NBA Fantasy 2024-25: Center Tiers

There's no question that the center position is not what it once was in the NBA. Names such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell and Shaquille O'Neal, to name a few, are among the best players ever to step on the hardwood. However, the league has changed in recent years, and if it was a big man's league in the late 1990s and early 2000s, it's now a guards' league, meaning the talent at the center position is not as big as it once was.

This is also true for fantasy purposes. Very few centers can be considered elite, and while there are enough options to go around in standard 12-team leagues, once you get past that barrier, the lack of talent becomes apparent. We will organize the centers of the 2024-25 NBA season in tiers, with several players sitting a few steps above the others in terms of quality, upside and overall fantasy impact.

Tier 1: The Unicorn

Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs: There aren't enough adjectives to describe Wembanyama. The 2024 Rookie of the Year and star of the Spurs is often described as a "unicorn" -- a player who can do magical things on the court and who generally leaves fans, and even opposing players, in awe. The same happens with the fantasy managers lucky enough to draft him, regardless of the format. That's the kind of label a player will receive when averaging 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 3.6 blocks and 1.2 steals across 29.7 minutes per game as a rookie. Even though Wembanyama doesn't have the accolades of some of the other star centers in this list, he'll presumably get them eventually. The sky's the limit for him, and since his trajectory shouldn't go anywhere but up, Wembanyama should be a strong pick to go first overall in many fantasy drafts.

Tier 2: A Three-Time MVP

Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets: There's no question that Jokic has a solid case to be named the best player in the league right now, and for good reason -- he has been named the MVP in three of the last four seasons, and in the one he wasn't, he won the title with the Nuggets. Few players in the NBA can impact the game in as many ways as he does on a regular basis, and his versatility on both ends of the court makes him a valuable fantasy asset who should carry any team to title contention. He's arguably the best big man in the league right now and is in the mix to go first overall in many drafts, though he is one tier below Wembanyama solely based on the Frenchman's potential. Jokic's numbers are eye-popping, though. He averaged 26.4 points, 12.4 rebounds, 9.0 assists and 1.4 steals per game in 2023-24, and he's delivered at least 24.5 points, 10.8 rebounds, 7.9 assists and 1.3 steals per game in each of his previous four campaigns. Even though Wembanyama is an excellent choice to be the first overall pick in any draft, fantasy managers also can't go wrong when choosing Jokic.

Tier 3: A Trio of Elite Big Men

Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers

Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers

Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City Thunder

Wembanyama and Jokic are certainly on a different level from the other big men in the league. However, that doesn't mean the "elite" category stops there. Names such as Joel Embiid, Anthony Davis and Chet Holmgren can also be considered elite, although in this case, all three have one thing in common that downgrades them a bit when compared to the duo mentioned above: health issues. Embiid has yet to play 70 games in any regular season in his eight-year career, Davis has logged more than 70 appearances in just one of his five seasons with the Lakers, and Holmgren missed what should've been his rookie year in 2022-23 after suffering a severe injury during a Pro-Am game in the offseason.

However, when looking past the health issues and the recurrent injuries, there's no question the quality is there. Embiid has averaged 32.8 points, 11.0 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.6 blocks and 1.1 steals in 34.0 minutes per game over the last three seasons, while Davis has averaged 25.3 points, 12.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.1 blocks in 34.8 minutes per game over the last two seasons, and Holmgren debuted in the NBA by putting up 16.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.3 blocks per game while starting in each of his 82 regular-season appearances. Embiid and Davis will -- and should -- be drafted ahead of Holmgren in most formats, as they have been more consistent over a longer period. Still, Holmgren is talented enough to operate as the starting center of a contending team in any format. Also, it's worth noting that Holmgren has even more upside than the other two in dynasty formats.

