Center of Attention

I don't understand the obsession the NBA has with Centers. Each year there are always one or two guys in the draft who dominated in college on skill, but really excelled  on sheer strength and size (ex. Greg Oden, Hasheem Thabeet) that are anointed "cant miss" guys. How can you argue drafting a seven footer who in college was an All American, an automatic double double, and led his team to the NCAA tournament finals. To Portland, taking Oden number one was a no-brainer based on logic. But sports are funny, and things don't always work out like they are supposed to. That's why we watch. As we all know, Oden has been plagued with injuries as a pro, playing only 82 games over his five year career. In drafting the "cant miss" Center Oden, Portland dug itself a hole it is still trying to dig out of.

Now with the NBA draft just a few weeks away on June 28, all the talk is about Kentucky phenom Anthony Davis. He of course is a Center (slash Power Forward) who outperformed the league in his one college year. Davis, in 40 games, averaged 14.2 PPG - 10.4 RPG - 4.7 BPG, and shot 63.3% from the field. He is a "can't miss" guy right? Every talking head, analyst, and their grandmother would argue yes. But if you look at drafts of the past five years and the role of Centers in the league today; the no-brainer to me seems to be that New Orleans should not take Davis number one. It's crazy talk, I know, but bare with me. 

Just look at the top 5 picks of the draft since 2007:

2007

1. Greg Oden, Ohio State, Center -Portland Trailblazers

2. Kevin Durant, Texas, Forward - Seattle Sonics/OKC Thunder

3. Al Horford, Florida, Forward/Center - AtlantaHawks

4. Mike Conley Jr., Ohio State, Guard - Memphis Grizzlies

5. Jeff Green, Georgetown, Forward - Boston Celtics (traded to Sonics)

2008

1. Derek Rose, Memphis, Guard - Chicago Bulls

2. Michael Beasley, Kansas State, Forward - Miami Heat

3. O.J. Mayo, USC, Gaurd - Minnesota T-Wolves (traded to Memphis)

4. Russel Westbrook, UCLA, Guard - Seattle Sonics/OKC Thunder

5. Kevin Love, UCLA, Forward - Memphis Grizzlies (traded to Minnesota)

2009

1. Blake Griffin, Oklahoma, Power Forward - LA Clippers

2. Hasheem Thabeet, Connecticut, Center - Memphis Grizzlies

3. James Harden, Arizona State, Shooting Guard - OKC Thunder

4. Tyreke Evans, Memphis, Shooting Guard - Sacramento Kings

5. Ricky Rubio, Spain, Point Guard - Minnesota T-Wolves

2010

1. John Wall, Kentucky, Point Guard - Washington Wizards

2. Evan Turner, Ohio State, Point Guard/Shooting Guard - Philadelphia 76ers

3. Derek Favors, Georgia Tech, Power Forward - New Jersey Nets

4. Wesley Johnson, Syracuse, Small Forward - Minnesota T-Wolves

5. DeMarcus Cousins, Kentucky, Center - Sacramento Kings

2011

1. Kyrie Irving, Duke, Point Guard - Cleveland Cavaliers 

2. Derrick Williams, Arizona, Small Forward/Power Forward - Minnesota T-Wolves

3. Enes Kanter, Kentucky, Center/Power Forward - Utah Jazz

4. Tristan Thompson, Texas, Power Forward/Small Forward - Cleveland Cavaliers

5. Jonas Valanciunas, Lithuania, Center - Raptors

For those of you keeping score at home, the draft has yielded only four centers in the past five years. Of those four, only one has had any notable NBA success as DeMarcus Cousins turned in his best performance this past season on a relatively unimpressive Kings team. My point is that drafting a Center will not save your franchise. That is the ultimate purpose of the number one pick; to save the franchise and build around that player. However, taking a natural born scorer or a floor leader who can single handedly win a game on his own is the guy you want to build around. Forwards Kevin Durant, Kevin Love and Blake Griffin; and Guards James Harden, Russel Westbrook, and Derek Rose have risen to the top of the league and turned their floundering teams into contenders.

Additionally, take a quick look at the teams with the best centers in the league right now. My top three are probably the Orlando Magic with Dwight Howard, LA Lakers with Andrew Bynum, and Memphis Grizzlies with Marc Gasol. Yes all three made the playoffs this year. But only one (Bynum) advanced past the first round. And now as the Conference Finals are being played, they are all sitting on the couch watching. Of the three, only Bynum has a ring. Bynum won in 2009 and 2010 with the Lakers... as he played alongside Kobe Bryant aaannnddd Pau Gasol aaannnddd Derek Fisher aaannnddd Ron Artest. Oh and did I mention he was coached by the greatest coach of all time Phil Jackson? Yeah exactly. Easy peasy lemon squeezy. Having a high powered Center on your team is not a must; having a scorer and a floor general is. 

The Hornets right now have a formidable Point Guard Jarred Jack and Shooting Guard in Eric Gordon, so taking a Damian Lillard or Kendall Marshall wouldn't make a great fit. But why not spice things up and explode Twitter and all of the Internet on June 28 by taking Small Forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist or Power Forward Thomas Robinson? It's and unpopular opinion obviously, but they could be the franchise guy the already struggling (and possibly corrupt) Hornets team could build around for the next five years. 

I'm not saying don't take Davis. He's been everything and more through college and all the numbers says YES YES YES. Davis was an All American and won the NCAA title in his only college year. He is a "cant miss." But just like too much of a good thing is bad, too much hype over Davis might unjustifiably rule out players who might fit better with the Hornets. Who am I kidding, puppet master David Stern will get New Orleans to take Davis number one. I mean he already rigged the draft, can't be much more corrupt then that. Just don't be surprised when in three years a pairing of Kidd-Gilchrist or Robinson with Washington, Cleveland, or Sacramento produces a playoff team and more, a title contender.

~Shilz