List of NBA annual minutes played leaders

In basketball, minutes of game time during which a player is on the court are recorded. The minutes played statistics are recorded as far back as the 1951–52 season when statistics on minutes were first compiled by the National Basketball Association (NBA). Fifteen times the average leader has played fewer than 40 minutes per game and eight times the leader has played more than 46 minutes per game. Wilt Chamberlain has the seven highest leading totals, while Nate "Tiny" Archibald is the only other single-season leader to average over 46 minutes per game. In one season, Chamberlain averaged over 48 minutes per game (meaning that he rested fewer minutes during the season than he played in overtime during the season).

To qualify as minutes leader, the player must appear in at least 58 games (out of 82). However, a player who appears in fewer than 58 games may qualify as annual minutes leader if his minute total would have given him the greatest average, had he appeared in 58 games. This has been the requirement since the 2013–14 season.

Chamberlain led the league in minutes played per game nine times, followed by Allen Iverson (7) and Michael Finley (3) times. Twelve other players have led the league in minutes per game twice, eight of them in consecutive years. Chamberlain holds the record for consecutive titles with five, followed by Iverson with three (two times). Fifteen times a member of the San Francisco/Philadelphia/Golden State Warriors has led the league in average minutes. Nine full seasons and parts of another the average leader played for the Philadelphia 76ers. Seventeen seasons and parts of another the leader played for either the Philadelphia Warriors or the Philadelphia 76ers.

In 16 of the 61 seasons since the statistic has been kept, the minutes per game leader was not the total minutes played leader. Larry Bird and Iverson are the only multiple leaders in average who were surpassed in total minutes multiple times. Five of Iverson's seven times and both of Bird's times as the average leader they were surpassed in total minutes. Kevin Durant is the only player to lead the league in total minutes without finishing in the top three in average minutes during the same season. He is also the only player to never lead in average minutes, but lead in total minutes multiple times. The first four times and five of the first seven times that the leader in average did not lead in total minutes, he finished second in total minutes. However, the last six times that the average leader did not lead the league in total minutes, he was outside of the top 10 and the last nine times, he was outside of the top 5.

Annual leaders

Season	Player	Position	Team	Games
played	Total minutes	Minutes per game	References
	*	F/G	Philadelphia Warriors	66	2939	44.53
	*	C	Philadelphia Warriors	70	3166	45.23
	* (2)	C	Philadelphia Warriors	72	3296	45.78
	* (2)	F/G	Philadelphia Warriors	72	2953	41.01
		G	Philadelphia Warriors	72	2840	39.44
	*	F/C	Syracuse Nationals	72	2851	39.60
	* (2)	F/C	Syracuse Nationals	72	2918	40.53
	*	C	Boston Celtics	70	2979	42.56
	*	C	Philadelphia Warriors	72	3338	46.36
	* (2)	C	Philadelphia Warriors	79	3773	47.76
	* (3)	C	Philadelphia Warriors	80	3882	48.52
	* (4)	C	San Francisco Warriors	80	3806	47.58
	* (5)	C	San Francisco Warriors	80	3689	46.11
	*	G	Cincinnati Royals	75	3421	45.61
	* (6)	C	Philadelphia 76ers	79	3737	47.30
	* (7)	C	Philadelphia 76ers	81	3682	45.46
	* (8)	C	Philadelphia 76ers	82	3836	46.78
	* (9)	C	Los Angeles Lakers	81	3669	45.30
	*	F/C	San Diego Rockets	82	3665	44.70
	*	F/G	Boston Celtics	81	3678	45.41
	* (2)	F/G	Boston Celtics	82	3698	45.10
	*	G	Kansas City–Omaha Kings	80	3681	46.01
	* (2)	F/C	Capital Bullets	82	3665	44.47
	*	C/F	Buffalo Braves	82	3539	43.16
	* (2)	C/F	Buffalo Braves	78	3328	42.67
	*	G	New Orleans Jazz	73	3041	41.66
		F/C	New Orleans Jazz	82	3638	44.37
	*	C/F	Houston Rockets	82	3390	41.34
		G	Los Angeles Lakers	82	3226	39.34
	*	F/C	Utah Jazz	80	3417	42.71
	* (2)	C/F	Houston Rockets	81	3398	41.95
		F/G	Detroit Pistons	58	2252	38.83
		C/F	Washington Bullets	75	3082	41.09
	*	F	Boston Celtics	80	3161	39.51
	*	G	Philadelphia 76ers	82	3270	39.88
	* (2)	F	Boston Celtics	74	3005	40.61
	*	G	Chicago Bulls	82	3311	40.38
	* (2)	G	Chicago Bulls	81	3255	40.19
		F/G	Sacramento Kings	82	3238	39.49
	*	F/G	Golden State Warriors	82	3315	40.43
	* (2)	F/G	Golden State Warriors	81	3346	41.31
		F	Charlotte Hornets	82	3323	40.52
		G	Golden State Warriors	82	3533	43.09
		F	Milwaukee Bucks	82	3361	40.99
		F	New York Knicks	82	3457	42.16
	(2)	F	Charlotte Hornets	73	3143	43.05
		G/F	Dallas Mavericks	82	3394	41.39
	*	G	Philadelphia 76ers	48	1990	41.46
	(2)	G/F	Dallas Mavericks	82	3464	42.24
	(3)	G/F	Dallas Mavericks	82	3443	41.99
	* (2)	G	Philadelphia 76ers	60	2622	43.70
	* (3)	G	Philadelphia 76ers	82	3485	42.50
	* (4)	G	Philadelphia 76ers	48	2040	42.50
	^	F	Cleveland Cavaliers	80	3388	42.35
	* (5)	G	Philadelphia 76ers	72	3103	43.10
	* (6)	G	Philadelphia 76ers/Denver Nuggets	65	2761	42.48
	* (7)	G	Denver Nuggets	82	3424	41.76
	†	F/G	Philadelphia 76ers	82	3269	39.87
		G	Golden State Warriors	64	2647	41.36
	(2)	G	Golden State Warriors	80	3227	40.34
		F	Chicago Bulls	54	2129	39.43
	(2)	F	Chicago Bulls	75	2903	38.71
	*	F	New York Knicks	77	2982	38.73
	^	G/F	Chicago Bulls	65	2513	38.66
	^	G	Houston Rockets	82	3125	38.11
	^ (2)	F	Cleveland Cavaliers	74	2794	37.76
	^ (3)	F	Cleveland Cavaliers	82	3026	36.90
	^	G	Washington Wizards	82	3028	36.93
	^	G	Portland Trail Blazers	66	2474	37.48
	^	F	New York Knicks	71	2667	37.56
	^	F/C	Toronto Raptors	68	2578	37.91
	^ (2)	F/C	Toronto Raptors	71	2652	37.40
	^	F	Chicago Bulls	79	2989	37.84
	^	F	New York Knicks	77	2897	37.62