Photo. Jonathan Mannion

Right before draft weekend, here’s the Top 35 centers you should look at. While you’re at it, check out the Top 40 Point Guards, the Top 30 Shooting Guards, the Top 40 Small Forwards and the Top 40 Power Forwards.

1. Yao Ming – He scores, boards, blocks shots, and gives you great percentages. When healthy, Yao is the top fantasy center in the game.

2. Amare Stoudemire – After coming back from microfracture surgery the way Amare came back, I’m never doubting him again. Ready to return from a knee cleanup job he had only a few weeks ago, STAT will fill it up from Day One of the season. Expect the Suns to be somewhat cautious with Amare, but I wouldn’t hesitate to take him early.

3. Chris Bosh – He’s so skilled and so talented, but the “plantar” makes me nervous. When healthy, his stats are strong in so many categories — points, boards, blocks, percentages, and even a three here and there. Realistically, though, I think you have to be happy with 70 games from Bosh.

4. Dwight Howard – Someone wrote to me about a league where one of the categories was made free throws instead of free throw percentage. In that league, Dwight might even top this list. We all know it – Dwight is a beast. His offensive game is raw, but improving. He’s hit a few jumpers in the preseason and all the hype is that his free throw shooting has improved. If he makes 65% it’s a huge victory.

5. Jermaine O’Neal – He’s day-to-day right now. Honestly, I don’t know that for a fact, but I’m sure he is. Nagging injuries have prevented J.O. from being a top-tier fantasy player. Healthy, he scores, boards, and is a tremendous shot blocker.

6. Marcus Camby – Camby is probably the best fantasy center in basketball except for being the most injury-prone center in basketball. That being said, he played over 70 games last season and 70 games of Camby is worth a 3rd-round pick. But the chances of him playing 70 again are slim. I’d still take him in the 4th.

7. Mehmet Okur – There hasn’t been a center that hits threes like Okur since … Raef LaFrentz? There are two centers in this group, actually: Okur and Bargnani. Okur struggled a bit at the end of last season, but he’ll hit 100-plus threes, will score, and has strong percentages. He is below average in blocks and boards.

8. LaMarcus Aldridge – The breakout center of the group? I think it’s between Aldridge and Darko. Aldridge finished off the season looking great and has been the talk of Portland camp. 15 points, 10 boards and 2 blocks isn’t out of the question. One warning to keeper leagues: Depending on how your league does positions, this could be his only season qualifying as a center since Greg Oden probably pushes Aldridge to PF next year.

9. Tyson Chandler – There are only so many people that can board and block shots like Chandler. That being said, he is one of the 10 worst free throw shooters in the NBA. Luckily he doesn’t take THAT many of them.

10. Chris Kaman – One half of the Fantasy Nightmare twins, Kaman gave owners fits last season. He wasn’t healthy, and when he was, he wasn’t particularly good. He has real talent, though, and the Clippers will need him to step it up while Brand is out.

11. Andrew Bogut – The other half of the Fantasy Nightmare twins. Bogut never really developed last year into the above average center that most think he can be. He’s a decent scorer, a good rebounder, and actually gives you some assists. He doesn’t block shots and he doesn’t shoot free throws well. He’s adequate.

12. Eddy Curry – He looks like he’s wearing armor on the court right now. The shoulder injury makes me nervous. So does partnering with big Zach down low. Still a nice scoring option, though.

13. Shaquille O’Neal – Look at the names ahead of the Diesel. Crazy, right? Shaq isn’t what he used to be. He used to be a beast in almost every big-man facet of the game who only killed you on free throws. That honor now belongs to Dwight Howard. Now, Shaq is still horrendous from the line but only good in spurts and dominant every now and then. He’s good for maybe 60-65 games. He says he is in shape and ready to carry the Heat, though, so expect a big early performance. Then again, he’s already been nursing a thigh bruise as the preseason wraps up.

14. Samuel Dalembert – Just stay healthy, big man. Big Sam was huge at times last season. Really, he was. When healthy he is a tremendous asset. You can book him for between 50 and 65 games though.

15. Ben Wallace – Another perennial fantasy stud (minus the FT percentage) who has fallen hard. The numbers are slipping. Still, he’ll block 2 a game and grab at least 10 boards.

16. Darko Milicic – I know that the Grizzlies are considering starting Stro Show over Darko, but I’m a Darko fan. You can book it – Darko is going to block at least 2 shots a game. And that’s if he gets in for at least 20 minutes a night. If Darko can find 25-35 minutes per game he could legitimately be 10 points, 8 board, 2.5 block fantasy center.

