NBA top 15 big men rankings: Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo stands tallest, Lakers' Anthony Davis not far behind

Getty Images

Ahead of the 2020-21 season, we here at CBS Sports released our list of the top 100 players in the NBA. Now, it's time to break things down position-by-position. After looking at the best wings and point guards in the league earlier in the week, the next group up is the bigs.

Unsurprisingly, the reigning back-to-back MVP, Giannis Antetokounmpo, checks in at the top spot. His future with the Bucks may be in question, but his place in the league's hierarchy is not. Up next is the defending champion, Anthony Davis, who unlike his counterpart did sign a big extension with the Lakers this offseason. Rounding out the top five are Nuggets star Nikola Jokic, 76ers cornerstone Joel Embiid and Karl-Anthony Towns of the Timberwolves. Showing how deep the big man ranks are these days, Bam Adebayo couldn't even crack the top five despite putting together a dominant playoff run to help the Heat reach the Finals.

Check out the rest of the list below to see if your favorite player earned a spot among our top 15 big men for 2020-21:

1	Giannis Antetokounmpo Milwaukee Bucks PF
The reigning back-to-back MVP, and one of only three players in league history to win MVP and Defensive Player of the Year in the same season, the Greek Freak has firmly established himself as one of the best players in the league. Now, the next challenge is for him to turn that dominance into postseason success. There's little doubt that he'll do so eventually, but will it be in Milwaukee or elsewhere?
2	Anthony Davis Los Angeles Lakers PF
He already defended like Kevin Garnett. Now, apparently, he shoots like Kevin Durant, too. Davis nearly made 50 percent of his mid-range jumpers in the playoffs, and until an off-night in the Lakers' Finals-clinching Game 6 blowout, he was above 40 percent on his postseason 3-pointers as well. Throw his legendary lob-finishing and guard-caliber ball-handling into the blender and you get the most uniquely gifted big man in NBA history. There is nothing Anthony Davis can't do.
3	Nikola Jokic Denver Nuggets C
Jokic went from an NBA nerd favorite to a bona fide superstar with his exposure in the Nuggets' run to the Western Conference finals. He's likely the best passing big man of all time, and one of the few NBA centers who can score consistently in the post, averaging 1.063 points per post possession (86th percentile), according to Synergy. When you add in his ball-handling, rebounding and shooting ability, Jokic is a truly unique talent who has proven that he can be the best player on a championship contender.
4	Joel Embiid Philadelphia 76ers C
Embiid is the best two-way big man in the NBA, and while he has been hampered by injury issues in the past, he's heading into the 2020-21 season fully healthy, which is obviously great news for Philadelphia. The fact that the Sixers swapped Al Horford and Josh Richardson for some solid shooting in Danny Green and Seth Curry over the offseason should open things up tremendously for Embiid. If he's able to stay healthy, he should be in the thick of the MVP conversation at the end of the season.
5	Karl-Anthony Towns Minnesota Timberwolves C
Karl-Anthony Towns attempted 7.9 3-point attempts per game last season and made 41.2 percent of them. No other player of his height in NBA history has ever attempted even five 3-pointers per game at that percentage. The improved passing and consistent touch near the basket are nice, but they're ultimately complementary. Last season made it clear that Towns is on track to go down as one of the greatest shooting big men in NBA history, and if his revamped supporting cast can pick up the slack elsewhere, he's only going to set more records from behind the arc moving forward.
6	Bam Adebayo Miami Heat PF
Adebayo is the type of player who makes you ask big questions. Would you rather have a dominant rim protector or a "center" capable of guarding all five positions? Would you rather have a stretch 5 or a playmaking 5? The Heat are lucky to have an elite coach who has taken full advantage of the 23-year-old's unconventional (and ever-expanding) skill set, but even Erik Spoelstra might be uncertain about the relative value of Adebayo's switching versus keeping him near the basket to provide help defense. Hardly any big men present their coaches with that type of choice.
7	Zion Williamson New Orleans Pelicans SF
