List of NBA 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 (NBA) 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 (out of 82). 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 (2,149) and rebounds per game (27.2) 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 (1,247) and the highest season rebounding average (15.99), both achieved in the 2017–18 season. At 22 years, 130 days, Dwight Howard is the youngest rebounding leader in NBA history (achieved in the season), while Dennis Rodman is the oldest at 36 years, 341 days (achieved in the season).

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 four rebounding titles. Elvin Hayes, Dikembe Mutombo, Hakeem Olajuwon, Ben Wallace, DeAndre Jordan, and Domantas Sabonis are the only other players who have won the title multiple times. Six 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, respectively; Bill Walton in 1977 with the Portland Trail Blazers; Malone in 1983 with the 76ers; and Rodman in 1996, 1997, and 1998 with the Chicago Bulls.

Annual leaders

Season	Player	Pos.	Team	Games
played	Offensive
rebounds	Defensive
rebounds	Total
rebounds	Rebounds
per game	Ref	*	*	*	*	‡	*	*	‡	*	* (2)	‡	*	* (2)	* (3)	* (4)	* (3)	‡	* (4)	‡	* (5)	‡	* (6)	‡	* (7)	* (8)	*	* (9)	* (10)	* (11)	* (2)	*	‡	*	*	‡	*	* (2)	‡	* (3)	‡	* (4)	* (5)	* (6)	*	*	* (2)	*	*	* (2)	* (3)	* (4)	* (5)	* (6)	* (7)	*	*	* (2)	*	* (2)	‡	*	* (2)	* (3)	* (4)	*	* (2)	* (3)	^	* (4)	* (5)	^	^ (2)	^	^ (2)	^ (3)	^ (4)	^	^	^	^ (2)	^ (3)
	F/C	Syracuse Nationals	66	—	—	1,080	16.36
	C	Fort Wayne Pistons	66	—	—	880	13.33
	C	Milwaukee Hawks	66	—	—	880	13.33
	C	Minneapolis Lakers	70	—	—	1,007	14.39
	F	New York Knicks	72	—	—	1,098	15.25
	C	Philadelphia Warriors	72	—	—	1,085	15.07
C	St. Louis Hawks	72	—	—	1,164	16.17
	F	Rochester Royals	72	—	—	1,256	17.44
C	Boston Celtics	69	—	—	1,564	22.67
	C	Boston Celtics	70	—	—	1,612	23.03
C	Philadelphia Warriors	72	—	—	1,941	26.96
	C	Philadelphia Warriors	79	—	—	2,149	27.20
	C	Philadelphia Warriors	80	—	—	2,052	25.65
	C	San Francisco Warriors	80	—	—	1,946	24.32
	C	Boston Celtics	78	—	—	1,930	24.74
C	Boston Celtics	78	—	—	1,878	24.08
C	Philadelphia 76ers	79	—	—	1,943	24.59
C	Philadelphia 76ers	81	—	—	1,957	24.16
C	Philadelphia 76ers	82	—	—	1,952	23.80
	C	Los Angeles Lakers	81	—	—	1,712	21.14
	C	San Diego Rockets	82	—	—	1,386	16.90
	C	Los Angeles Lakers	82	—	—	1,493	18.21
	C	Los Angeles Lakers	82	—	—	1,572	19.17
	C	Los Angeles Lakers	82	—	—	1,526	18.61
	F	Capital Bullets	81	354	1,109	1,463	18.06
	C	Washington Bullets	73	318	759	1,077	14.75
C	Los Angeles Lakers	82	272	1,111	1,383	16.87
	C	Portland Trail Blazers	65	211	723	934	14.37
	F	New Orleans Jazz	82	298	990	1,288	15.71
C	Houston Rockets	82	587	857	1,444	17.61
	C	San Diego Clippers	81	352	864	1,216	15.01
	C	Houston Rockets	80	474	706	1,180	14.75
C	Houston Rockets	81	558	630	1,188	14.67
C	Philadelphia 76ers	78	445	749	1,194	15.31
	C	Philadelphia 76ers	71	352	598	950	13.38
	C	Philadelphia 76ers	79	385	646	1,031	13.05
	C	Detroit Pistons	82	305	770	1,075	13.11
	F	Philadelphia 76ers	68	390	604	994	14.62
	F	Los Angeles Clippers	72	371	567	938	13.03
	C	Houston Rockets	82	338	767	1,105	13.48
	C	Houston Rockets	82	299	850	1,149	14.01
	C	San Antonio Spurs	82	335	728	1,063	12.96
	F	Detroit Pistons	82	523	1,007	1,530	18.66
	F	Detroit Pistons	62	367	765	1,132	18.26
	F	San Antonio Spurs	79	453	914	1,367	17.30
	F	San Antonio Spurs	49	274	549	823	16.80
	F	Chicago Bulls	64	356	596	952	14.88
	F	Chicago Bulls	55	320	563	883	16.05
	F	Chicago Bulls	80	421	780	1,201	15.01
	F	Sacramento Kings	42	149	396	545	12.98
	C	Atlanta Hawks	82	304	853	1,157	14.11
	C	Atlanta Hawks
Philadelphia 76ers	75	307	708	1,015	13.53
	C	Detroit Pistons	80	318	721	1,039	12.99
	C	Detroit Pistons	73	293	833	1,126	15.42
F	Minnesota Timberwolves	82	245	894	1,139	13.89
	F	Minnesota Timberwolves	82	247	861	1,108	13.51
	F	Minnesota Timberwolves	76	214	752	966	12.71
	F	Minnesota Timberwolves	76	183	792	975	12.83
	C	Orlando Magic	82	279	882	1,161	14.16
	C	Orlando Magic	79	336	757	1,093	13.84
	C	Orlando Magic	82	284	798	1,082	13.20
	F	Minnesota Timberwolves	73	330	782	1,112	15.23
	C	Orlando Magic	54	200	585	785	14.54
	C	Los Angeles Lakers	76	251	694	945	12.43
	C	Los Angeles Clippers	82	331	783	1,114	13.59
	C	Los Angeles Clippers	82	397	829	1,226	14.95
	C	Detroit Pistons	81	395	803	1,198	14.79
	C	Miami Heat	77	293	795	1,088	14.13
	C	Detroit Pistons	78	399	848	1,247	15.99
	C	Detroit Pistons	79	423	809	1,232	15.59
	C	Detroit Pistons
Cleveland Cavaliers	57	250	614	864	15.16
	C	Atlanta Hawks	63	297	606	903	14.33
	C	Utah Jazz	66	241	727	968	14.67
	C	Sacramento Kings	79	251	722	973	12.32
	C	Sacramento Kings	82	294	826	1,120	13.66
	C	Sacramento Kings	70	267	705	972	13.89