Rotisserie By The Numbers: The Top 25 Centers

October 15, 2004

By Craig Rondinone
SportsTicker Contributing Writer

BRISTOL, Connecticut (Ticker) - The NBA regular season starts in less than three weeks. Time to start focusing on your fantasy basketball draft.

Let's begin with the centers of attention on the court - the centers. The center position is always hard to fill in fantasy hoops. It is to fantasy basketball what the catcher position is to fantasy baseball - a talent pool as shallow as the people at a Hollywood party.

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The drop-off in fantasy value at the center position is amazing. At other positions there might not be much difference between the fifth-best player and the 10th best. Not at center. There is a huge value separation right off the bat between the top fantasy center and the No. 2 man, and the talent gets thinner than an Olsen twin after you get past the top 10.

So here are the top 25 centers in fantasy basketball heading into the 2004-05 campaign, starting with one of the greatest actors and rappers of all time.

1. Shaquille O'Neal, Heat: Shaq is slim, trim and in Miami. He should be bound and determined to make the Lakers look foolish for trading him away, and to show Kobe Bryant he was always the best player on their championship teams. Look for Shaq's scoring average to go up without having Kobe hogging all the shots.

2. Yao Ming, Rockets: The greatest thing to come out of China since Chow Yun Fat saw his points and rebounds go from 13.5 and 8.2 per game in his rookie season to 17.5 and 9.0 in his sop re season. Yao's numbers should go even higher in his third season.

3. Brad Miller, Kings: With Vlade Divac back in Los Angeles and Greg Ostertag already injured, Miller is not going to have to share minutes in the middle. He averages a double-double every night and gets more assists than any other center in fantasy basketball.

4. Ben Wallace, Pistons: The best defensive player in the NBA might not help fantasy owners in the points department, but he more than makes up for it with his rebounds, blocks and steals.

5. Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Cavaliers: He has gotten over all the foot problems that marred the early part of his career. As Cleveland's second scoring option behind LeBron James, the "Ill One" should average 16 points and nine boards per contest.

6. Jamaal Magloire, Hornets: This underrated low-post presence was an All-Star last season, averaging 13.6 points and 10.3 rebounds. He could score more if he shot better from the field. He had a field-goal percentage of only .473 last season.

7. Erick Dampier, Mavericks: This double-double machine can be a beast on the boards when he is properly motivated. But now that he got his fat contract, will he be?

8. Eddy Curry, Bulls: This youngster can be a monster in the middle because he is unstoppable down low because of his size. The problem is he is always in bad shape. A guy with his body should also average more than the 6.2 rebounds per game he did last year.

9. Mark Blount, Celtics: Blount was the surprise at the position last season, averaging a double-double after the All-Star Break once he was slated as the starting center. Let's see if he is the real deal or a one-year wonder.

10. Kwame Brown, Wizards: This wunderkind should not be labeled as the biggest bust in NBA history just yet. He had his moments last season (10.9 ppg, 7.4 rpg). And when he returns from his broken toe, if Brown starts at center like it looks, he could be a nice fantasy pick.

The rest of the top 25:

11. Marcus Camby, Nuggets: In one of the most shocking events of all time, Camby actually stayed healthy for a career-high 72 games last season. Do not place a bet in Las Vegas on that happening again.

12. Theo Ratliff, Trail Blazers: The NBA's reigning blocked shots champion is finally starting to play like he did four years ago before injuries took their toll on his body.

13. Mehmet Okur, Jazz: He could be a dark horse, or he could be a big bust. You never know with these backup centers that get the chance to start for other teams. Okur is a fantastic rebounder and free throw shooter, though.

14. Rasho Nesterovic, Spurs: When Tim Duncan was out of the lineup last season, Nesterovic was good for double-double and tons of blocks. But when Duncan played, Nesterovic was virtually invisible.

15. Rafael Araujo, Raptors: The highest-rated rookie center should get a decent amount of playing time in his first season. But he comes from BYU, a school known more for its quarterbacks than its centers.

16. Vlade Divac, Lakers: What a lucky guy. Divac gets to watch Kobe Bryant shoot 40 times a game, and he gets to share time at center with three other guys.

17. Jahidi White, Bobcats: Someone on Charlotte's expansion team has to score and rebound. It might as well be him.

18. Adonal Foyle, Warriors: Golden State thought his 3.1 points and 3.8 rebounds per game were worth zillions of dollars. That is why the Warriors battle the Clippers every year in the standings.

19. Chris Kaman, Clippers: He did not look good as a rookie. Hopefully he will improve.

20. Samuel Dalembert, 76ers: A healthy Marc Jackson and newly acquired Brian Skinner should cut into his rebounds and playing time.

21. Jeff Foster, Pacers: He will not kill your fantasy team. He just won't help it much.

22. Nazr Mohammed, Knicks: He averaged 9.2 points and 7.7 rebounds per game for New York after he was traded during the middle of last season.

23. Michael Olowokandi, Timberwolves: "The Kandi Man" was about as sweet as a lemon for fantasy owners in 2003-04. His field goal and free throw percentages are always low, and he is always hurt.

24. Lorenzen Wright, Grizzlies: Stromile Swift is always threatening to steal Wright's job, but he never seems to able to keep Wright on the bench.

25. Darko Milicic, Pistons: Larry Brown has to start justifying why Detroit drafted Milicic when Carmelo Anthony was available, so look for this project to start seeing some more floor time.

Next week: The small forward and power forward rankings.

For more information on Craig, his columns and his book, "Ten Tales To Make Your Head Explode," please visit publishedauthors.net/craigrondinone.