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New York Post
The season has barely started but we at OTG are ready to overreact wildly to the early action. These are our Over The Top Takes...
Brooklyn Nets center Jarrett Allen is the perfect prototype for the modern NBA center. He can hit a 3-point shot, block shots at a high rate and isn't a sieve when guarding guys on the perimeter. The question remains though, what is his ceiling? Allen himself has aspirations of being the team’s franchise player.
“He (Brook Lopez) was the face of the franchise here and now I’m here trying to become the face, too.”
When you can do these sorts of things on the floor it certainly doesn’t hurt your case.
Caris LeVert has had a heck of a start to the season. He might be usurping him in that conversation right now but that’s not to say he can’t change the narrative by the end of the season.
The center position is heavily stacked right now with elite talent. Players like Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic are putting up stunning numbers and highlight reels on a nightly basis. While Allen doesn’t have the current skill set to rival those two he does share elements of their game. His impact defensively can’t be denied and the stretch element he provides is invaluable in the modern league.
By the end of the 2018-19 season the 20 year old sophomore has a massive chance at not only pushing himself into the top 10 NBA centers but even knock on the door of the top 5. Embiid, Jokic and Gobert have those top spots on lock. Karl-Anthony Towns has had a lacklustre start, though possesses immense talent, and DeMarcus Cousins is as imposing as any player when fully fit. You chuck in guys like Clint Capela, Steven Adams and Al Horford and there’s eight centers who are elite at the position.
It’s still early days but Allen has every opportunity to find himself around the same mark as guys like Clint Capela and Steven Adams. He’s not as physically ready and nowhere near the rebounder as those two, however Adams and Capela can’t do this.
Teammate Allen Crabbe is pretty high on his potential from the perimeter as well.
“Jarrett has had some practices where he looks like a 3-point specialist.”
Allen is a special player. The development he’s shown in such a short span is nothing short of remarkable. If his growth continues at this rate who’s to say he can’t elevate himself into one of the league’s elite centers?