The best NBA rebounders ever – ranked

Rebounding the ball, stopping second-chance points, and creating second-chance points are some of the most essential basketball skills. Each player has dominated the boards during their career, helping them succeed in the NBA. All statistics per ESPN and Land of Basketball.

Karl Malone has earned the final spot on this list because he notched 14,968 rebounds in his 20-year NBA career. Malone was one of the most physically imposing players in his career, allowing him to clean up the glass on both ends of the floor. He scored 36,928 NBA points.

Ben Wallace used his brute force and physical strength to dominate defensively in the NBA, becoming the anchor for the Detroit Pistons in the early 2000s. Wallace averaged 15.4 rebounds in 2002-03, securing his second and final rebounding title. He is a four-time DPOY.

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Mutombo is regarded as one of the greatest defensive players of all time. He played 18 years in the NBA, winning four Defensive Player of the Year awards. He was a two-time NBA rebounding leader and a three-time blocking leader. In his career, he averaged 10.3 rebounds per game.

The 6ft11 warrior Nate Thurmond was a rebounding vacuum during his NBA career, averaging more than 21 rebounds per game for two seasons. He played under 1,000 games and still racked up 14,464 rebounds in his career, largely due to nabbing 1100+ boards in eight of his 14 campaigns.

Dwight Howard's incredible spell with the Orlando Magic is one of the best defensive stints in the NBA's history. At 22 years and 130 days, he is the youngest rebounding champion, achieved in 2007-08. He has won five rebounding titles and ranks 10th all-time in rebounds (14,627).

'The Big Fundamental' could do everything to a high level on the floor and put on a clinic with his rebounding technique. Duncan was a perfect defensive anchor for the San Antonio Spurs, helping them win five NBA titles. His ability to box out and clean the glass with exceptional consistency puts him sixth all-time in rebounds (15,091).

Andre Drummond isn't a superstar like many others on this list, but that shouldn't take away from his sheer dominance on the glass. Among active players, Drummond has the highest season rebound total (1,247) and the highest season rebounding average (15.99), achieved in the 2017-18 season. He has won four rebounding titles.

'Shaq' deployed the same physicality he utilised as a dominant scorer to be a prolific rebounder. At over 300 pounds and a reach of 7ft7, O'Neal was immovable in the paint, with nearly every short-range ricochet being his for the taking. The 'Big Diesel' never led the league in rebounds, but that shouldn't detract from his ability to clean the glass. His career high in a game is 28.

Elvin Hayes' tall frame and outstanding bounce relative to the other players in the league gave him the tools to put up insane rebounding numbers, such as an average of 18.1 rebounds per game in 1973-74. He got to a fourth-best 16,279 rebounds in 16 seasons.

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The 'Big Ticket' Kevin Garnett was a ferocious defender during his NBA career, making him one of the most dominant rebounders in the early 2000s. Garnett was the rebounding champion for four consecutive years and sits ninth on the all-time list with 14,662 rebounds.

With 17,440 rebounds in his career, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is third all-time in the NBA. The Laker legend had the size, length, and fundamentals to dictate the games on the glass. His benchmark as an individual came during the 1975-76 season, where he averaged 16.9 rebounds per game. It was his only season as a rebounding champion.

Dennis Rodman was a defensive maestro in the NBA. At 6ft7 in, he dominated the glass like he was 7ft. Rodman won seven consecutive rebounding titles in the 1990s and was the glue that helped Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls win a second three-peat. He averaged 13.1 rebounds in his career.

The winner of six rebounding titles, including five in a row, Moses Malone was a rebounding juggernaut for the Philadelphia 76ers. Malone was a hard-nosed player who scrapped for boards constantly. His 16,212 rebounds are fifth all-time in the league.

Boston Celtics icon Bill Russell won 11 NBA championships as a player, and his extraordinary ability on the boards was one of the main catalysts behind his success. Russell won four rebounding titles, grabbing 21,620 boards in 13 seasons and averaging 19.1 per game.

Wilt Chamberlain is the most outstanding rebounder of all time. The NBA legend averaged 22.89 boards in his career (1st in NBA history), collecting 23,924 boards in 14 seasons. He won the rebounding crown in 11 of those 14 seasons, with his highest average coming in 1961 at 27.2 boards per game.

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