And as the Eastern Conference loses more stars, this year offers an opportunity for ‘bigs’ to shake things up and turn the tables around.

With that said, here is a look at the most intriguing yet least talked-about centers in the conference as the 2017/18 campaign approaches.

Drumming to a new beat

Maturity.

That is the mindset that Andre Drummond has for the upcoming 2017/18 season. The dynamic big aims to enter the sixth year of his career with more focus and determination.

“Hard work. That’s something I can and will bring this season,” proclaimed the 24-year-old center during the Detroit Piston’s media day. “At the end of the day, this is still a business and maturity is something that was necessary. This year is a good year to lock in and be a professional.”

Drummond’s physical shape channeled the fresh outlook as he is 30 pounds lighter, thanks to a rigorous diet. He also underwent sinus surgery to fix his deviated septum, which was adversely affecting his breathing.

These changes are necessary considering the whirlwind that was last season. Despite averaging a double-double, Drummond saw his production slip as his scoring dipped from 16.2 to 13.6 points, rebounding ticked down from a league-leading 14.8 to 13.8 boards and he recorded a career low in blocks (1.1) per game.

His defense was also on a slippery slope. Last year, his inability to adapt to high screens became apparent and he floundered against bigs who could shoot from the perimeter.

This had unfavorable effects on the Pistons’ defense. When he was on the court, opponents would outscore Detroit by six points per possession. When he was on the sidelines, the Pistons’ defensive rating improved from 108.9 to 99.7 while their defensive rebounding went up from 80.2 to 82.8 percent as per stats from NBA.com.

Strangely enough, Drummond fared well in some of the other defensive categories despite his lukewarm defense. He led the NBA in offensive rebounds (345), total rebounds (1115), defensive rating (99.0) while ranking third in defensive win shares (5.3).

Drummond will have a lot of expectations on him this season. If he can sustain this focused mentality, the New York native can unlock his potential and become a superstar-caliber big. Hopefully, his ideology is infectious in the locker room to the point where the team can finally become competitive in the East again. He participated in the NBA Africa Game in Johannesburg back in August and scored 14 points and grabbed 13 rebounds. He’s well on his way to improving on his showing last term.

Okafor’s third-year leap

Heading into his third season, Nigerian-American Jahlil Okafor’s career has been marred with troubles on and off the court.

And while Philadelphia 76ers fans gleam with excitement, the pressure is on for the 21-year-old as trade rumors raise questions about his place in the franchise. Okafor will be competing with Richaun Holmes and Amir Johnson for the backup-center role when Joel Embiid returns.

“I’m going to fight for my life and fight for my minutes like I have in any other training camp.” said Okafor during the Sixers’ media day conference. ““I’m just trying to stay professional through it all.”

Last year, the Nigerian-American saw a significant drop in production and in minutes. Playing as a power forward, Okafor averaged 11.8 points and 4.8 rebounds while logging 22.7 minutes per game. According to stats from NBA.com, the Sixer’s offensive rating dropped from 102.8 to 95.1 when he was on the floor and opponents managed to outscore Philadelphia by 14 points per 100 possessions.

This is a far cry from his first year as a professional.

In his rookie season, he averaged 17.5 points shooting well at 50.8 percent, while notching seven rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game. He finished the 2015/16 year recording eleven double-doubles while being responsible for 31 percent of the Sixers’ offense playing at the center position.

With Embiid on a “hyper-conservative” recovery schedule, Okafor has the chance to prove that he is the player that the 76ers drafted. The preseason will be his audition tape to establish where he fits in this newly refurbished team.

Despite his anemic performance last year, Okafor showed flashes of his natural scoring ability and low post skills that won him the 2015 ACC Player of the Tournament while he was in college.

By Lethabo Nxumalo