Tier 4: The Stat-Filling Machines

Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat

Domantas Sabonis, Sacramento Kings

Alperen Sengun, Houston Rockets

Myles Turner, Indiana Pacers

Jaren Jackson, Memphis Grizzlies

If you didn't have the chance to grab an elite center in the first two rounds, either due to a lack of possibility or simply because you had a different strategy, don't worry. There are other players who can do an excellent job at the center position without sacrificing star power in other areas. There are four players worth highlighting in this area, and while they can't be considered "elite" yet, they qualify as above-average alternatives. The list includes Bam Adebayo, Domantas Sabonis, Alperen Sengun, Myles Turner and Jaren Jackson. Each of these players can get the job done and deliver above-average numbers in at least two categories, but all of them display some inconsistency or seriously lack quality in at least one category.

Adebayo might be the closest thing to being "elite" on this list, and he averaged 19.3 points, 10.4 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.1 steals in 34.0 minutes per game last year, but his defensive numbers -- particularly as a blocker -- have been trending in the wrong direction in recent seasons, and his scoring is also somewhat lower than expected when considering his usage rate. Sengun is an elite two-way threat who averaged 21.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.2 steals in 32.5 minutes per game during a career-best season in 2023-24, but he isn't much of a rim protector, as he averaged just 0.7 blocks per game last season, and he struggles from three-point range, making 29.7 percent of his shots from beyond the arc on 1.8 attempts per game. Sabonis is a double-double machine and led the NBA in that category with 75 in 2023-24, and while it's hard to ignore the 19.4 points, league-leading 13.7 rebounds and career-high 8.2 assists he averaged over 82 regular-season appearances during the 2023-24 campaign, he's a liability on the defensive end. Turner is an elite shot blocker (averaging at least 1.8 blocks per game in eight consecutive seasons) who has come into his own as a scorer, as he put up 17.1 points per game and shot 35.8 percent from deep in 2023-24, but he's a below-average rebounder for his size (6.9 rebounds per game last season) and doesn't get involved in the playmaking department. Finally, Jackson is a secondary scoring option in the Grizzlies' offensive scheme, but he's elite on the defensive end and should get enough touches to avoid being a liability on offense. Each of these players will be a competent starter for any fantasy team, but they're not as solid across the board as potential alternatives listed in the top three tiers.

Tier 5: Reliable Starting Options

Jarrett Allen, Cleveland Cavaliers

Nic Claxton, Brooklyn Nets

Jalen Duren, Detroit Pistons

Rudy Gobert, Minnesota Timberwolves

What happens if you haven't chosen a starting center by the time the draft reaches the middle rounds? What happens if you need to look at other reliable alternatives? In that case, there are names who can deliver a solid output despite not being elite players who will carry your fantasy team. Names such as Jarrett Allen, Nic Claxton, Jalen Duren and Rudy Gobert can be classified in this group. 

Claxton and Allen are above-average two-way players who can flirt with a double-double every time they step on the floor, while Gobert is another player who can wreak havoc on defense but struggles at the other end. Duren is a massive defensive presence who can be an elite rebounder when he doesn't have foul trouble, but his offensive game needs a bit more development. Any of these players are worthy of being a starter in any fantasy format, though the league settings and the positional needs might be a factor at this point. Allen is one of the best options of this bunch.

Tier 6: Decent Options with Limited Upside

Kristaps Porzingis, Boston Celtics

Brook Lopez, Milwaukee Bucks

Nikola Vucevic, Chicago Bulls

Deandre Ayton, Portland Trail Blazers

Daniel Gafford, Dallas Mavericks

Walker Kessler, Utah Jazz

Finally, there are several players who might be good options to be starters in deep formats, but otherwise, they should be considered solid backup options in standard leagues. These players can deliver value on offense or defense, but neither is enough to be a reliable alternative on both ends of the court. We can find names such as Kristaps Porzingis, Brook Lopez, Nikola Vucevic, Deandre Ayton, Daniel Gafford and Walker Kessler on this list. Porzingis has a strong case to be ranked at least one tier higher, but his recurrent injury history conspires against him. Still, Porzingis proved his value when available for the Celtics in the 2024 NBA Finals, where he was a game-changing presence when he was on the court. They could be options for the final rounds of your draft, but you'd be in a tough situation if any of them are your go-to choice at center. After all, the NBA has a huge gap at the position regarding their star talent and the other alternatives.