Big man platoons are all the rage in college basketball’s arms race: Get to know these eight combos in the 2024-25 season

Honesty is the best policy for Matt Painter. The Purdue coach preaches it in the recruiting process and practices it with his rotation. Nearly three years ago, he asked Trevion Williams, a former first-team All-Big Ten selection, to accept a bench role so Purdue could start a blossoming sophomore named Zach Eddy.

Before becoming a two-time national Player of the Year, Eddie formed one of the best center platoons of recent times.

Painter expressed frustration that Eddie, a 7-foot-4, 300-pound big man, could play with Williams, the 6-10, 255-pound dancing bear, so he cut the 40 minutes almost entirely in half. Eddie and Williams played together for just four minutes and one second in that 2021-22 season. It was a little awkward at times, but it worked. Purdue relied on the nation’s second-best offense to win 29 games, and its centers averaged 26.4 points and 15.1 rebounds per game, which makes Eddie’s video game-like stats over the past two years seem ridiculous.

That central platoon made Purdue a little different than most of its counterparts.

Three years later, that center platoon has erupted.

With a rapid increase in player movement, zero market share and a 67-man coaching carousel, more staffs have been forced to build rosters from scratch. Roster-building in 2024 has become a bit like building a house, and having a center platoon in the blueprint has become a huge priority. More than half (40 of 77) of the teams in the five richest, high-major conferences have some sort of center platoon.

Maybe it’s a bit like Moneyball. Finding a player to replace Zach Eddy’s 25 points and 12 rebounds in the portal was impossible, but, How much does Purdue feed its big men?Painter might be able to average 20 points and 10 rebounds with a combination of Trey Kaufman-Ren and 7-foot-3-inch freshman center Daniel Jacobsen, who impressed for Team USA’s U18 club this summer.

It also allows some coaches to play a few different ways on both ends of the floor. When elite shot-blocker Donovan Clingan was in the game, UConn’s defense used a lot of drop coverage to limit shots at the rim. But when backup Samson Johnson checked in, they aggressively attacked ball screens. UConn allowed more shots at the rim when Johnson was on the floor, but it forced many more turnovers. BYU’s offense became a tougher scout as it became five-out with Elie Khalifa at the 5 and four-out, one-in when Fousseni Traore checked in. Keep your head turning.

This tactical flexibility is a cheat code and many have tried to emulate it. For example,New DePaul coach Chris Holtmann paired There are some defensive questions with a 3-point shooting big in David Skogman, as well as a non-shooting big in NJ Benson with great defensive skills. Butler’s 1-2 punch of Andre Skrine and Boden Kapke has that same vibe.

Plus there are physical benefits. Centers are, ahem, big guys. It’s much easier to demand 20 to 25 minutes of high-motor play, and it gives added moldability when foul trouble arises. Centers can work harder and perhaps take more calculated risks because they know they aren’t expected to be on the field constantly.

Let’s take a look at some of the notable center platoons built this offseason:

Personnel: Amari Williams and Brandon Garrison

News: Mark Pope’s fast offensive system requires big men who can pass the rock. That’s a big part of Williams’ game. The fifth-year senior from Drexel gives Pope a smart dribble handoff hub who can hit backdoor dimes or spray Kentucky’s cavalry of 3-point shooters. Garrison can do a lot of those things, too. Williams is the veteran. Garrison is the young, rising sophomore. Together, Kentucky should be able to put a real playmaking big man on the floor for 40 minutes who also has plenty of defensive chops. Williams’ durability is a real question. He only played 30+ minutes twice last season, so Garrison is clearly ready to play early and often. Don’t be surprised if this is close to a 50-50 split.

Personnel: Taris Reed and Samson Johnson

News: Dan Hurley may have a big hand in the rise of the big-player brigade. UConn’s back-to-back national championship-winning clubs had two of the game’s best backup centers in Clingan in 2022-23 and Johnson last season. The development of Michigan transfer Taris Reed will have a big impact on whether UConn turns into a true 50-50 platoon. As of now, Johnson looks set to be the undisputed starter. The rim-running, high-flying center finally gets a chance to man the middle, but if Johnson still can’t defend without fouling, Reed will hear his number called. Reed will have to improve his decision-making, but this sturdy junior has all the makings of the next version of UConn’s Adama Sanogo, who eats rebounds for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Personnel: Brandon Huntley-Hatfield and Ben Middlebrooks

News: Middlebrooks played the role of an unsung hero in leading NC State from defeat to the Final Four. He played a monstrous second unit big man who covered more ground defensively than offensive tackle DJ Burns.

