OrlandoMagic.com’s Josh Cohen projects his top 10 centers for the 2020-21 season. Click through this slideshow for full rankings and analysis.
Note: The contents of this gallery have not been reviewed or endorsed by the Orlando Magic and do not reflect the opinions of the Magic’s Basketball Operations staff, partners or sponsors.
#10 Andre Drummond
The trade of Drummond to Cleveland in the middle of last season surprised many considering the Cavs are in the process of rebuilding. Not having to share minutes with Tristan Thompson, who signed with the Celtics, should enable the 6-foot-10, 279-pounder to reclaim his spot as the league’s premier rebounder. Currently, the 27-year-old ranks 64th in NBA history in total rebounds with 8,288 of them. While he has no realistic chance of catching either Wilt Chamberlain or Bill Russell, No. 1 and 2 respectively in this category, Drummond does have a path to get to No. 3 on this list by the time his career is over should he continue to be as dominant on the glass as he has been the last several years. Third-ranked Kareem Abdul-Jabbar racked up 17,440 boards. Let’s just say Drummond plays another 10 years and averages 1,000 rebounds per season in that time, that would put him ahead of Abdul-Jabbar.
Other centers considered for this list were Serge Ibaka, Brook Lopez, Myles Turner, Clint Capela, Jonas Valanciunas and James Wiseman.