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NBA’s Best BIG Man Handles | 2018-19 NBA Season | #NBAHandlesWeek

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The NBA’s frontcourt revolution shifts the traditional center role toward perimeter-based playmaking.

The 2018-19 season marked a departure from low-post basketball as frontcourt stars integrated elite ball-handling and transition facilitation into their skill sets. Released on July 30, 2019, as part of the league’s #NBAHandlesWeek, a highlight compilation demonstrates how top big men have transitioned into primary initiators of their respective offenses.

• Giannis Antetokounmpo led this trend, averaging 27.7 points and 5.9 assists while frequently initiating Milwaukee’s perimeter-based offense.
• Nikola Jokić secured All-NBA First Team honors by functioning as a “point-center,” utilizing deceptive dribble-handoffs to guide Denver to the Western Conference’s second seed.
• Other stars, including Joel Embiid, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Blake Griffin—who posted a career-high 5.4 assists per game—demonstrated the necessary handles to drive from the three-point line.

The Rise of the Versatile Big

Modern NBA tactical demands have effectively ended the era of the restricted, low-post center. During the 2018-19 season, frontcourt players like Joel Embiid showcased guard-like crossover moves, while Karl-Anthony Towns consistently operated as a focal point of the Minnesota Timberwolves’ offense from the perimeter. This shift in usage is reflected in the season’s All-NBA selections, where the inclusion of Antetokounmpo, Jokić, and Embiid codified a new archetype of player capable of navigating the pace-and-space environment.

In the modern pace-and-space era, the ability to facilitate in transition is a requirement for elite frontcourt status.

Point-Center Dynamics

Nikola Jokić represents the pinnacle of this tactical evolution, fundamentally redefining the responsibilities of the center position. By assuming playmaking duties, Jokić allowed the Denver Nuggets to operate with high-level ball movement that often begins at the top of the key. His usage of the dribble-handoff—combined with an advanced basketball IQ—forced defenses to adjust to a threat who functions as both a rim protector and a lead guard.

Efficiency and Perimeter Facilitation

The video compilation highlights the specific mechanics behind this evolution, showcasing players who can execute coast-to-coast drives and complex finishes like the Euro-step. For players like Blake Griffin, the move toward a point-forward role was a career-defining adjustment, allowing him to bypass traditional post-up sets. As teams finalize their rosters for the 2019-20 season, the mandate for big men to possess a clean handle and reliable vision remains a primary focus for front offices aiming to remain competitive.

Front offices are now watching how these individual skills translate to team-wide spacing for the 2019-20 season, particularly as the league’s frontcourt three-point attempt rate recently hit 51.9%. Whether Giannis Antetokounmpo can sharpen his perimeter efficiency to help Milwaukee return to the Eastern Conference Finals remains the most significant variable for the coming year.