2012 College Basketball Picks and Predictions: Top 5 Centers: Depending on the team, centers in college basketball can have drastically different playing styles and skill sets. Some coaches prefer to play at a faster pace, and they use slightly smaller players with the skill set of a power forward at the five spot. Other coaches prefer to go a more traditional route and stick with the tall, imposing presence center. While there isn’t a right or wrong strategy, it does make for an interesting group of players at the position each season, and this year’s crop of centers is no exception, In fact, there are a few players at the position that could end up taking home Player of the Year honors. With that in mind, here is a look at how the best centers in college basketball stack up for the 2012-13 season.
2012 College Basketball Picks and Predictions: Top 5 Centers
1. Cody Zeller, Indiana Hoosiers
He is the best player on the No. 1 team in the country, and Zeller is arguably the best interior scorer in the nation, as well. As a true freshman, he averaged 15.6 points on 62.3 percent shooting last season to go along with 6.6 rebounds, 1.2 blocks and 1.4 steals. Zeller also shot 75.5 percent from the foul line, and he runs the floor as well as any big man in recent memory. Not to mention the fact that he has a true back-to-the-basket game and can knock down short jumpers in pick-and-roll situations. Add a year of experience and training to his 7’0” frame and natural ability, it is easy to understand why many scouts are projecting him as the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft.
2. Nerlens Noel, Kentucky Wildcats
While there is always risk when projecting freshman this high, the player ranked right ahead of Noels on this list as well as former Wildcat Anthony Davis are perfect examples of how quickly young players can make an impact. Noels has the length, athleticism and natural shot blocking ability to be every bit the defensive presence that Davis was last season. Granted, his offensive skills are much more limited and just as raw, but he still has the potential to be the biggest game changer on the defensive end in the country. Noels will develop an offensive game, and in the meantime, he can use his athleticism to finish around the rim and erase any shots that come near him.
3. Gorgui Dieng, Louisville Cardinals
After making huge strides between his freshman and sophomore campaigns, Dieng is primed for a big junior season. Last year, he was a constant double-double threat, averaging 9.1 points on 52.5 percent shooting and 9.1 rebounds. More importantly, he emerged as a true defensive stopper in the paint, averaging an impressive 3.2 blocks to go along with 1.2 steals. Dieng is never going to be a go-to option on offense, but he gets a ton of hustle points and is learning to finish from in close. Throw in his presence on the glass and on defense, and he is a force in the middle of stout Louisville defense.
4. Jeff Withey, Kansas Jayhawks
Withey got to start for the first time in his career last season, and he responded by averaging 9.0 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.6 blocks. Needless to say, his presence as a shot blocker in the paint is his biggest asset, but with All-American forward Thomas Robinson now in the NBA, Withey will get a chance to be more of a focal points on offense as well as the team’s main rebounder. After shooting 79.5 percent from the foul line and showing some decent post moves last season, he has a chance to thrive in his expanded role. At the very least, Withey will be one of the best shot blockers in the country.
5. Patric Young, Florida Gators
When you play on a team with three of the best scoring guards in the country, it can be tough for a big man to get noticed. Young won’t have to deal with that problem this year, and Florida’s athletic center will get a chance to unleash his power on a regular basis in 2012-13. Last season, he averaged 10.2 points on 61.8 percent shooting and 6.4 rebounds in just 26 minutes. Young is a relentless player on the boards and a ferocious finisher around the rim, and after having to find his own offense on offensive rebounds and hustle plays last season, he should blossom in an expanded role that includes plays designed to get him the ball.
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