The 10 Greatest NBA Centers Of The 2010s

2009-10 to 2018-19 Accolades: 2x Defensive Player Of The Year, 5x All-Star, 5x All-NBA Team Selection, 3x All-Defensive Team Selection

2009-10 to 2018-19 Stats: 17.4 PPG, 12.7 RPG, 1.5 APG, 1.0 SPG, 1.9 BPG

At the top of the leaderboard for the greatest NBA centers during the 2010s is Dwight Howard. Coming off an NBA Finals appearance in 2009 with the Orlando Magic, Howard would win back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year awards in 2010 and 2011, averaging 20.5 points, 13.6 rebounds, 1.1 steals, and 2.6 blocks per game.

Along with his incredible defensive instincts, Howard was unstoppable once he got into the paint, using his large frame and effortless power to dominate the much weaker players at the center spot. Howard would play just three total seasons with the Magic in the 2010s, being dealt to the Lakers before the start of the 2012-13 season. Howard would play for five more teams during the decade including the Lakers, Rockets, Hornets, Hawks, and Wizards averaging 15.8 points, 12.1 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game in seven seasons.

Howard’s prime at the start of the 2010s was unmatched by any other center of the decade, making him the runaway choice for the top center in the NBA from 2010 through 2019.

2. Marc Gasol

2009-10 to 2018-19 Accolades: 1x NBA Champion, 1x Defensive Player Of The Year, 3x All-Star, 2x All-NBA Team Selection, 1x All-Defensive Team Selection

2009-10 to 2018-19 Stats: 15.4 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 3.6 APG, 0.9 SPG, 1.5 BPG

Coming in as the second-greatest center of the 2010s is none other than the face of the Grit and Grind era with the Memphis Grizzlies, Marc Gasol. Spending all but 26 games during the 2010s with the Grizzlies, Gasol helped the organization reach the highest levels they ever have during the NBA playoffs and went on to become one of the greatest players in franchise history.

His consistency was his best attribute, constantly in the Defensive Player of the Year race, finishing in the top 15 for the award four times in the decade including winning the award in 2013. He was also an incredible playmaker and reliable option from anywhere within 10 feet of the basket until he began to add a three-point shot as his career went on. In 2013, Gasol helped the Grizzlies reach their only Conference Finals in franchise history as well.

In 2019, after 11 seasons with the team, Gasol would be traded to the Toronto Raptors for the remainder of the 2019 season. Gasol would go on to help the Raptors capture their first NBA title in team history averaging 9.4 points and 6.4 rebounds per game in the playoffs.

3. DeMarcus Cousins

2009-10 to 2018-19 Accolades: 4x All-Star, 2x All-NBA Team Selection

2009-10 to 2018-19 Stats: 21.2 PPG, 10.9 RPG, 3.2 APG, 1.4 SPG, 1.2 BPG

Despite his lack of abundant personal accolades during the decade, DeMarcus Cousins at his peak was arguably the best center in the game during the 2010s. Cousins was the last true “bully” at the NBA center position, backing down all opponents with pure brute force while also displaying elite touch and finishing around the rim with the Kings and Pelicans during the 2010s.

Cousins was the Kings’ fifth overall pick in 2010 out of Kentucky and by 2015 was earning his first of four straight All-Star appearances. From 2015 through 2018, Cousins averaged 25.9 points, 11.9 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.5 blocks per game for the Kings and Pelicans. Unfortunately, in 2018, Cousins would suffer an Achilles injury that altered the rest of his career forever.

Despite the injury, Cousins’ play for the majority of his time during the 2010s is looked back upon fondly by most NBA fans who could look past his sometimes volatile behavior and applaud him for the way he approached the game and the results he produced.

4. Rudy Gobert

2009-10 to 2018-19 Accolades: 2x Defensive Player of the Year, 2x All-NBA Team Selection, 3x All-Defensive Team Selection

2009-10 to 2018-19 Stats: 11.1 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 1.3 APG, 0.7 SPG, 2.2 BPG

During the 2010s, few NBA centers impacted success on the court in the ways that Rudy Gobert did for the Utah Jazz. Gobert was selected 27th overall by the Nuggets in the 2013 NBA Draft only to be dealt right away to the Utah Jazz where he emerged as one of the best defensive players in franchise history.

By his second season in the NBA, Gobert was already one of the best shot-blockers in the league, averaging over 2.0 blocks per game and pulling down double-digit rebounds per game. In 2018 and 2019, Gobert would reach the height of his defensive play during the decade, capturing back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year awards, averaging 14.9 points, 12.0 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game. Gobert’s monster defensive efforts helped lead the Jazz to the playoffs three times during the 2010s.

5. Al Horford

2009-10 to 2018-19 Accolades: 5x All-Star, 1x All-NBA Team Selection, 1x All-Defensive Team Selection

2009-10 to 2018-19 Stats: 14.9 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 3.5 APG, 0.8 SPG, 1.2 BPG

As the NBA entered the 2010s, Al Horford emerged as the player of the future for the Atlanta Hawks. Already in his third season in 2010, Horford began the decade with his first All-Star selections in 2010 and 2011, averaging 14.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game. Horford would spend a total of seven seasons with the Hawks in the 2010s with four All-Star selections, one All-NBA Team selection, and six trips to the playoffs.