17. Andris Biedrins – Biedrins has real skill, real athletic ability, and on most NBA teams would play a guaranteed 35 minutes a night. Unfortunately for his owners, Don Nelson is his coach, and Nellie LOVES Nellie Ball. Translation? Nellie loves small ball and Al Harrington will see all too many minutes at center this season. Still, Biedrins scores at a nice percentage, blocks shots and boards. He is a horrendous free throw shooter.

18. Zydrunas Ilgauskas – It’s tempting to look at big Z and think, “No Varejao (holdout) equals more Ilgauskas value.” It may mean more minutes for Zydrunas, but the big man’s game has clearly declined in recent years. I think his numbers will see a slight bump, but Ilgauskas is not the same player he was pre-LeBron.

19. Nenad Krstic – Coming off a torn ACL, Krstic says he is stronger and ready to go. The Nets have brought him along slow and you can expect his minutes to be somewhat limited at first, but the Nets need Krstic’s scoring in the lineup. He’s not a great rebounder or shot blocker, so the best thing you’re getting here is points and field goal percentage.

20. Brad Miller – It wasn’t too long ago that Brad Miller was almost a keeper. B-Mill has slowwwwed down, but he can still shoot the rock and still pass. 12 points, 7 boards, and 3-4 dimes is really the best you can hope for. His percentages should be strong.

21. Andrew Bynum – Is Andrew Bynum the next big thing or not? I really don’t know. He can play, and should play, but also know that he’s at the mercy of Phil Jackson’s mind games; at any given moment, Bynum has three guys ahead of him in the rotation and then 10 seconds later is the starter playing 35 minutes a game. At the end of the day, the Lakers have to go with talent and that’s Andrew Bynum. He has the ability for 10-10-2, but you can probably expect just under that.

22. Brendan Haywood – Without Etan Thomas, Haywood is going to be the main man in the middle. He shows flashes of being a legit fantasy 2nd center, but has been so inconsistent in years past. With no other real center on the team (Andray Blatche will most likely back him up), Haywood should average 10 boards and 2 blocks per game. He probably won’t, but he should.

23. Robert Swift – Have you seen Robert Swift lately? Anybody who looks like that, I want on my team. Seriously, he’s talented and he has bulked up. Still nobody really knows what type of numbers he can do. He’s worthy of a late-round pick, but I wouldn’t bank on him being a big contributor. Still, he’s a good low-risk, high-reward pickup.

24. Zaza Pachulia – The Hawks are going to be better and although Zaza will be less of a part of the offense, his numbers should be solid. He is a good scorer (12 points per game isn’t out of the question) and has nice percentages. He is an average rebounder and doesn’t block shots.

25. Jamaal Magloire – Jamaal Magloire is going to get minutes on the Nets and he could be a below average 2nd center and a good 3rd center. He’ll give you some points, boards, and a little bit of blocks. You could do worse is what I’m trying to say.

26. Theo Ratliff – I really think Ratliff is worth a flier. He could help you in the first few weeks in blocks. Then he’ll be out for the rest of the season.

27. Andray Blatche – Blatche now steps in as Haywood’s primary backup. He’ll get small forward, power forward, and center minutes and has real skill. Watch his minutes; he could have some value.

28. Alonzo Mourning – Zo is still going to block 2 shots a game and is still going to fill in well if (when) Shaq gets hurt. Still, with Mark Blount now on board, the Heat are going to limit Zo’s minutes big-time this season.

29. Mark Blount – He probably would have been around 26th on this list if he was still with the Wolves. Now he’ll be a handcuff for Shaq owners. He’ll be a waiver pickup at some point this season.

30. Kendrick Perkins – If only there was a category for fouls committed. He’s a good rebounder and can block some shots, but really I’ve never seen anyone with such ability to pick up a quick 3 fouls.

31. Hilton Armstrong – Low risk and possibly medium to high reward, Hilton Armstrong has shown preseason flashes. Definitely keep an eye on him if he doesn’t get drafted. You could do worse in the last round.

32. Erick Dampier – Dampier is always a last round desperation pick up at the end of the draft. It’ll be the same this season.

33. Stro Show – He’s going to be drafted because of what he has the ability to do. It isn’t going to happen. Even with the talk that he may start, with Darko coming off the bench, I still think he’ll only show up 1 out of 3 games at best. That’ll be good enough for someone to take a shot at him.

34. Kwame Brown – Don’t do it.

35. Chris Mihm – Don’t do it, Part 2.

Honorable Mentions: Mikki Moore, Jeff Foster, Joel Przybilla, Spencer Hawes.