{"id":94569,"date":"2024-09-06T17:58:54","date_gmt":"2024-09-06T21:58:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=94569"},"modified":"2024-09-06T18:00:19","modified_gmt":"2024-09-06T22:00:19","slug":"pat-beverleys-top-5-nba-centers-has-surprising-name-ivica-zubac-included","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/09\/06\/pat-beverleys-top-5-nba-centers-has-surprising-name-ivica-zubac-included\/","title":{"rendered":"Pat Beverley&#8217;s Top 5 NBA Centers Has Surprising Name Included"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/b\/beverpa01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Patrick Beverley<\/a> has always been one of the most outspoken and opinionated players in the NBA. Even now that he\u2019s no longer in the league and playing overseas, his thoughts are still heard. The <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@PatBevPod\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Pat Bev Podcast<\/a> has one of the bigger followings for a podcast hosted by a basketball player. After 12 seasons in the NBA, Beverley just began play with Hapoel Tel Aviv in the Isreali Basketball Premier League.<\/p>\n<p>Recently, he named his top five centers in the NBA. The first four shouldn\u2019t surprise anyone, but his fifth choice likely raised a few eyebrows.<\/p>\n<h2>Pat Beverley&#8217;s Top 5 NBA Centers Has Surprising Name Included<\/h2>\n<h3>Includes A Former Teammate Of His<\/h3>\n<p>When looking at lists that rank <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/08\/02\/the-top-5-centers-heading-into-the-2024-2025-season\/\" target=\"_self\">NBA centers<\/a>, most have <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/j\/jokicni01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Nikola Jokic<\/a> in the top spot, followed by <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/e\/embiijo01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Joel Embiid<\/a>. Beverley didn\u2019t stray from the consensus by listing them first and second. <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/d\/davisan02.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Anthony Davis<\/a> third and <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/a\/adebaba01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Bam Adebayo<\/a> fourth probably didn\u2019t ruffle many feathers either.<\/p>\n<p>It was the fifth spot on his list (he actually named him third, but said he\u2019s probably the fifth-best) that caught people off guard. He chose <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/09\/03\/paul-georges-father-opens-up-about-los-angeles-clippers-departure-philadelphia-76ers\/\" target=\"_self\">Los Angeles Clippers<\/a> big man <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/z\/zubaciv01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Ivica Zubac<\/a>. To be clear, Beverley stated that he doesn&#8217;t view <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/w\/wembavi01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Victor Wembanyama<\/a> as a center, thus why he didn&#8217;t make his list.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">The starting 5 best centers in the NBA! Presented by <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NewAmsterdam?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">@NewAmsterdam<\/a> <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/4RT2Op4vTl\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/4RT2Op4vTl<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Pat Bev Pod (@PatBevPod) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/PatBevPod\/status\/1831766914827448696?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">September 5, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Now this isn\u2019t to say that Zubac isn\u2019t a good player. It was just a few days ago that the 27-year-old agreed on a <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nba\/story\/_\/id\/41059737\/clippers-ivica-zubac-reach-3-year-586m-extension-agents-say\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">three-year extension worth $58.6 million<\/a>. Most would say that seems like fair value for the eight-year veteran. Most also wouldn\u2019t have Zubac sniffing their top five center list.<\/p>\n<p>The seven-foot Zubac has been the Clippers full-time starting center in each of the last three seasons. He has been in the starting lineup for each of his 220 regular season appearances over that time as well as his 11 postseason games. Since the 2021-22 season, Zubac has posted per game averages of 10.9 points, 9.2 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.2 blocks in 26.4 minutes. He has shot 63.7% from the field and 71.5% from the foul line.<\/p>\n<p>Zubac was traded to the Clippers in February of 2019 from the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/09\/06\/shaq-thinks-jj-redick-is-not-the-next-pat-riley\/\" target=\"_self\">Los Angeles Lakers<\/a>. Beverley has firsthand experience playing with Zubac on the Clippers. He was on the team when Zubac first arrived, and Beverley remained with the Clippers through the 2020-21 season.<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 18.72px;\">Centers He Included Zubac Over<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">On August 31, the website HoopsHype came out with their <\/span><a  style=\"font-size: 16px;\" href=\"https:\/\/hoopshype.com\/lists\/nba-ranking-top-30-centers-2024-25-season\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">top 30 centers<\/a><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\"> in the NBA for the 2024-25 season. Zubac was able to find his way onto the list, but he was towards the bottom at 26th. Obviously, 26th is nowhere close to being in the top five. Other than the four centers (and Wembanyama) that Beverley named, the other centers who were ranked above Zubac by HoopsHype include <\/span><a  style=\"font-size: 16px;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/s\/sabondo01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Domantas