Once thought to be a thing of the past, centers are now the most important players in NBA 2K24. Without a great center, it’s hard to win.
As of 2021, no center had won an MVP award since 2003. Fans will remember very well the talks about getting rid of the center and replacing them with another forward. These talks seem so far away now that centers are the most important players in NBA 2K24 and the NBA as a whole.
The MVP award has been won by a center each of the last three years, and the clear runner-up was also a center. There are again centers in NBA 2K24, and these players will be the new center of attention for teams that want to be the best.
Deandre Ayton – 84
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Deandre Ayton had a good starting year and hasn’t done much better statistically since then, which makes some fans unhappy. That’s not quite fair, though. When he signed with the Suns as a free agent, they matched the Pacers’ offer for a reason. He keeps things steady behind the net.
He also doesn’t give up on other centers in the game. This is a pretty big deal since centers are currently the ones being talked about for the MVP award. Phoenix could win their first Finals ever if Ayton does get better.
Jarrett Allen – 84
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When people try out the Cavaliers on a controller made for video games, the team is quick and good. Allen is fairly quick on his feet, which makes him hard to match up with other centers who are usually big and slow.
He shoots so accurately that people who aren’t from Cleveland will be shocked. This doesn’t happen very often for a paint monster, but Allen is very smart about the shots he takes, focusing on getting open instead of taking risks.
Rudy Gobert – 84
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If you close your eyes and think of a center, you might think of Rudy Gobert. He has won three Defensive Player of the Year awards and has led the league in blocks and rebounds once. He is known to be a defense threat.
It took Gobert a while to get used to Minnesota last year. There are two great centers on this team, and it will take some time to figure out who does what. The Timberwolves will have a much better chance of making the playoffs next year if they do.
Myles Turner – 85
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Because he is so good at defense, Myles Turner has twice led the league in blocks since 2019. When a center can lock down the paint, they’re doing a job that usually needs more than one player. Fans of the Pacers can tell the change when Turner is on the court.
Turner made huge strides on attack last season, and now he can score as well as some of the best small forwards. In terms of rebounds per game, points per game, and shooting %, he set new records.
Brook Lopez – 85
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The ex-NBA winner has been in the league since 2018 and is still looking for ways to get better. Lopez had the best three-point shooting and most blocks per game of his career last season. To be successful, you need to get better at both ends of the floor.
The Bucks, who had a lot of injuries, were sent home early after getting the first seed. There are a lot of good starters in Milwaukee, and Lopez is ready to lead this team to another title if everyone stays fit.
Karl-Anthony Towns – 87
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Towns was the first center to ever win the Three-Point Contest in 2022. Most teams are dying to get a stretch big like the three-time All-Star. Gobert, another top center for the Timberwolves, is also on this list.
They don’t trip over each other very often, thank goodness. With Towns on the outside and Gobert mostly in the paint, Minnesota has two big men who can attack from different spots on the court, which is something Towns is happy to take advantage of.
Kristaps Porzingis – 87
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Kristaps Porzingis was once known as a wonder because he was one of only a few big men who could shoot the long ball. He made an example that many other centers used. Porzingis is still one of the best Happy Wheels players at this position, even though he may not have a special skill anymore.
He is often changed to power forward as a center to make things worse. Porzingis is a great center, and when he switches to power forward, he’s also a great player. He hopes to help the Celtics win the title they’ve been so close to since he moved to Boston.
Bam Adebayo – 87
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Bam Adebayo’s only flaw is that he’s not quite big enough at 6’9″. But anyone who thought that would keep him from participating must not have seen the Finals. Even though the Heat lost to the Nuggets, it was clear that Adebayo could play with the league’s best center and still do well.
In his first season as a pro, he scored over 20 points in every game and was named an All-Star. Adebayo’s intensity stuns his opponents, who then realize that he’s more than capable of taking a team to great heights from the center spot.
Joel Embiid – 97
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Joel Embiid has scored the most points in the NBA for two years in a row. Even though they are good shooters, some guards can’t dunk or shoot from far away like Embiid can. Embiid is not safe to leave alone anywhere on the floor.
He finally won the MVP award last year, and he earned it. His field goal percentage and assist per game were the best they’d ever been. The 76ers have had a lot of bad luck. If they can pick up their play in the playoffs, Embiid will win the title he deserves.
Nikola Jokic – 97
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Before the last season, Jokic had won MVP awards in the previous two years. A few people who didn’t like him thought he was too popular because he won awards based on complex measures instead of having a great vertical. No surprise that Jokic’s enemies have stopped saying anything since the end of the story.
The NBA Finals Most Valuable Player sped to victory. To be honest, Jokic was very good at everything. He could pass, make three-pointers, and grab rebounds. It would take too long to talk about the playoff records he broke. Know this: There are great point guards who can’t move the ball like Jokic does.