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The role of a center in NBA is one of the fundamentals upon which a team stands. Without a center, a team cannot defend or score in the paint. An individual gifted with exceptional size, strength and leap is best suited to be a center. It is perhaps the only role which has a certain unspoken height criteria. It is very rare to see a player suited for this role that is shorter than 6'8".
Five NBA Centers that can become unstoppable by learning how to shoot
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Centers reigned supreme in the early era of the NBA. Some of the greatest players in the history of the game have played as centers. Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Hakeem Olajuwon, Bill Russell and Tim Duncan were all centers.
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Today, we take a look at the current centers in the league that will become unstoppable if they learn to shoot.
#5 Jusuf Nurkic
Jusuf Nurkic, aka the Bosnian Beast, plays for the Portland Trail Blazers. To say that he is the guardian angle for the Blazers is an understatement. The 6'11" former Denver Nuggets center has become an extremely important player for the city of Portland. He averaged 14.5 points and 9.6 rebounds per game over five seasons with the Damian Lillard-led team.
That being said, Nurkic is not a shooter. Most of his points come from typical center plays. If he could master the art of shooting, it is safe to assume that he'd become one of the most formidable players in the NBA.
#4 Deandre Ayton
Deandre Ayton's playoff performance for the Phoenix Suns in the 2020-21 season has catapulted him to fame. In his first postseason appearance, Ayton averaged 15.8 points and 11.8 rebounds per game. His dominance in the paint allowed Chris Paul and Devin Booker to fearlessly attack the rim from all over the court.
However, Ayton made 0.2 attempts per game from beyond the three-point line in the entirety of his career, with a conversion rate of almost zero. With the kind of game intelligence this young player possesses, becoming a shooter will completely alter the way he is perceived in the NBA.
#3 Clint Capela
Selected as the 25th overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft by the Houston Rockets, Clint Capela is the 2020-21 rebounds champion. His average of 14.3 rebounds per game remained unparalleled, only closely followed by Rudy Gobert's 13.5 rebounds.
Capela, in his seven years in the NBA, has become one of the most commanding centers in the league. He regularly scores and rebounds in double digits. His tally of 49 double-doubles in the 2020-21 regular season was only inferior to the tallies by Nikola Jokic (60) and Russell Westbrook (59).
Already a decent scorer, Capela's 15.2 points per game in 2020-21 was incredible for a player who can't shoot. If he can train and build a reliable jump-shot, the Swiss player would become a force to be reckoned with.
#2 Rudy Gobert
Rudy Gobert is arguably the best perimeter defender in the current NBA. With the dawn of the modern three-point era of basketball, Gobert's defensive abilities make him a priceless asset for the Utah Jazz. In fact, he is the sole commander and chief of the team on the defensive end.
A three-time Defensive Player of the Year, two-time All-Star and 2016-17 block champion, Rudy is as much of a threat to opponents on the offensive end. His average of 14.3 points per game in the 2020-21 NBA regular season helped the Jazz become the first seed and a playoffs contender. If he can learn to shoot reliably from a distance, Gobzilla will turn into a top ten player in the league.
#1 Bam Adebayo
Miami Heat's Bam Adebayo is one of the most lethal offensive centers in the league. Although not on the same level as Joel Embiid or Nikola Jokic, his 18.7 points and 9.0 rebounds per game in the previous NBA season made up for considerable numbers.
Adebayo, despite being a great scorer, is a terrible shooter from mid-range and the perimeter. In 287 games in his career, he has only attempted 0.2 three-pointers per game, a meager 44 attempts and has made only seven shots from downtown. If Bam can improve his shooting from mid-range and downtown, he will turn into an offensive beast. His points tally will also increase along with his overall threat to opponents.
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