The giant of the basketball team, the center (also known as The Post), is the tallest and often the strongest player on the court. They look to create offensive opportunities close to the basket, whether through a rebound or a pass from a teammate. Centers are critical in guarding the basket, spending their time often as the last line of defense, blocking shots, scoring inside, and securing rebounds.
Key Responsibilities
Centers must be proficient in guarding the basket from opposing players, blocking shots near the rim, and taking securing rebounds in both the offense and defense. Other key responsibilities include shooting and scoring close to the basket through various plays and, in the modern day, potentially taking chances at mid-range or three-pointers if the opportunity presents itself.
Evolution of Post Player Dynamics
Until recently, it was an anamoly for a center to be able to hit a 3-pt shot. In the past, it was rare that the post player ever ventured outside of the key, let alone the 3-pt line. However, in today’s basketball, Centers are expected to be versatile.
The evolution of centers, as well as power forwards in shooting from longer distances, speaks to the gradual development of the game and the talent of these players in expanding their repertoire of play.
Role on Offense
Post players offense near the basket, centers look to take advantage of rebounds from the offense or defense to facilitate playmaking. Centers aim to score close to the basket, whether via a layup, a dunk, or short-range shots. As mentioned, the center role has evolved, and now the most skilled post players shoot from the mid-range and 3-pt line alike. If you look at Nikola Jokic or Victor Wembanyama, you’ll find that their dmoinance on the court results from two things: they will score when they get the ball near the basket, and you can’t leave them wide open at the three pt-line. This forces the defense to play close up even at the 3-pt line, allowing for a more widely spread out defense that is easier to penetrate.
If you add into that arsenal some playmaking and passing ability, you’ll have an unstoppable center like Jokic who rightfully won the MVP award due to his versatility.
Role on Defense
On the defense side, centers are responsible for protecting the basket and blocking shots at the rim. These players are usually the most proficient rim protectors and shot blockers in general, helping to convert blocked shots into chances for their offense. As the last line of defense, centers must also have great positioning, and communication to prevent easy baskets near the rim.
But perhaps their biggest role is rebounding. The tallest player on the court has the greatest advantage when rebounding. With proper positioning, and boxing out, the center and power forward have the greatest responsibility to secure the basketball after their opponent’s missed shot. Games are often won or lost based on a team’s ability to secure rebounds.
Physical Attributes
As mentioned previous, Centers are the tallest and strongest players on the court. This usually comes with a longer wing span (arm length) which is also advantageous in shot blocking and rebounding. Some players who are around 7 feet tall can actually dunk without having to jump!
However, this often leads to them being the slowest and least agile players on the court. You have outliers of course like Wembanyama who can dribble the ball end to end and score. However, the majority of centers rely on their size and strength to score and defend.
Important Skills
Mandatory skills:
- Boxing out
- Rebounding
- Shot blocking
- Finishing near the basket
Optional, but desired skills:
- Passing/playmaking
- Mid-range to long-range shooting
Centers must have skills such as passing, receiving the ball from the perimeter, and mastering close-range shots.
The ability to predict the trajectory of a rebound and outwitting the offense when defending are crucial skills for a center in preventing opposing points from being scored. Proficiency in screening, executing post moves, and developing mid-range shooting skills are increasingly important in today’s evolving game.
Who are the Best Basketball Centers of all Time?
The term ‘best’ is subjective, but we can outline the best basketball centers based on their statistics across total points scored, points per game on average, and longevity as a player across games played:
Best centers according to points per game on average:
- Wilt Chamberlain – 30.1
- Joel Embiid – 27.7
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – 24.6
Best centers according to games played in their career:
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – 1,560
- Moses Malone – 1,329
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