Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid are the two best centers in the NBA for the 2022-23 season.
Credit: Fadeaway World
With less than 25 games left for each team in the 2022-23 season, it is time to wrap up our series of ranking the players at every position by tiers. For a long time after the golden age of centers ended during the 2000s, the position has had to fight its way back into prominence. With two top-five players in the NBA being centers, I would say that it has begun to do just that. Having a center that is toward the top of the league at their position is vital to team success as has been proven over the years. A big man who can defend the basket at an elite level or have the offense run through him on the other end is crucial for any team wishing to compete for an NBA championship.
You have seen us rank every position for the 2022-23 season from point guard to power forward but now, it is time to talk about the real big men in the middle, or on the perimeter as well. These 30 centers are the best in the NBA among starters and the ones that come in relief off the bench. They are the elite rim protectors and scorers as well as playmakers and passers at their position. The center position wants its respect back and with these 30 players, it might just come sooner rather than later.
These are the best NBA centers by tiers for the 2022-23 season.
Tier 5
Dwight Powell, Kevon Looney, Jalen Duren, Jaylin Williams, Zach Collins, Precious Achiuwa
Tier Five starts things off with some of the lower-level starters and more solid backup centers in the game today. We start things off with Dwight Powell of the Dallas Mavericks. Powell has had a down season being on the lower end of things offensively as he is attempting just 3.6 shots per game and averaging 6.9 PPG as well as 4.3 RPG. His main role is to serve as the screen setter in pick-and-roll situations with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving almost as a decoy. His defensive abilities are pretty subpar, especially as an undersized big in today’s game.
I think that we are all still hungover from Kevon Looney’s exemplary play against the Mavericks in last year’s NBA playoffs and his play throughout the rest of them as well. Looney is a tough and physical presence in the paint who fights for rebounds and has no fear of any opponent he is matched up with. On the season, Looney is averaging 7.0 PPG but is adding 9.1 RPG which is a career-high for the eight-year center in Golden State. Looney has been instrumental in keeping the Warriors’ season afloat despite their perimeter-based offensive attack.
As for 19-year-old rookie Jalen Duren, he has impressed so far in his 52 appearances for the Detroit Pistons. Duren and the Pistons have struggled all season with injuries and depth issues but the young man has impressed all who have followed his rookie season so far. Duren is finishing 64.5|% of his shots for 8.5 PPG and has also pulled down 8.7 RPG. He has accumulated 20 games with at least 10 rebounds and four games with at least 15 rebounds. In a recent win over the Spurs, Durant had his first 30-pint game in which he also pulled down 17 rebounds.
Jaylin Williams has been one of the unexpected surprises of the 2022-23 season. The 20-year-old rookie has impressed on both sides of the court and has been an incredibly impactful defender despite the numbers not being as high as they could be. As a rookie, Williams has already shown that he has the ability to learn and improve as time goes on. It will be interesting to see what his time on the court looks like when the Thunder gets Chet Holmgren back for the 2023-24 season.
From 20202 thru 2021-22, Zach Collins played just 39 games for the Trail Blazers and Spurs. Now, seemingly healthy, Collins is having a career year with San Antonio which isn't saying much but it is a step up from where things have been. Collin is currently averaging a career-high 10.1 PPG as well as 6.0 RPG in 51 games for San Antonio in 2022-23. With the trade of Jakob Poeltl, it looks as if Collins will remain with the Spurs for 2023-24 either as their starter or a backup to phenom Victor Wembanyama if the Spurs are lucky enough to claim the number one overall pick.
The final member of Tier Five will be Precious Achiuwa of the Toronto Raptors. The third-year center has made some strides in his game in 2022-23 but not yet enough to lift him onto Tier Four. He is averaging a career-high in points with 10.1 PPG and has also pulled down 6.5 RPG. However, he is only shooting 47.9% from the field and as a big man, it has to be better than that if it is going to positively impact the team. There is a reason the Raptors went out and acquired Jakob Poeltl at this year’s trade deadline.
Tier 4
Alperen Sengun, Al Horford, Ivica Zubac, Wendell Carter Jr., Walker Kessler, Steven Adams, Clint Capela, Jusuf Nurkic, Mitchell Robinson, Jakob Poeltl
Tier Four for our best 2022-23 centers is a step up from the players in Tier Five and is filled with new faces and veterans who have taken a small step back in their careers. Alperen Sengun is one of the game’s brightest young players and has taken a massive step forward in his game despite being stuck on one of the league’s worst teams, the Houston Rockets. Sengun has implemented a playmaking aspect into his game that has made him a serious triple threat on the offensive side of the ball. He is averaging 14.8 PPG and 8.7 RPG in 56 appearances this season.
As amazing and beloved as Horford has been in Boston, especially on defense, there is no denying that his game has taken a step backward in 2022-23. He has filled a role nicely for Boston as Robert Williams recovered from injury earlier in the year and his offensive numbers have taken a slight dip as well. Despite that, Horford has been key for Boston in their pursuit of another run to the NBA Finals this year. Horford has played 48 games for the Celtics this season and is averaging 9.4 PPG, 6.1 RPG, and 0.9 BPG.
