The NBA’s history is rich full of legendary centers. However, in today’s NBA, that is not the case. The league’s stars are largely guards and forwards and stardom for centers has almost disappeared. The center position has also evolved to fit the style of play in today’s NBA. It is interesting to see which players can keep up with these evolutions. Here are my top five centers of the 2016-17 NBA season.

5. Andre Drummond

At only 23 years of age his entire career is ahead of him. Andre is only approaching his prime and averages 12.7 rebounds per game over his career, not averaging below 13 since his rookie season. He has been first in the league in total offensive rebounds all of the past three seasons and top five in defensive rebounds. He is an absolute beast at the rim considering his size and finishing ability. Coming in at 6’11, 280 pounds, he can be a load to handle in the paint. Drummond made his first appearance on an all-NBA team last season, as well as the all-star team. His ability to protect the rim is not quite at the level he could be capable of, but his size and ability to take up space makes up for it. He however may be the worst free throw shooter the league has ever seen, shooting 39% for his career. Last season was his best from the line, and he shot 55%. He is not an elite scorer, but has solidified himself as a force in the pick and roll. Drummond and the Pistons look to get back to the playoffs, as they were swept out of the first round by the Cavaliers last season.

4. Al Horford

Horford is another stud that flies under the NBA’s radar every year. He is nearly the most complete center in the league. He is a pick and pop monster, and fits well with his new teammate Isaiah Thomas. Brad Stevens has an offense built for opening up good looks for centers, so in turn will generate many easy looks for Horford. He is a career 14.3 point per game scorer to go along with 8.9 rebounds. He is a four-time all-star and has received all-NBA honors once in his career. Horford’s defense also consistently gets overlooked. While the shot blocking isn’t there, his timing and positioning is always great. Horford has also been gradually adding the three point shot to his game. Last season he attempted 256 averaging 3.1 per game, and shot 34%. While this is not a great percentage, it shows that he is looking to get better from beyond the arc. Before last season he had never attempted more than 36 in total. If Horford can combine his pick and pop and postgame with a consistent three-point shot, he could be a lethal force. Coming into the season, the Celtics and Horford had very high expectations. They look to challenge the rest of the eastern conference for that second seed in the playoffs, hoping to avoid the Cavaliers for as long as they can.

3. DeAndre Jordan

DeAndre Jordan is an athletic freak. He can jump out of the gym and is no stranger to putting a defender on a poster. He is one of the best rebounders in the game, averaging over 13 boards the past three years, leading the league twice. He is a two-time all-NBA player and a two-time first team all-defensive player. He has been top five in blocks per game the past four years. Drummond is also an elite offensive rebounder, being in the top five all of the last three years. He and Chris Paul make up one of the most feared pick and roll duos in the league. However, Jordan is far from elite when it comes to scoring. He has the ability to score 20 points, but only if he dunks the ball ten times. He is not capable of shooting a jumper, playing the post, and he is one of the worst free throw shooters in the league. DJ, Chris Paul, and Blake Griffin look to once again achieve some postseason success. This could be the last season we see this same core of players together if there is not success in the playoffs. Jordan comes in at number three.

2. Karl-Anthony Towns

Yes, he is only 20 years old. Yes, it is only his second year in the league. Karl-Anthony Towns has already established himself as a force to be reckoned with. He averaged 18.3 points per game and 10.5 rebounds in his rookie season, and was often the most dominant player on the floor. He checks all of the boxes on the list of what you want in your modern NBA center. Size, athleticism, scoring in the post, rebounding, and stretching the floor are just a few of the areas KAT excels in. Expect him to take a leap forward into an all-NBA and all-star center as soon as this season. He will be a 20 point and ten plus rebound per game player for the entirety of his career. He is part of a young Timberwolves roster coached by Tom Thibodeau. Coach Thibs made Joakim Noah into a two-time all-star, three-time all-defensive player, and all-NBA player once. Taking nothing away from Noah, KAT is twice the talent he is and should flourish under Thibs. The Wolves are another team that came into the season with high expectations from their young core. If Towns and the rest of this Wolves squad can continue to build and play up to their full potential, they will be a western conference power in the near future.

1. DeMarcus Cousins

Boogie is the biggest mismatch at the center position in the entire league. He automatically draws a double team in the post, has a nice handle for a big man, and has added a three-point jumper to his game. He is the best post player the sport has to offer, in a league where post play is dying. He averages 20.3 points and 10.7 rebounds per game. He has the ability to be a good passer but doesn’t utilize it much. Cousins has been an all-star twice and has been all-NBA twice. He has had four seasons with top five finishes in rebounds per game and three top ten seasons in points per game. DeMarcus is an absolute animal whenever he wants to be. The knock on Cousins is that he tends to check out on defense from time to time. He has never been on a winning team and is in a dysfunctional organization. The Kings cannot seem to figure out how to build their team around DeMarcus, and have struggled immensely in recent seasons. He also often loses his temper and receives unnecessary techinals. If the Kings could restore some hope into DeMarcus and put pieces around him, they could have a shot at a .500 season. DeMarcus Cousins is the best center in the NBA today.

This list was one of the most difficult to make. There is no overwhelming top five in the league. After Cousins, there are a ton of centers that are similarly talented and somewhat run together. For the lack of star power, it is a fairly deep position when you really narrow it down to what you need from a center in 2016. There is an argument to be made for a few more players that could’ve cracked this top five. All in all, these are your top five centers for the 2016-17 NBA season

Honorable Mentions: Dwight Howard, Marc Gasol, Rudy Gobert.