Alperen Senguen (Houston Rockets)

The Houston Rockets have surprised the league in the 2024-25 season and made it to the postseason after missing four straight playoffs. The major reason why they stood out was their star center, Alperen Senguen. He was a round 1 number 16 pick from the 2021 NBA Draft class. However, in just his fourth year of his rookie contract, he had a breakout performance, averaging 19.1 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 4.9 assists as a center.

He has emerged as the most all-around player for the Rockets. The 2024-25 season was the best performance of his career that he has done so far in terms of defensive prowess. On the other hand, his ability to narrate the flow of the game and then also score points is magnificent. That's why he stands eighth on the list of best centers in the NBA right now.

#7: Karl-Anthony Towns (New York Knicks)

It was a transition phase for Karl-Anthony Towns since he shifted from the Minnesota Timberwolves to the New York Knicks for the first time. He even missed eight games due to injuries and other reasons. Yet he banged up the best defensive performance and averaged 24.4 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game. He had a ball in all departments, shooting 42% beyond the arc and 52.6% from the floor.

It was his first time at another team, yet he displayed the best three-point shooting showcase with his seven-foot frame on the Harcourt. He has claimed his spot with pride this year, especially with all the scoring he has done with his new buddies. In addition to it, KAT is increasing his prominence in the league.

#6: Domantas Sabonis (Sacramento Kings)

Domantas Sabonis is like a gem in the NBA and has spent enough time in the league. He has been consistent for a long time, that's why he deserves his spot at sixth on the list of best centers in the NBA right now. Even in the 2024-25 regular season, he averaged 19.1 points, 13.9 rebounds, and 6 assists per game. His playmaking abilities might show to their best in the current season, yet he showcased the best performance of his career in terms of rebounding.

He has been charting up numbers in terms of dominating under the rimw ith his 6 foot and 8 inches stature on the hardcourt. Although his team, the Sacramento Kings, couldn't make it to the postseason, he stands tall in the league individually, and his performance proves he can turn the tide for any team with appropriate teammates.

#5: Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat)

It was Bam Adebayo's year since he first secured the gold medal with the US National Men's Basketball team. For the Miami Heat, he worked as an impact player in the 2024-25 season, tallying 18.1 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 4.3 assists with 35.7% shooting from the three-point line. Adebayo also just missed four games in terms of the current regular season.

He made sure that his performance proved efficient to his team during the clutch moments. That's why he stands in the fifth spot on the list due to his busy schedule, yet consistent appearance throughout the year for his team. Bam has one of the most elite defenses in the league, along with his quick decision-making.

#4: Anthony Davis (Los Angeles Lakers)

Anthony Davis missed a whopping 28 games while playing for the Los Angeles Lakers and the Dallas Mavericks in the 2024-25 season. He was traded mid-season and yet was able to tally 24.7 points, 11.6 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game. It proves why Davis has been one of the most feared defenders in the league despite the fact that he was facing health issues this season.

Due to adductor issues through the 2025 playing time, his playing style depends on the jumping ability, which was affected the most. To bring up the A-game under such circumstances, AD has another year to prove his mettle in the upcoming 2025-26 season. With his 6'8" frame, he might put up another flash of defensive elegance in the next season.

#3: Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio Spurs)

It could have been a breakout season for Victor Wembanyama, but he just missed the rest of the season of 2024-25 due to his shoulder injury. 30 of these games were not played after a shoulder injury, while 6 of them were missed due to his knee and back issues. In his second season as an NBA baller, he tallied 24.3 points, 11 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game.

It could have been so much better for him as the founding of a new NBA star, but his injury was inevitable. Overall, Victor is often termed as the next star of the NBA due to his 7 feet and 3 inches height on the vertical scale, and he stands out due to his potential. However, injuries stooped his ranking to number 3 on the list of best centers in the NBA right now, instead of competing with Nikola Jokic.

#2: Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers)

He is often termed as the slouch baller with stat padding abilities in terms of stat rebounding, and even missed 59 games in the 2024-25 season due to his knee and foot injuries. But in his last three seasons as a Philadelphia 76ers star, we saw him tallying above 30 points per game. The current one was the only season in which he could not touch the mark, and he played the lowest number of games in a season.

With 7 7-foot stature, Embiid is a two-time NBA MVP, along with being the two-time scoring champion during the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons. If he plays healthy, he is excellent as a center who not just scores like a forward but keeps the opponent forward tense about scoring with his continuous blocks and rebounds.

#1: Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets)

Where Joel Embiid fails to dominate in terms of consistency, Nikola Jokic takes the crown of being the best center in the NBA right now. He missed just seven games due to injury and tallied 26.9 points, 12.7 rebounds, and 10.2 assists per game. It is just his performance so far in the National Basketball Association in all three departments that makes him worthy of that crown.

Coming to accolades, he is a three-time NBA MVP and even won the NBA Finals MVP in 2023. In addition to that, Joker even won the NBA Championship with the Denver Nuggets. Arguably, he is the best basketball player in the world right now. He not only curates the games but also the opponent players as per his will and changes the game with his quick hands and passing.