ESPN.com writer Chris Palmer has been doing stories recently (Insider Only, unfortunately) naming the Top 5 players in the NBA at each position.
His list of top 5 centers was interesting. https://insider.espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/6815801/dwight-howard-best-nba-center
1. Dwight Howard
2. Joakim Noah
3. Al Jefferson
4. Andrew Bynum
5. Tyson Chandler
That is not a very impressive list after Howard.
Since it's an insider story, I can' post it all, but here is what they said about Big Al.
"Jefferson toggles between power forward and center, but because of his brawn he often draws defensive center assignments so I'm plugging him in here. Big Al is one of the true back-to-the-basket low post players in this league who is proud to make a living five feet from the hoop. He's got a nice variety of pump fakes and step through moves on the block and knows how to use his broad shoulders to clear space without picking up the foul. Jefferson has exceptional fluidity for a man his size and likes to turn and face from about 10 feet away tossing out an exploratory jab step before skirting the baseline to finish with a jam. His gem though is starting with his back to the basket on the left block and offering a hard left shoulder fake before spinning in the opposite direction. Using his size to back into the paint he can easily set up his efficient jump hook from the dots. His oversized mitts allow him to finish with touch at the rim when he can't elevate for the jam. He's had some durability issues in the past but seems to be beyond that playing in a total of 158 games out of a possible 164 in the last two seasons."
His list of top 5 centers was interesting. https://insider.espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/6815801/dwight-howard-best-nba-center
1. Dwight Howard
2. Joakim Noah
3. Al Jefferson
4. Andrew Bynum
5. Tyson Chandler
That is not a very impressive list after Howard.
Since it's an insider story, I can' post it all, but here is what they said about Big Al.
"Jefferson toggles between power forward and center, but because of his brawn he often draws defensive center assignments so I'm plugging him in here. Big Al is one of the true back-to-the-basket low post players in this league who is proud to make a living five feet from the hoop. He's got a nice variety of pump fakes and step through moves on the block and knows how to use his broad shoulders to clear space without picking up the foul. Jefferson has exceptional fluidity for a man his size and likes to turn and face from about 10 feet away tossing out an exploratory jab step before skirting the baseline to finish with a jam. His gem though is starting with his back to the basket on the left block and offering a hard left shoulder fake before spinning in the opposite direction. Using his size to back into the paint he can easily set up his efficient jump hook from the dots. His oversized mitts allow him to finish with touch at the rim when he can't elevate for the jam. He's had some durability issues in the past but seems to be beyond that playing in a total of 158 games out of a possible 164 in the last two seasons."