In the Summer of 2016, Horford would opt to leave the franchise that drafted him to join the Boston Celtics. From 2017 through 2019 with Boston, Horford would average 15.1 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game on 53.2% shooting. In 2017 and 2018, Horford would let his biggest impact be felt for Boston, helping lead them to back-to-back Eastern Conference Finals which they lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers both times.

Horford’s leadership and elite defensive play easily make him a top-five center of the 2010s.

6. Joakim Noah

2009-10 to 2018-19 Accolades: 1x Defensive Player Of The Year, 2x All-Star, 1x All-NBA Team Selection, 3x All-Defensive Team Selection

2009-10 to 2018-19 Stats: 9.4 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 3.3 APG, 0.8 SPG, 1.4 BPG

When it comes to the greatest high-energy players at center during the 2010s, none embody the title more than Joakim Noah. During the 2010s, Noah was one of the more disliked players around the NBA, except if you were his teammate, thanks to his physical and loud play for the Chicago Bulls most notably.

Of the 10 seasons Noah would play for the Bulls in the decade, six of them would come with the Bulls where his presence in the middle helped Chicago become one of the most formidable contenders during the early 2010s. In 2014, Noah’s defensive play earned him the Defensive Player of the Year award as well as back-to-back All-Star appearances in 2013 and 2014.

After leaving Chicago in 2017, Noah finished the decade with two seasons in New York and one season in Memphis. By this time, injuries had severely hindered his play as he appeared in just 95 games in those three seasons and failed to make an impact that resembled anything close to what he did with the Bulls.

7. DeAndre Jordan

2009-10 to 2018-19 Accolades: 1x All-Star, 2x All-NBA Team Selection, 2x All-Defensive Team Selection

2009-10 to 2018-19 Stats: 9.9 PPG, 11.3 RPG, 0.9 APG, 0.6 SPG, 1.7 BPG

During the 2010s, few NBA centers were consistently on the highlight reels as much as Clippers big man DeAndre Jordan was. As a member of the famous “Lob City” Clippers team, Jordan was a key figure in their success as a finisher around the rim, rebounder, and interior defender.

During the 2010s, Jordan would earn his only career All-Star selection in 2017 as well as two All-NBA team selections including a First Team selection in 2016. Jordan also claimed two rebounding titles during the decade in 2014 and 2015 and averaged 11.3 rebounds per game for the decade.

As long as Jordan was healthy, the Clippers remained a threat in the Western Conference, making six playoff appearances from 2010 through 2019.

8. Andre Drummond

2009-10 to 2018-19 Accolades: 2x All-Star, 1x All-NBA Team Selection

2009-10 to 2018-19 Stats: 14.1 PPG, 13.7 RPG, 1.2 APG, 1.3 SPG, 1.6 BPG

In 2012, the Detroit Pistons drafted big man Andre Drummond out of UConn with their ninth overall pick. Little did they know they were taking one of the most dominant rebounders that would step on the court during the decade as well as an outstanding defender and big-time finisher around the rim.

Drummond dominated the glass with Detroit through 2019 with three of his four career rebounding titles coming in the decade. Of the seven seasons he played during the 2010s, Drummond averaged at least 13.0 rebounds per game in six of them. Drummond would also become a two-time All-Star in 2016 and 2018, averaging over 15.0 points and 14.5 rebounds per game each season.

Despite their long track record of losing in recent years, Drummond was a star for two playoff teams for Detroit during the 2010s although both appearances would result in first-round losses.

9. Joel Embiid

2009-10 to 2018-19 Accolades: 2x All-Star, 2x All-NBA Team Selection, 2x All-Defensive Team Selection

2009-10 to 2018-19 Stats: 24.3 PPG, 11.4 RPG, 3.2 APG, 0.7 SPG, 2.0 BPG

Although he would be the No. 3 overall draft pick in 2014 by the 76ers, Joel Embiid would only play three full seasons during the 2010s for the franchise. Things looked like a disaster for Embiid to start his career, missing the 2015 and 2016 seasons entirely due to lingering foot issues that carried over from college.

Soon, Embbid hit the floor for Philadelphia and almost immediately became the face of their franchise. By 2018, he was one of the top centers in the NBA and an All-Star, All-NBA, and All-Defensive player. In 2019, Embiid would have his best season of the 2010s, averaging 27.5 points, 13.6 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game on 48.4% shooting. He led the 76ers to two playoff appearances during this time as well, fully buying into his role as the face of “The Process” in Philadelphia.

10. Karl-Anthony Towns

2009-10 to 2018-19 Accolades: 1x Rookie Of The Year, 2x All-Star, 1x All-NBA Team Selection

2009-10 to 2018-19 Stats: 22.3 PPG, 11.9 RPG, 2.6 APG, 0.8 SPG, 1.5 BPG

Rounding out the top 10 for the greatest centers of the 2010s is another active All-Star, Karl-Anthony Towns. As the first overall pick by the Timberwolves in the 2015 NBA Draft, Towns entered the NBA with high expectations. He delivered almost right away with a Rookie of the Year season averaging 18.3 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game on 54/34/81 shooting splits.

Over the next three seasons, Towns evolved into a player that Minnesota could build their future around, averaging over 21.0 points and 12.0 rebounds per game through 2019. In back-to-back All-Star seasons in 2018 and 2019, Towns averaged 22.8 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game. He also became a lights-out shooter from three-point range, going over 40.0% in both 2018 and 2019.