3 best centers aged 25 or under right now in NBA's Eastern Conference
There's no denying the importance of having a young promising big man for an NBA organization. Although the league continues to trend toward the direction of playing "positionless" basketball, there's no denying the advantage teams can have when they have a physically imposing center controlling the paint. Throughout the years, we've seen a number of teams in the NBA experiment with small-ball lineups. That usually involves playing a smaller wing as the team's power forward. Because of this, it usually creates more of a desire to have a versatile center who can switch and potentially defend smaller opponents.
There's no denying that NBA teams and general managers will always be smitten with the idea of adding an athletic center with versatility. It's not often that you get the opportunity to find a big man that can make a serious impact on both sides of the floor. With the way that the game has changed, centers have started to develop their games and offer a wide range of skills that give NBA teams an advantage on a nightly basis. Below are some of the most impressive young centers under the age of 25 in the NBA who are continuing to impress with their play on the court in the Eastern Conference.
#3 Robert Williams III
There's a serious talent controlling the paint in Boston that has some scary upside. Robert Williams III just recently turned 24-years-old and his best basketball is on the horizon. If you've watched the Celtics closely, you know just how much of an impact the athletic center can have on both sides of the floor. After spending the majority of his career developing off of the bench, the Celtics went out this offseason and rewarded Robert Williams with a four-year, $54 million extension.
It seems as if it's finally time for Williams to take over the starting role for the Celtics and he started the year on a great note, finishing his first game with 11 points, 10 rebounds, and five blocks. After dealing with several injuries over the last couple of years, Williams has the potential to have a massive year for the Celtics if he can remain healthy over the course of the season. The athletic big man is an imposing presence on the defensive side of the ball with elite shotblocking ability and a knack for playing above the rim with vicious dunks.
I love this. Watch Robert Williams fake like he's going to screen for Brown off ball, but he slips it instead and runs to the rim for the lob. It completely catches Mitch off guard. This is something the Knicks should have Mitch do https://t.co/TiDo5l6eVs
#2 Jarrett Allen
After the Cleveland Cavaliers made a trade last year for young center Jarrett Allen, it was clear that the organization had potentially found its big man presence for the foreseeable future. Allen stood out immediately as a strong force in the paint for the Cavaliers. He shined and the Cavaliers invested their faith in his future, rewarding Allen with a five-year, $100 million extension this offseason. The shot-blocking center man recently just turned 23-years-old and still has plenty of upside left in his game. Last year, Allen went on to finish the NBA season with averages of 12.8 points, 10.0 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game. With a desire to make a serious impact on the defensive side of the ball, Allen should be roaming the middle of the paint for the Cavaliers for years to come.
#1 Bam Adebayo
One of the most versatile young centers in the NBA over the last several years has been Bam Adebayo. The Miami Heat star has continued to take leaps forward in his development and continues to be one of the brightest young stars roaming the paint in the NBA. What makes Adebayo so special is his versatility on both sides of the ball. He has the ability to guard multiple positions defensively while offering intriguing shot blocking. Adebayo has also continued to be a more dangerous threat offensively, as he has the potential to attack off the dribble or stretch the defensive with his outside shot. The recently turned 24-year-old continues to be one of the rising stars at the center position. Adebayo went on to average 18.7 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game last year in the NBA.
Bam came out to start the season ready to go 💥
20pts (9-13 FG) & 13rebs https://t.co/cSkPuLwkXp