One of the brighter spots for the Los Angeles Clippers this season has been the drastic improvement of Ivica Zubac. He has been much more aggressive and physical in the paint for his team this year, something the Clippers had been missing for quite some time. For the first time in his career, Zubac is averaging a double-double with 10.2 PPG and 10.1 RPG in 60 starts this year. He has also been a much-improved interior defender and has added 1.3 BPG to his already impressive stat line.
Wendell Carter Jr. has been impressive ever since he was sent to Orlando in the trade that returned Nikola Vucevic to the Bulls. He has repeated his offensive output from a breakout season in 2022 with 15.0 PPG again this season. He is shooting 51.7% from the floor and has upped his three-point percentage to 34.0%. The Magic are extremely young and inexperienced at this point in time but Carter is one of the future stars that will help them climb out of this hole they have been in for some time.
One of the great rookie stories this season has been Walker Kessler of the Utah Jazz. Kessler has been an incredible defensive presence for Utah and is averaging 2.2 BPG making him one of only five players to average 2.0 BPG or better in the NBA this season. He has also added 8.2 PPG and 8.0 RPG on 70.9% shooting from around the basket. Kessler is certainly someone the Jazz will hang onto during this interesting rebuild process that has seen them be far more successful than many anticipated. Walker Kessler’s emergence as a true defensive threat has been a big part of that surprise.
The game’s greatest enforcer comes in Tier Four as well with Steven Adams of the Memphis Grizzlies. Adams is someone that every team could use to fill their frontcourt as he has shown to be the ultimate team player. Adams excels at dirty work such as being physical in the paint and grabbing rebounds at a high rate. He isn't the offensive force he once was but his leadership and defensive qualities have done enough to keep him on this tier for now.
Clint Capela of the Atlanta Hawks comes up on Toier Four as well although he could make his way to Tier Three if you want to put him there. Capela is also averaging a double-double this season with just over 12.0 PPG and 11.0 RPG. Capela has been inconsistent for most of the season as he has dealt with nagging injuries that just haven’t seemed to have gone away. The Hawks are in a weird situation as well with Capela as he is under contract through 2025 for a little over $20 million per season.
Jusuf Nurkic is someone who when healthy, is easily a Tier Three player. However, the key is when healthy because Nurkic has struggled in that department a fair amount. Nurkic has missed 16 games in 2022-23 with a calf issue that has lingered all season. He is averaging 13.8 PPG and 9.4 RPG in 45 starts thus far and is shooting the ball at 52.4%. Nurkic is key to the Trail Blazers’ frontcourt and will need to remain healthy if they hope to even have a chance at the play-in tournament this season.
As for Mitchell Robinson, his defensive impact has been a breath of fresh air for the New York Knicks as they too battle for a spot in the NBA playoffs. Robinson is one of the game’s most talented interior defenders and is extremely athletic for a player his size. For a guy who doesn't take a ton of shots, his shooting is good as he shoots 69.6% from the field and is averaging 7.5 PPG. He has also added 9.2 RPG, a career-high, and 1.8 BPG for New York as they have been a nice surprise in the league this season.
The final member of Tioer Four will be Jakob Poeltl, former of the Spurs, and currently of the Toronto Raptors. Poeltl was great for the Spurs in four and a half seasons there and was one of the NBA’s most coveted targets at this year’s trade deadline. In seven games with Toronto, Poeltl has continued to have success. He is averaging 14.1 PPG, 8.9 RPG, and 2.0 BPG in those seven appearances and the Raptors seem to have benefited greatly from bringing their former player back to town.
Tier 3
Jarrett Allen, Brook Lopez, Kristaps Porzingis, Rudy Gobert, Nic Claxton, Robert Williams III, Nikola Vucevic
One year after making his first All-Star appearance, Jarett Allen has played magnificently for the rejuvenated and revived Cleveland Cavaliers. He and Evan Mobley have formed one of the scariest frontcourts in basketball, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Allen and the Cavaliers are pretty much locked into the playoffs at this point, making for a better finish to the season than last year imminent. Allen is currently averaging 14.8 PPG, 9.9 RPG, and 1.3 BPG in 57 games for the Cavaliers this season, already surpassing the 56 games he played in 2022.
Brook Lopez has been one of the best defensive centers in basketball this season. He is alive and well for the Defensive Player of the Year award and has arguably been better than his frontcourt teammate Giannis Antetokounmpo on that side of the ball. The way Lopez revamped his game to become more of a shooter over the last few seasons has been mesmerizing to watch and he will be key to the Bucks’ chances at another NBA championship.
Kristaps Porzingis has finally been healthy for the most part in 2022-23 and it is paying off for the Wizards this season. Now, Washington will most likely miss the playoffs this year but they can be confident in knowing they have found their center for the next season or two. Of course, health is always a concern for Porzingis but when healthy, he is one of the best offensive centers in the game. He is currently averaging 22.8 PPG and 8.6 RPG for Washington in 51 games played which is the most games he has played since 2020.
