Evaluating The Best Center Options After Wembenyama
If you have been paying attention to the NBA this season, you’ve probably heard of the looming giant primed to enter the league this June: Victor Wembenyama. The 7-foot-4 Frenchman is a one-of-a-kind talent, mixing multiple unseen talents to create a terrorizing new archetype. He’s fueled tanking all season, serving as the primary motivation for teams to lose.
However, he’ll be off the board with the first pick of this year’s draft, and for good reason of course. So for every other team in need of a center, who should they look towards? There are a few intriguing candidates:
Dereck Lively II, Duke
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Lively II was touted as the top player in the 2022 high school class, but he had an inconsistent start to his college career. Luckily, the 7-foot-1 Blue Devil found his footing later in the season and began to flash his potential as a defensive monster. He recorded five games with at least five blocks this season.
While being a versatile defensive dynamo, Lively’s offense is still a work in progress. Specifically, he doesn’t really impose his will as a scorer. The Pennsylvania native can shoot a little bit and finish plays above the rim, but he’s often passive and needs to work on his touch on layups and floaters.
James Nnaji, FC Barcelona
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Nnaji is regarded as one of the top international prospects in this year’s draft, and it’s not hard to see why. The Nigerian big man has some special physical attributes, zooming around the court with his built frame. The 6-foot-10 center is a good finisher in the paint, rebounder, and shot-blocker, and never stops hustling.
Still, his skills need some refinement for him to be truly impactful at the next level. While raw, he is still just 18 years old, making him one of the youngest players in the draft.
Zach Edey, Purdue
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One of the best players in college basketball history, Edey looks to continue his success at the next level. While it’s unlikely he dominates the NBA in a similar fashion, he does bring a lot of interesting skills to the table. At 7-foot-4 with solid agility, silky smooth touch, and wits, he’s an unstoppable interior scorer, fortifying defensive presence, and a good distributor.
The Canadian is a bit of an unorthodox player, but a good one nonetheless, and it’s always wise to simply bet on good players to find ways to succeed.
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