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Karl-Anthony Towns is the leader of the new breed of centers

By Jarrett Spence

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - OCTOBER 27: Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the Minnesota Timberwolves heads to the locker room after the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on October 27, 2017 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - OCTOBER 27: Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the Minnesota Timberwolves heads to the locker room after the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on October 27, 2017 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Timberwolves star big man Karl-Anthony Towns is the leader of a new breed of centers in the NBA, and is helping the position make a comeback.

A few years ago, the center position was starting to become extinct at the NBA level. Dominant centers were not coming along too often.

For perspective’s sake, Dwight Howard was once thought as the best center and he is now an after thought when the question of who are the best centers is brought up. More perspective: the center position was become so obsolete in the NBA that the league decided to eliminate the position on the All-Star ballot. Here were Howard’s thoughts on the decision:

He explains that centers will learn how to play more like guards which we all thought might be crazy at that time, but now, centers are doing those exact things that Howard said in the video. The new era of centers are here. 

Traditionally, centers are supposed to be big, brutal men in the paint, dominating down low, blocking shots, grabbing rebounds, being an intimidator, and they didn’t used to step outside to shoot 3-pointers or bringing the ball up the floor. In today’s era of basketball, however, some centers are now the best ball handlers, passers, and shooters on their team.

As these centers are become a norm in the NBA, the skills challenge has become a more popular event during All-Star weekend. Big men are participating in the event, competing against some of best guard — and not just participating, but winning. In fact, the last two winners were big men, in Kristaps Porzingis and the Wolves’ very own Karl-Anthony Towns.

Karl-Anthony Towns is at the forefront of this new breed of centers. Sure, Kristaps Porzingis was dubbed the nickname “The Unicorn”, but I think most of these centers now should be in the same unicorn category. Towns runs the floor like a guard in the break, is able to take it off the glass and bring it up the floor, has the ability to knock down the three, and is still also able to be the big dominant force in the paint. T

Towns has been able to shoot the three since he came into the NBA, shooting over 35.9 percent from beyond the arc for his career. He is still a glass-eating machine, averaging 11.3 boards per game for his career and also still block shots at a good rate, at 1.5 per game. Big men are not known to be great free throw shooters, either, but Towns is a career 82.8 percent free throw shooter through his first two-plus NBA seasons.

What’s next? Well, the NBA could consider bringing back the center category in the All-Star voting process and we can thank Karl-Anthony Towns and the new breed of centers for that. Back before the 90’s, the NBA was a big man league where big men were the ones who made the league great. Between the 90’s until now, the guards have been the dominant positions.

Next: Top-5 dunks by Andrew Wiggins

Now, the NBA is going back to a big man’s league — and it’s looking like a bright future with Towns leading the charge. 

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