By most metrics, Rudy Gobert has been a disappointment in his first season with the Minnesota Timberwolves but not enough to fall down any further on our list today. Sure, he is averaging a double-double once again in 2022-23 but his defensive impact has not lived up to the hype of the biggest trade of the offseason. Gobert is also blocking 1.3 shots per game which is far off from his Defensive Player of the Year days. He can still be vital to any postseason success that Minnesota may accomplish but they will need a lot more than Gobert to make any kind of noise.
Nic Claxton has also been one of the best defensive centers in the NBA this season and was leading the Defensive Player of the Year race at one point in time. The fourth-year big man has finally come out of his shell for the Brooklyn Nets and has been as talented as anybody on the offensive glass as well as a lob threat and defender. He is currently averaging a career-high 12.6 PPG, 9.0 RPG, and 2.6 BPG through 57 games for Brooklyn this season.
The only thing holding back Robert Williams III from being the best defender in basketball is his health. It is clear how much he means to Boston’s interior defense every time he misses time for Boston. His lack of offense is made up for by the job he doe defensively not only by getting his hands on the ball but by the way he alters shots as well. Williams has a lot of work to do to move any further up this tier ranking but maybe a defensive masterclass in the NBA Finals will change that.
The final member of Tier Three has to be Nikola Vucevic of the Chicago Bulls. The Bulls seem to be headed for yet another rebuild after the season concludes as they endure an extremely disappointing season in 2022-23. One bright spot for them has been Vucevic who although struggles defensively, has given them some punch on offense. Vucevic is currently averaging 17.8 PPG and 11.4 RPG on 51.7% shooting, his highest shooting percentage since 2019. It will be interesting to see what the market looks like for Vucevic after the season concludes and who, if anybody, is willing to give him a chance.
Tier 2
Bam Adebayo, Domantas Sabonis, Anthony Davis, Deandre Ayton, Myles Turner
When we speak of versatile defenders who can effectively take on all five positions on the basketball court, the first name that comes to mind is Bam Adebayo. He is a nightmare for opponents on the defensive side of the ball even as an undersized center by most standards. In 2022-23, Adebayo is having the best offensive season of his career and was selected as an All-Star as a result. Through 57 games, he is averaging a career-high 21.2 PPPG as well as 9.8 RPG and 1.2 SPG.
Domantas Sabonis has earned the respect he is getting in 2022-23 for the way he and teammate De’Aaron Fox have revitalized the City of Sacramento and the Kings basketball team. Sabonis is Top 10 in the MVP voting right now and rightfully so. He is averaging 18.8 PPG while leading the NBA in rebounds with 12.4 RPG. He has also added even more of a playmaking element to his game and is dishing out 6.9 APG through 59 games played. He has only missed two games in the 2022-23 season despite playing with a thumb injury that will likely mean off-season surgery this summer.
Anthony Davis, when healthy, is still a Top Five center in basketball. He has shown all season long that when he is on the court, he is the guy that every defensive opponent has to take note of. Not only his offense, but his defensive ability has returned to peak form in most instances as well. Davis has to take the reins from LeBron James for the rest of the season and if he can get the Lakers back into postseason play, he could easily be Tier One behind the two guys up there at this point.
Tier Three is when we begin to uncover the top half of the players at the center position this season in the NBA. Deandre Ayton has a clear argument to be Tier Two with the other names there but we have kept him down until further notice. Ayton has been great for Phoenix this season despite the issues that arose when star Devin Booker missed a bunch of games earlier this year. Ayton is averaging 18.7 PPG and 10.1 RPG while shooting the ball at 59.1% from the floor. If he could stop settling for short jumpers and use his frame to dominate defenders, he could easily be a 20.0 PPG scorer heading into the future.
After uncertainty surrounding Myles Turner and where he would play subsided, he has been on a tear for the Pacers in 2022-23. Turner is averaging a career-high 18.2 PPG this season while grabbing 8.0 RPG and blocking 2.3 shots per game as well. The Pacers are in play-in contention because of his emergence as a true big man taking fewer threes than the last two seasons. Turner is still one of the most talented centers on both ends in the NBA this season and has looked better this year than at any other point in his career.
Tier 1
Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid
Both centers that sit in Tier One are two of the top five MVP candidates for the MVP award for the third season in a row. Nikola Jokic is doing things we have never seen from a player at the center position in 2022-23 and is currently coasting to his third straight MVP award. Averaging a triple-double for an entire season has only ever been done by two players in NBA history and Jokic would be the first center to do so if he continues on this path. He has the Nuggets with the best record in the West so far in 2022-23 and a championship could really validate his MVP streak over the last three years.
Joel Embiid is just quite unfortunate to have played at the same time as Jokic. In 2021 and 2022, Embiid finished second to Jokic for the MVP award and looks to be headed there once again in 2023. Embiid is a much better interior defender than Jokic and a much better scorer as well. He is the only center in the NBA to be averaging at least 30.0 PPG and has become one of the more unguardable players in the league. Embiid is averaging 33.0 PPG, 10.4 RPG, 1.1 SPG, and 1.6 BPG so far this season and has the Sixers in a prime position to make some serious noise come playoff time.
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