For years, the big men in the NBA have been maligned, as the public mourns of the "great centers" in the league in favor of a smaller, faster-paced game. However, that downgrade in talent has been incredibily overstated in recent seasons, and in fact, there is certainly more depth with regard to the league's bigs than there is at the 2-guard position. It is time to break down the list of the best centers in the NBA today.

5. Marc Gasol:

2013-2014 Per-Game Stats: 33.4 minutes, 14.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.0 steals, 1.3 blocks, .473/.768/.182 shooting, 18.27 PER

Even though Gasol was injured last season he returned to give the Memphis Grizzles a shot in the arm to threaten the Dallas Mavericks in a chase for the 7th playoff seed. Gasol can go toe-to-toe with any center in the NBA, he is a tremendous passer, and he shoots close to 50 percent from the field.

He is a former top 5 defensive player in the league and is underrated as an all around center. However, for a player his size, he should be averaging 10-11 rebounds per game, and because of his poor rebounding numbers, he isn’t ranked higher on this list.

4. Joakim Noah:

2013-2014 Per-Game Stats: 35.3 minutes, 12.6 points, 11.3 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.2 steals, 1.5 blocks, .475/.737/.000 shooting, 20.06 PER

Joakim Noah is the heart and soul of the Chicago Bulls. He is a scrappy defender, and has an underrated offensive game. He is relentless on the offensive glass, averaging 3.8 offensive rebounds per game. He can also be a great passer, averaging a career high 5.4 assists per game last season.

The passion and leadership he brings to the court is incredible. Some of his intangibles do not show up on the stat sheet, but they are necessary pieces to a contending team. When Derrick Rose went down, the Bulls still look like a respectable team a many nights thanks to the play of Noah.

3. Al Hortford:

2013-2014 Per-Game Stats: 33.0 minutes, 18.6 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 0.9 steals, 1.5 blocks, .567/.682/.000 shooting, 22.08 PER

The now 28-year-old Horford was on pace for a career-best season in 2013-2014 prior to the injury, with a 22.0 PER to go along with an excellent 56.7% true shooting and more than 20 points and 9 rebounds per 36 minutes of court time.

He is also an excellent defender despite a lack of traditional rim protecting stats, simply because of his incredibly mobility in pick-and-roll coverage combined with a basketball IQ that allows him to always occupy the right space at the right time.

2. Dwight Howard:

2013-2014 Per-Game Stats: 33.7 minutes, 18.3 points, 12.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.8 steals, 1.8 blocks, .458/.822/.200 shooting, 21.36 PER

Dwight Howard removed himself from a bad situation in L.A. and has inserted himself in a system in Houston where he can be more efficient. From a numbers perspective, Howard is one of the few centers in the league putting up double digit numbers in points and rebounds, but what sets him apart from the pack is his ability to be among the league leaders in both field goal percentage (57.9) and rebounds per game (12.4).

Howard is a defensive juggernaut, perennial NBA All-Star, and the Rockets have blasted off to now rank among the top-5 teams in the Western Conference.

1. DeMarcus Cousins:

2013-2014 Per-Game Stats: 32.4 minutes, 22.7 points, 11.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.3 steals, 1.5 blocks, .496/.726/.000 shooting, 26.18 PER

Not only is he the best center in the league right now, he was totally robbed from being picked as a NBA Western Conference All-Star reserve. This is a player who has transformed his once negative persona into being respectable player with tremendous talent. Cousins is the only active NBA center averaging more than 20 points per game while managing to pull down 11.6 rebounds per game – fourth best among all players in the NBA.

The Sacramento Kings are continuously looking for the right combination to pair around Cousins, and the addition of Rudy Gay is sure to make them a deadly duo. Cousins is certainly the best center in the league right now, and if healthy, most NBA fans are willing to guarantee he will be a member of the 2015 NBA All-Star West team.