10 best under-25 centers in the NBA outside of Victor Wembanyama
10/31/2024 01:16 PM
There’s no question that Victor Wembanyama has lived up to the hype after taking the NBA Rookie of the Year honors. With his size and skillset, it’s safe to say that it’s only a matter of time before Wembanyama takes over the NBA.
With Wembanyama growing to his full potential, other NBA teams are also gearing up for the inevitable by developing a few big men of their own. Here’s a look at the 10 best under-25 centers in the NBA outside of Victor Wembanyama.
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1. Chet Holmgren
The Oklahoma City Thunder have something great going, especially with their promising core. Aside from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder also rely on the versatile play of Chet Holmgren.
Holmgren is a skilled modern day seven-footer who has the ability to score in multiple ways. Whether it’s from the perimeter or in the shaded area, expect Holmgren to produce on a nightly basis. He’s also one of the biggest reasons why the NBA Rookie of the Year race was competitive last season.
2. Alperen Sengun
If there’s a big man outside Victor Wembanyama that a franchise can build around, that would be Alperen Sengun. In fact, the Houston Rockets are making him their franchise cornerstone.
Sengun is difficult to stop in the post thanks to his wide array of moves that see him use his strength or finesse. But more importantly, Sengun’s court vision and passing is elite for a center as he makes his teammates look good.
3. Dereck Lively II
Last season, the Dallas Mavericks made it all the way to the 2024 NBA Finals. Although they fell short, the stage was set thanks to the breakout rookie year of Dereck Lively II.
Lively provided some much-needed rim protection for the Mavericks. His shot-blocking and ability to finish around the rim at a high clip was the missing piece for the Mavericks to get through the wild Western Conference. In addition to this, he also makes a good lob threat for the Mavs, but he will never be a stretch center as Lively has yet to make a three-pointer.
4. Onyeka Okongwu
The Atlanta Hawks have plenty of young pieces to build around, one of which includes 6’10 center Onyeka Okongwu. Okongwu has showed glimpses of what he’s capable of. He’s showing signs of improvement with his jumper.
Combine that with his elite rebounding, Okongwu could be a threat to watch out for. However, it seems that the Hawks are still slowly breaking him in. It’s only a matter of time when the Hawks can fully unleash him as a starter, which may have begun in the 2024-2025 season opener.
5. Santi Aldama
Santi Aldama is another successful player out of Spain, joining the likes of NBA big men Pau Gasol, Marc Gasol, Willy Hernangomez, and Juancho Hernangomez. Aldama is fresh from showcasing his wares with the country after leading them to the 2024 Paris Olympics.
At the NBA level, Aldama is already showing glimpses of his all-around brilliances. Although his game isn’t exactly flashy, Aldama’s high IQ and precise shooting for a big should make him a building block for the Grizzlies.
6. Evan Mobley
There’s no question that the Cavaliers have plenty of young guns at their disposal, one of which is promising center Evan Mobley. Mobley’s length and athleticism makes him a threat in the paint on a nightly basis. While he’s more of a traditional big man, Mobley is showing that traditional bigs still have a place in the NBA.
7. Yves Missi
Although everyone in the NBA doesn’t seem to be high on the recent 2024 NBA Draft class, Yves Missi is starting to make some noise among the rookies this year. The seven-foot Cameroonian center is starting to prove that he deserves more minutes on the New Orleans Pelicans roster thanks to his shot-blocking abilities.
With his impact defensively, expect the first-round draft pick to make a solid case for the NBA Rookie of the Year honors as the season develops.
8. Jalen Duren
While the Detroit Pistons have been cellar-dwellers in the NBA as of late, one of the team’s bright spots was Jalen Duren. Duren has proved to be a double-double threat with rebounding as the best facet of his game. However, Duren still needs to polish his defense if he wants to rise up the ranks. But as a young prospect, he certainly has plenty of room to grow.
9. Kel’el Ware
The Miami Heat have carved out a reputation for finding some diamonds in the rough. And it looks like they’ve found another gem in Kel’el Ware.
Ware is a seven-footer should give the Heat some much needed size in the front court. He impressed in the NBA Summer League, while showing signs in the ongoing NBA season. Although Erik Spoelstra has yet to trust him with major minutes, there’s no doubt that the coach is optimistic about the ceiling of his rookie.
10. Zach Edey
“You can’t teach height” is a common saying in basketball which applies to Zach Edey. The Canadian big man stands at 7’4. Although he’s quite raw, there’s good reasons that the Grizzlies drafted him with the ninth-overall pick in this year’s NBA draft.
Edey may be a little rough on the edges, but his size paves the way for a tremendous upside. Perhaps a little more polishing and development could mold Edey into a major front-court threat in the NBA in the near future.
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