The Evolution of the Center Position in the NBA
Being Strong and Dominating Isn’t Enough Anymore, Modern Centers Got to Be Multifunctional Players
Feed the Big Men 🍴
The NBA’s evolution is like watching a caterpillar turn into a butterfly, except this butterfly can dunk from the free-throw line and hit threes like it’s no big deal. The center position, once the domain of towering giants who ruled the paint with an iron fist (and a ton of rebounds), has transformed worthy of a reality TV makeover show.
Gone are the days when “feeding the big man” in NBA games meant watching a 7-footer back down his opponent until the inevitable hook shot or slam.
Now, if you can’t sprint down the court like a gazelle or hit a jumper with the grace of a ballet dancer, you might as well be playing in another era.
Remember the likes of Wilt Chamberlain, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Shaquille O’Neal? These guys were the epitome of the classic center – big, bad, and not someone you’d want to meet in a dark alley (or the low post, for that matter).
Fast forward a bit, and the NBA still had its share of back-to-the-basket bullies like Tim Duncan, Dwight Howard, and Zach Randolph. Shooting? That was for the little guys.
Shaquille O’Neal Footwork 🎥🧵:
Spin, up & under to dunk. pic.twitter.com/wDtBurqJQp
— 🟣🏀 Chris (@HoopSpaces) June 3, 2023
But hold up, because here comes the “pace and space” era, turning traditional basketball wisdom on its head. NBA news outlets witnessed teams like the Golden State Warriors started favoring quick passes and quicker shots over the methodical pounding of the paint.
Suddenly, being a center meant you had to do more than just be tall and tough. You needed to move, shoot, and defend like a Swiss Army knife on sneakers.
Enter the likes of Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid, and Anthony Davis – big men who could be mistaken for guards with their handles and shooting range.
The NBA rumors were true, these guys didn’t just adapt to the new NBA; they became its standard-bearers, blurring the lines between positions in ways that would have made basketball purists spit out their Gatorade in disbelief.
HOW??? Bro I’m convinced Jokic has superpowers because he doesn’t even “react” like other great passers and make a tough pass he’s so calm it’s almost like he completely saw the future and just read it pic.twitter.com/bwanLk0Il0
— Carlos 🟠 (@CarlosBerkley) February 9, 2024
this is a dirty pass from Jokic to Holiday, it is over once Reaves goes over the top and Christie doesn’t switch, that was when Jokic decided where to go with the ball. pic.twitter.com/28GqVw9Srn
— Mo Dakhil (@MoDakhil_NBA) February 9, 2024
But wait, there’s more. The next-gen of centers – Domantas Sabonis, Alperen Sengun, Victor Wembanyama, and Chet Holmgren – are taking the versatility game to new heights.
They’re not just big; they’re agile, skilled, and have a basketball IQ that’s off the charts. They can run, shoot, pass, and defend, making them the ultimate chess pieces in the modern NBA’s high-speed game.
Wemby and Holmgren are fighting to win the ROY award this year and both can be the DPOY one day.
Just look at two defensive plays here. Forced turnover out of nowhere and probably the best defensive recovery in the world right now (blocked shot).
That’s why Wembanyama has no ceiling. Two-way tools are out of this world.pic.twitter.com/V24mNwOhiJ
— Dmitry Planidin (@DmitryPlanidin) October 10, 2023
This isn’t to say the old ways are dead. Posting up is still a thing, but it’s more about finesse and footwork than brute force. Centers today are just as likely to face up and drive or dish as they are to muscle their way to the basket. And let’s not forget defense, where versatility is the name of the game. Being able to guard multiple positions and switch on pick-and-rolls is just as important as protecting the rim.
Imagine trying to iso on Chet pic.twitter.com/7Gc1qgp8AT
— Topic: Thunder Podcast (@OKCTopicThunder) February 5, 2024
So, what does the future hold for NBA centers? If the current trend is anything to go by, we’re in for a wild ride. Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid, and Anthony Davis are making a blueprint, and Sabonis, Sengun, Wemby, and Holmgren are poised to follow their lead and take it to another level! One thing’s for sure, big men aren’t going anywhere; they’re just getting started.
Author: Sin City Sniper
Author: Sin City SniperBusting bookmakers and taking their money is his greatest joy in life. He’s been around the block more than once, knows the players both on and off the field of battle, and uses his experience to serve the bookies a heaping plate of humble pie washed down by a warm glass of their salty tears. You can find him in any number of Vegas books, sniping weak lines and getting paid to do it.
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