Sabonis<\/a><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">, <\/span><a  style=\"font-size: 16px;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/g\/goberru01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Rudy Gobert<\/a><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">, <\/span><a  style=\"font-size: 16px;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/s\/sengual01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Alperen Sengun<\/a><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">, <\/span><a  style=\"font-size: 16px;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/h\/holmgch01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Chet Holmgren<\/a><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">, <\/span><a  style=\"font-size: 16px;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/p\/porzikr01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kristaps Porzingis<\/a><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">, <\/span><a  style=\"font-size: 16px;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/t\/turnemy01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Myles Turner<\/a><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">, <\/span><a  style=\"font-size: 16px;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/a\/allenja01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Jarrett Allen<\/a><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">, <\/span><a  style=\"font-size: 16px;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/v\/vucevni01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Nikola Vucevic<\/a><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">, <\/span><a  style=\"font-size: 16px;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/r\/reidna01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Naz Reid<\/a><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">, <\/span><a  style=\"font-size: 16px;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/a\/aytonde01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Deandre Ayton<\/a><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">, <\/span><a  style=\"font-size: 16px;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/l\/livelde01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Dereck Lively II<\/a><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">, <\/span><a  style=\"font-size: 16px;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/c\/claxtni01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Nic Claxton<\/a><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">, <\/span><a  style=\"font-size: 16px;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/h\/harteis01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Isaiah Hartenstein<\/a><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">, <\/span><a  style=\"font-size: 16px;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/l\/lopezbr01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Brook Lopez<\/a><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">, <\/span><a  style=\"font-size: 16px;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/g\/gaffoda01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Daniel Gafford<\/a><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">, <\/span><a  style=\"font-size: 16px;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/n\/nurkiju01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Jusuf Nurkic<\/a><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">, <\/span><a  style=\"font-size: 16px;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/v\/valanjo01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Jonas Valanciunas<\/a><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">, <\/span><a  style=\"font-size: 16px;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/p\/portibo01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Bobby Portis<\/a><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">, <\/span><a  style=\"font-size: 16px;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/w\/willima07.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Mark Williams<\/a><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">, and <\/span><a  style=\"font-size: 16px;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/c\/capelca01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Clint Capela<\/a><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Now if Beverley doesn&#8217;t consider Wembanyama a center, maybe he feels likewise about players such as Holmgren and Porzingis. Even without those three, Beverley&#8217;s ranking of Zubac doesn&#8217;t align with most NBA fans.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\">\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Patrick Beverley has always been one of the most outspoken and opinionated players in the NBA. Even now that he\u2019s no longer in the league and playing overseas, his thoughts are still heard. The Pat Bev Podcast has one of the bigger followings for a podcast hosted by a basketball player. After 12 seasons in [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5060,"featured_media":94637,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1608,27,62],"tags":[240,1010,652,267,72,494],"class_list":["post-94569","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-basketball","category-clippers","category-nba","tag-anthony-davis","tag-bam-adebayo","tag-ivica-zubac","tag-joel-embiid","tag-nikola-jokic","tag-patrick-beverley"],"modified_by":"Kenny Kluska","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/94569","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5060"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=94569"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/94569\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/94637"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=94569"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=94569"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=94569"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}