Kevin Keatts should look to recreate that intimidating big man duo in 2024-25 with Huntley-Hatfield and Middlebrooks. Huntley-Hatfield, the Louisville transfer, is more aggressive as a true post-up threat with developing pick-and-pop skills. He’s probably the best bet to start alongside Middlebrooks, who’s doing everything he did last year as a high-energy, tough defender. Middlebrooks’ motor will be the same with 15 minutes a night or 25 minutes. That’s a luxury. NC State should rely on that center platoon early and often.

Personnel: Motiejus Krivas and Tobe Awka

News: Tommy Lloyd averaged 18 points and 14 rebounds per game from his center last year. It’s a safe bet to project Krivas and Awaka to match or surpass that benchmark. They look very different but they’re both extremely effective. Krivas is a 7-foot-2, 265-pound crane. Awaka is a 6-foot-8, 250-pound fire hydrant. Both were excellent post-up scorers last year and had excellent rebounding rates. Arizona could have one of the best center platoons in the country as both Krivas and Awaka would be starters for several high-major teams.

Personnel: Felix Okpara and JP Estrella

News: Things are changing in Tennessee’s frontcourt, with Jonas Aidoo heading to Arkansas and Tobe Awka heading to Arizona. Ohio State transfer Felix Okpara and JP Estrella are set to play 40 minutes at the 5. Okpara is a great lob threat who uses his length and bounce to become a real threat on both ends of the field. But Okpara struggled to become an efficient post-up scorer during his first two years at Ohio State. That’s where Estrella comes in. This rising sophomore might be Tennessee’s best post-up scorer on the roster, and he showed plenty of toughness and physicality while facing off against Zach Eddy in the NCAA Tournament. That’s Okpara’s job, but Estrella has the tools to make it a full-fledged platoon.

BYU Cougars

Personnel: Fousseni Traore and Keba Keita

News: Traore and Keita are both non-shooting big men, but other than that, they are completely different. That’s a good thing for new BYU coach Kevin Young. He’ll have options for who plays at the 5-spot. Traore is a great low-post scorer who can finish with either hand. The 6-foot-6, 240-pound senior is mostly a below-the-rim finisher, but the bowling-ball big man creates space, draws fouls and is a 74% free throw shooter. Keita is a more explosive athlete. Keita has an absurd rebound and opponents shot just 52% at the rim when Keita was on the floor against Utah last year. But he’s a poor free throw shooter and, while effective, can be a little clunky on the block. Traore gives BYU a reliable, post-up threat. Keita gives BYU’s frontcourt the vertical pop on the backline it desperately needed. They should share the time.

Personnel: Morez Johnson and Tomislav Ivcic

News: Jockeying for playing time has already begun in the Illini frontcourt, and its two freshmen are destined to compete for the starting center role. Johnson, a coveted top-31 prospect in the class of 2024, is a terrific rebounder who runs the floor like a deer. The 6-foot-9-inch, 225-pound big man is a bit smaller and not yet a proven floor-spacer, but that motor is always fast. Ivcic is a bit different. The Croatian big man is not a typical freshman. He will turn 21 on Aug. 9, and he weighs in at 7-foot-1, 230 pounds. He is not as explosive athletically as Johnson, but Ivcic’s age and skill set make him a bit better, but Johnson is a player who proves to be a great offensive rebounder from the start. Offensive rebounding is a big part of Brad Underwood basketball. The success of Illinois’ big players is becoming a major x-factor for their Big Ten Championship hopes.

Personnel: Zubby Ejiofor and Vince Iwuchukwu

News: Rick Pitino’s two heavyweight guards (Devon Smith and Kadary Richmond) are poised to be the stars of this team, but Ejiofor and Iwuchukwu will get their first chance to replace All-Big East big man Joel Soriano. The double-double machine was used to being a frontline star. Ejiofor and Iwuchukwu aren’t yet elite post-up scorers, but St. John’s needs play-finishers and elite rim protection. Ejiofor and Iwuchukwu have all the physical tools to win at a high level. St. John’s doesn’t have an All-Big East center on the roster right now, but its platoon will be productive and important.