By Zack Cimini
notjustagame23@gmail.com

Whose the face of the NBA when it comes to the center position? Shaq O’Neal would like to say that’s his ring of honor until he retires. Clearly though the last two to three years the most dominant center has been Dwight Howard. In fact without a doubt Howard has been the front runner. From a fantasy standpoint though does his deficiencies at the free throw line cost him his actual NBA ranking? Yes it does.

Center Rankings 12/19

1. Chris Bosh-Playing up in Toronto with literally no nationally televised games, Bosh’s game is not available for NBA fanatics to see on a regular basis. Bosh’s numbers are better than Howard’s and he doesn’t cost you dearly shooting at 77 percent from the free throw line.

2. Brook Lopez- There isn’t much to talk about in New Jersey, but the emergence of Lopez is. Hard work in the off-season is paying huge dividends for Lopez.

3. Paul Gasol- All this talk about awards for the decade. One we have not heard is steal trade or bogus move of the decade. That clearly goes to Memphis for how easily they handed Gasol over to the Lakers.

4. Tim Duncan- Showing a lot of guts to still carry this team, even though Richard Jefferson was supposed to take some of the burden off of him.

5. Carlos Boozer- Many were ready to write Boozer off. He didn’t get traded like he wanted too but has brought the same approach he has had since he entered the league as a second round pick.

6. Dwight Howard- We have to be critical of his free throw percentage. He gets to the line so often but is a costly detriment from an nba fantasy standpoint in his inability to nail them.

7. David Lee- Hustles every night. Went from hardly used to being a difference maker nightly.

8. Marcus Camby- Shuffled around from team to team but stays consistent every year. This from a guy that has been in the league since 1996.

9. Amare Stoudemire- Once a perennial elite specimen, Stoudemire is either playing at a level he wants to or will never be the same from all of his various injuries.

10. Zach Randolph- Injuries and being on poor teams his whole career have not stopped him from coming to work.

11. Kevin Love- Should surge up as the season goes on as he is just coming into form after missing a big portion of the season.

12. Chris Kaman- Camby and Kaman are arguably the best big man tandem in the NBA.

13. Marc Gasol- Talk about a turn around of a transformation. Gasol is on pace to be in contention for most improved player.

14. Joakim Noah- Tyson Chandler, Eddy Curry, Brad Miller, etc. The Bulls finally have their center for years ahead.

15. Al Horford- Florida somehow had the tandem of Noah/Horford for multiple years. It has to be the best interior prescence college basketball has had this past decade.

16. Nene Hilario- Credit Hilario for his quick recovery and vital role as a Nugget. If it weren’t for Hilario’s development the Nuggets decision to trade away Camby could of back fired.

17. Troy Murphy
18. Luis Scola
19. Andrew Bynum
20. LaMarcus Aldridge
21. Al Harringotn
22. Andrea Bargani
23. Andrew Bogut
24. Brendan Haywood
25. Emeka Okafor
26. Elton Brand
27. Erick Dampier
28. Channing Frye
29. Mehmet Okur
30. Jermaine O’Neal
31. Anderson Varejeo
32. Marreese Speights
33. Kendrick Perkins
34. Shaq O’Neal
35. Joel Pryzbilla
36. Chris Anderson
37. Samuel Dalembert
38. Ben Wallace
39. Rasheed Wallace
40. Andray Blatche
41. Spencer Hayes
42. Nenad Krstic
43. Ryan Anderson
44. Matt Bonner
45. Andris Biedrins
46. Roy Hibbert
47. Chuck Hayes
48. Udonis Haslem
49. Tyson Chandler
50. Louis Amundson