Positional Power Rankings: 30 best power forwards in the NBA
By John Buhler
Zach Randolph
Power Forward, Memphis Grizzlies
Of all the big men that get a traditional power forward label, Memphis Grizzlies power forward Zach Randolph best epitomizes that designation. For years, Randolph has been one of the most physical low-post players in the game. There is nothing flashy about him, but he is the cornerstone of Memphis Grit ‘N Grin basketball.
Frankly, Randolph has a bit of a cult following, which is awesome. You are either Team Z-Bo or you don’t have a clue. The guy can’t jump over a paper plate, but he’ll get up in an opponent’s grill as one of the few true tough guys in the NBA today.
It’s not all muscle and brawn with Randolph’s game. He has tremendous touch as a southpaw in the Grizzlies paint. The amount of combinations he can run out of a back-to-the-basket, isolation set are why he is such a captivating player to watch go to work offensively.
As he enters his mid-to-late 30s, Randolph will have to now come off the bench as a seventh or eighth man in a playoff rotation. This is save his fading motor and provide a spark away from the starting lineup. Randolph is one of the few players in the NBA today that routinely makes opponents physically drained after playing him.