As training camps conclude and the upcoming 2025-26 professional basketball season looms, the dominant storyline is not about a single superstar or a potential dynasty, but a profound tactical evolution centered on the sport’s traditionally biggest players. For years, the prevailing trend was “positionless basketball,” a concept that often marginalized the classic, back-to-the-basket center. Now, however, the pendulum is swinging back—not to the past, but to a new, hybridized future. The league is entering an era defined by the rise of the “Point Center,” a multi-skilled, seven-foot player who is not just the anchor of the defense, but the initiator of the offense.
The New Offensive Hub
The traditional role of a center was simple: protect the rim, grab rebounds, and score in the paint. The modern evolution of the position, however, demands a skillset once reserved for point guards. The new generation of elite big men are now routinely functioning as the primary offensive hub. Instead of waiting in the low post, they are bringing the ball up the court, initiating the offense from the top of the key, and facilitating for their teammates with elite court vision and passing ability.
This tactical shift creates significant matchup problems for opposing defenses. A traditional, slower-footed center is ill-equipped to defend a seven-footer who can handle the ball on the perimeter and make complex reads like a point guard. Teams are increasingly running their offense through these “point centers,” using them as the focal point for dribble hand-offs and complex screening actions that leverage their unique combination of size and skill. Their ability to see over the defense allows them to make passes that smaller guards simply cannot.
A Redefinition of “Unicorns”
For a time, a center who could shoot three-pointers was considered a rare “unicorn.” In 2025, that is no longer a luxury; it is a baseline requirement for an elite big man. The ability to stretch the floor with a reliable outside shot is what pulls the opposing team’s rim protector away from the basket, opening up driving lanes for the rest of the team. The most dominant centers in the league today have combined this outside shooting with their playmaking ability, creating a nearly unstoppable offensive force.
This evolution is forcing a league-wide re-evaluation of team-building strategy. A decade ago, teams might have sought a defensive specialist at the center position to anchor their team. Now, front offices are prioritizing size combined with skill. The search is on for the next generation of players who possess the height and strength of a traditional center but the ball-handling, passing, and shooting skills of a guard.
The Defensive Challenge
While the offensive evolution is a major story, it also presents a new set of defensive challenges. As teams build their offenses around these highly skilled centers, the opposing centers must now be versatile enough to defend them all over the court. They must be agile enough to guard on the perimeter, intelligent enough to navigate complex screening actions, and still strong enough to protect the rim and rebound. This has increased the value of mobile, high-IQ defensive big men who can switch across multiple positions. The era of the slow, plodding center is officially over. The modern game is being shaped by giants who can do it all.
This tactical shift is exemplified by the recent dominance of versatile, playmaking centers in the professional leagues. The success of players like the reigning two-time MVP from Serbia in the North American league, and the highly anticipated debut of a towering French prodigy, have solidified the “point center” as the new blueprint for a championship-contending team. This trend has been a major storyline in the bet365 basketball .