Los Angeles Lakers: Where does Anthony Davis rank among Top-5 bigs?
Where does Anthony Davis of the Los Angeles Lakers rank among the top bigs in the NBA?
The league is filled with more quality guards and wings nowadays. It’s not the 90’s where you have a plethora of big men like Shaq, Hakeem, Ewing, Duncan, Mourning, Robinson, the list goes on. This doesn’t mean there aren’t any great ones in today’s game, there’s guys like Anthony Davis and Joel Embiid who will try to be some of the best to ever do it.
The list I will be doing includes true bigs. Not players like LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo, who play some power forward. Those guys aren’t true bigs despite them being able to play even center at times due to the way the league is.
A few seasons ago DeMarcus Cousins would’ve been on top of this list, but ACL and Achilles injuries have pushed him out of it for now.
Before I jump into the top 5, I will list two players that barely missed this list.
Honorable Mentions:
Rudy Gobert is the best defending big man in basketball. He might not wow people on offense, but his impact is truly remarkable. The big man has failed to make an All-Star game but has won the Defensive Player of the Year Award in consecutive seasons.
Last season, Gobert averaged 15.9 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks. Don’t be surprised if he climbs onto this list. His Utah Jazz team has a real shot at contending for the title this season.
LaMarcus Aldridge will go down as one of the more underrated bigs ever. He is a quiet guy who goes out there and gets the job done. He has made seven All-Star games and is a 5-time All-NBA selection.
Last season with the Spurs he averaged 21.3 points and 9.2 rebounds. His play alongside DeMar DeRozan carried the Spurs into the playoffs in a loaded Western Conference. Unlike most 34-year-old players he is still a terrific player who has a lot left in the tank.
Let’s take a look at who the the Top-5 big men in the league are.