List of National Basketball Association annual rebounding leaders


In basketball, a rebound is the act of gaining possession of the ball after a missed field goal or free throw. An offensive rebound occurs when a player recovers the ball after their own or a teammate's missed shot attempt, while a defensive rebound occurs when a player recovers the ball after an opponent's missed shot attempt. The National Basketball Association's rebounding title is awarded to the player with the highest rebounds per game average in a given season. It was first recognized in the 1950–51 season, which was the second season after the league was created in 1949 by merger of the 3-year-old BAA and 12-year-old NBL. Players who earned rebounding titles before the 1973–74 season did not record any offensive or defensive rebounds because statistics on them were not recorded before that season. To qualify for the rebounding title, a player must appear in at least 58 games. However, a player who appears in fewer than 58 games may qualify as annual rebounding leader if his rebound total would have given him the greatest average, had he appeared in 58 games. This has been the requirement since the 2013–14 season. The rebounding title was originally determined by rebound total through the 1968–69 season, after which rebounds per game was used to determine the leader instead.
Wilt Chamberlain holds the all-time records for total rebounds and rebounds per game in a season; both records were achieved in the 1960–61 season. He also holds the rookie records for total rebounds, with 1,941 in the 1959–60 season. Among active players, Andre Drummond has the highest season rebound total and the highest season rebounding average, both achieved in the 2017–18 season. At 22 years, 130 days, Dwight Howard is the youngest rebounding leader in NBA history, while Dennis Rodman is the oldest at 36 years, 341 days.
Chamberlain has won the most rebounding titles in his career, with 11. Dennis Rodman has won a record seven consecutive rebounding titles. Moses Malone has won six rebounding titles. Howard has won five rebounding titles. Kevin Garnett and Bill Russell have won four rebounding titles each. Drummond has won three rebounding titles. Elvin Hayes, Dikembe Mutombo, Hakeem Olajuwon, Ben Wallace, and DeAndre Jordan are the only other players who have won the title multiple times. Five players have won the rebounding title and the NBA championship in the same season: Mikan in 1953 with the Minneapolis Lakers; Russell in 1959, 1964, and 1965 with the Boston Celtics; Chamberlain in 1967 and 1972 with the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers; Malone in 1983 with the 76ers; and Rodman in 1996, 1997, and 1998 with the Chicago Bulls.

Key

Season leaders

SeasonPlayerPos.TeamGames
played		Offensive
rebounds		Defensive
rebounds		Total
rebounds		Rebounds
per game		References
*F/CSyracuse Nationals66——1,08016.36
CFort Wayne Pistons66——88013.33
CMilwaukee Hawks66——88013.33
*CMinneapolis Lakers70——1,00714.39
*F/CNew York Knicks72——1,09815.25
*CPhiladelphia Warriors72——1,08515.07
*CSt. Louis Hawks72——1,16416.17
*FRochester Royals72——1,25617.44
*CBoston Celtics69——1,56422.67
* CBoston Celtics70——1,61223.03
*CPhiladelphia Warriors72——1,94126.96
* CPhiladelphia Warriors79——2,14927.20
* CPhiladelphia Warriors80——2,05225.65
* CSan Francisco Warriors80——1,94624.32
* CBoston Celtics78——1,93024.74
* CBoston Celtics78——1,87824.08
* CPhiladelphia 76ers79——1,94324.59
* CPhiladelphia 76ers81——1,95724.16
* CPhiladelphia 76ers82——1,95223.80
* CLos Angeles Lakers81——1,71221.14
*CSan Diego Rockets82——1,38616.90
* CLos Angeles Lakers82——1,49318.21
* CLos Angeles Lakers82——1,57219.17
* CLos Angeles Lakers82——1,52618.61
* FCapital Bullets813541,1091,46318.06
*C/FWashington Bullets733187591,07714.75
*CLos Angeles Lakers822721,1111,38316.87
*C/FPortland Trail Blazers6521172393414.37
C/FNew Orleans Jazz822989901,28815.71
*CHouston Rockets825878571,44417.61
CSan Diego Clippers813528641,21615.01
* CHouston Rockets804747061,18014.75
* CHouston Rockets815586301,18814.67
* CPhiladelphia 76ers784457491,19415.31
* CPhiladelphia 76ers7135259895013.38
* CPhiladelphia 76ers793856461,03113.05
CDetroit Pistons823057701,07513.11
*FPhiladelphia 76ers6839060499414.62
F/CLos Angeles Clippers7237156793813.03
*CHouston Rockets823387671,10513.48
* CHouston Rockets822998501,14914.01
*CSan Antonio Spurs823357281,06312.96
*FDetroit Pistons825231,0071,53018.66
* FDetroit Pistons623677651,13218.26
* FSan Antonio Spurs794539141,36717.30
* FSan Antonio Spurs4927454982316.80
* FChicago Bulls6435659695214.88
* FChicago Bulls5532056388316.05
* FChicago Bulls804217801,20115.01
F/CSacramento Kings4214939654512.98
*CAtlanta Hawks823048531,15714.11
* CAtlanta Hawks
Philadelphia 76ers		753077081,01513.53
C/FDetroit Pistons803187211,03912.99
C/FDetroit Pistons732938331,12615.42
*F/CMinnesota Timberwolves822458941,13913.89
* F/CMinnesota Timberwolves822478611,10813.51
* F/CMinnesota Timberwolves7621475296612.71
* F/CMinnesota Timberwolves7618379297512.83
^COrlando Magic822798821,16114.16
^ COrlando Magic793367571,09313.84
^ COrlando Magic822847981,08213.20
^F/CMinnesota Timberwolves733307821,11215.23
^ COrlando Magic5420058578514.54
^ CLos Angeles Lakers7625169494512.43
^CLos Angeles Clippers823317831,11413.59
^ CLos Angeles Clippers823978291,22614.95
^CDetroit Pistons813958031,19814.79
^CMiami Heat772937951,08814.13
^ CDetroit Pistons783998481,24715.99
^ CDetroit Pistons794238091,23215.59

Multiple-time leaders