For 19 games, he was a revelation. No one could keep Williamson off the glass or stop him in transition. Even as a rookie coming off a knee injury, he averaged 17.3 points in the paint, second only to Giannis. (On a per-possession basis, he actually edged Giannis in this category.) His defense was nowhere near where it was in college, his shot needs work and he didn't look right in the bubble, but Williamson has already shown that he can affect the game like a legitimate star. And his upside is limitless.
8	Rudy Gobert Utah Jazz C
Gobert has fallen significantly on this list, but that's more about the perceived value of his skill set than the fact that Utah's defense was a bit less dominant with him on the court last season. He still essentially guarantees that you'll get stops at an elite rate, and he's done nothing but improve his perimeter defense and star in his role in the offense for the past few years. Full disclosure: I ranked him 14th.
9	Kristaps Porzingis Dallas Mavericks PF
In his first full season since returning from an ACL tear he suffered in 2018, Porzingis was slow to get acclimated in his new environment with the Mavericks. But by the end of the season, K.P. was looking like his pre-injury self, and proved to be essentially unguardable against the Clippers in the first round of the playoffs. Another knee injury will delay his start to the upcoming season, but if he returns to form again, expect him to improve upon his efficiency numbers alongside Doncic and surrounded by a revamped starting lineup in Dallas.
10	Domantas Sabonis Indiana Pacers PF
Sabonis took advantage of his extra playing time last season, averaging a double-double of nearly 19 points and 12 rebounds, but perhaps his most valuable attribute is his passing ability. The big man averaged a career-high five assists per game last season, and was in the 77th percentile in half-court offensive efficiency with 1.284 points per possession when you include passes, according to Synergy. As an elite rebounder, if Sabonis can improve his pick-and-pop game and stretch his range to the 3-point line, he could become one of the best big men in the game.
11	Nikola Vucevic Orlando Magic C
Vucevic may not be super flashy, but he's quietly established himself as one of the best and most consistent big men in the league. With career averages of 16.1 points and 10.2 rebounds per game, Vucevic is a walking double-double, and Orlando's top option on the offensive end, as he led the Magic in scoring last season.
12	Jusuf Nurkic Portland Trail Blazers C
Nurkic returned to action in the bubble this summer and looked fantastic. So much so that you never would have guessed he was playing for the first time since breaking his leg over a year ago. He is a fascinating mix of size and skill, just as likely to bully someone in the paint or rock them with a hard screen as he is to thread a backdoor pass. The Blazers are going to be a problem in the West this season, and having a healthy Nurkic is a big reason why.
13	LaMarcus Aldridge San Antonio Spurs PF
Aldridge is just two seasons removed from being an All-NBA Second Team player, and while he may have lost a step, he's still extremely solid -- and reliable. Aldridge averaged 18.9 points and 7.4 rebounds per game for the Spurs last season, and he should be in line for similar production this season. Plus, he may also have a bit of added motivation heading into a contract year.
14	Deandre Ayton Phoenix Suns C
Across 32 starts last season, Ayton shot 55.3 percent from the field on 15.3 field goal attempts per game. Only two other players have ever done that over a full season before their 23rd birthday, and they're two players Suns fans should be very familiar with: Shaquille O'Neal and Amar'e Stoudemire. No, Ayton isn't Luka Doncic. He's never going to be Luka Doncic. But he's progressing exactly as a No. 1 overall pick should. If his defense takes another step and he turns some of those dreaded long 2s into 3-pointers, he'll contend for an All-Star selection this season.
15	John Collins Atlanta Hawks PF
After all of the excitement down in Atlanta this offseason, Collins has become something of an afterthought. That should change once the Hawks get on the court this season. The Collins-Trae Young pick-and-roll is one of the most fun combinations in basketball, and will once again produce an entire highlight reel just by itself. But Collins isn't just a high-flyer. He showed off a much-improved 3-point stroke last season, which is vital for both his and the team's success.