These big men dominated on both ends of the floor, controlling the paint with a blend of size, athleticism, and immense knowledge of the game.
They led their teams to incredible heights, sustaining their success long enough to establish their positions in the record books.
Here are the NBA’s all-time rebound leaders.
1. Wilt Chamberlain – 23,924
Chamberlain not only has the highest rebound total in NBA history, but he is also the most prolific rebounder the game has ever seen. His career average of 22.9 rebounds per game is the highest in league history.
2. Bill Russell – 21,620
Russell’s career 22.5 rebounds per game were enough to accumulate a total good for second all time despite being the only player on this list to play under 1,000 career games. Russell and Chamberlain’s career per game rebound numbers are over 6.0 rebounds per game more than any other player, truly showing their dominance on the glass.
3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – 17,440
In addition to his place in third on this list, Abdul-Jabbar is in the top three on the all-time scoring and all-time blocks lists. He is undoubtedly one of the greatest and most durable players the game has seen, controlling the floor on both ends throughout his career.
4. Elvin Hayes – 16,279
Hayes’ physical style of play led to tremendous success throughout his career, leading to 12 All-Star selections, six All-NBA team selections, and plenty of rebounds.
5. Moses Malone – 16,212
An eight-time All-NBA selection, Malone averaged at least 11.0 rebounds per game in his first 13 NBA seasons. He also was named an All-Star with four different teams, the only player on this list to accomplish such a feat.
6. Tim Duncan – 15,091
Duncan led the Spurs to five titles throughout his illustrious 19-year career. Like most players on this list, he dominated on both ends of the floor, leading to 15 All-NBA selections, tied for the most all time.
7. Karl Malone – 14,968
One of the greatest scorers in NBA history, Malone also racked up the rebounds throughout his career. Playing alongside John Stockton, “The Mailman” helped lead the Jazz to many deep playoff runs, yet he never won an NBA title.
8. Robert Parish – 14,715
Having played an NBA-record 1,611 career games over the course of 21 seasons, Parish truly exemplifies durability. He played a critical role in the Celtics success of the 1980s, being named an All-Star in seven straight seasons from 1981-87.
9. Kevin Garnett – 14,662
A 12-time member of the NBA All-Defensive team, Garnett was a defensive powerhouse throughout his career. His combination of mobility, athleticism and size led him to be one of the league’s leading rebounders throughout his 21 NBA seasons.
10. Dwight Howard – 14,627
Howard had 9 consecutive seasons where he averaged at least 12 rebounds per game, including 3 consecutive seasons where he won defensive player of the year. He was a physical force in the throughout his career, continuing to have success on the glass as he bounced around from team to team in his final six seasons.
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