Basketball · Current as of

NBA all-time rebounding leaders

Every career rebound since 1950–51, racing to today. Wilt Chamberlain leads with 23,924 rebounds, 2,304 ahead of Bill Russell.

NBA · All-time rebounding leaders

Career regular-season rebounds

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Career regular-season rebounds · season totals from games × rebounds per game, adjusted to each reported career totalData: Wikipedia · Photos: Wikimedia Commons

Space play or pause←→ step a seasonRecording mode waits for you, counts down, and ends on the photo credits; Esc leaves it

The short answer

Wilt Chamberlain is the NBA's all-time leading rebounder with 23,924 regular-season rebounds in 1,045 games from 1959–60 to 1972–73. He took the record from Bill Russell during the 1971–72 season.

Who's chasing whom

Every active top-50 player and the next name ahead, as of . Rebounds needed are exact; games are an estimate (~) at the player's most recent rebounding rate.

How the record moved

4 players have held the NBA career rebounding record, one of them twice. Each block is one reign, as long as it lasted.

Record holders

  1. 1950–51 to 1951–52 · 2 seasonsDolph SchayesFirst record holder · 1,853 at the end of 1951–52, before he was passed
  2. 1952–53 to 1953–54 · 2 seasonsGeorge MikanPassed Dolph Schayes · 3,859 at the end of 1953–54, before he was passed
  3. 1954–55 to 1961–62 · 8 seasonsDolph SchayesPassed George Mikan · 10,771 at the end of 1961–62, before he was passed
  4. 1962–63 to 1970–71 · 9 seasonsBill RussellPassed Dolph Schayes · finished with 21,620
  5. 1971–72 to now · 55 seasonsWilt ChamberlainPassed Bill Russell · 23,924 and counting

First to each milestone

  1. 5,000Dolph Schayes1955–56
  2. 10,000Dolph Schayes1960–61
  3. 15,000Bill Russell1964–65
  4. 20,000Bill Russell1967–68

Top 50 career rebounders

Regular-season rebounds through the 2025–26 season. Select a player for every season.

NBA career rebounding leaders, Nos. 1 to 25
#PlayerReboundsGamesRPGSeasonsStatus
123,9241,04522.91959–60 to 1972–73Hall of Fame
221,62096322.51956–57 to 1968–69Hall of Fame
317,4401,56011.21969–70 to 1988–89Hall of Fame
416,2791,30312.51968–69 to 1983–84Hall of Fame
516,2121,32912.21976–77 to 1994–95Hall of Fame
615,0911,39210.81997–98 to 2015–16Hall of Fame
714,9681,47610.11985–86 to 2003–04Hall of Fame
814,7151,6119.11976–77 to 1996–97Hall of Fame
914,6621,46210.01995–96 to 2015–16Hall of Fame
1014,6271,24211.82004–05 to 2021–22Hall of Fame
1114,46496415.01963–64 to 1976–77Hall of Fame
1214,2411,04313.71961–62 to 1974–75Hall of Fame
1313,76998414.01968–69 to 1980–81Hall of Fame
1413,7481,23811.11984–85 to 2001–02Hall of Fame
1513,0991,20710.91992–93 to 2010–11Hall of Fame
1613,0171,30710.01981–82 to 1997–98Retired
1712,94282915.61963–64 to 1973–74Hall of Fame
1812,84979216.21954–55 to 1964–65Hall of Fame
1912,5461,07311.71984–85 to 1999–00Hall of Fame
2012,3591,19610.31991–92 to 2008–09Hall of Fame
2112,3571,2549.91964–65 to 1979–80Retired
2212,2051,2829.51985–86 to 2003–04Retired
2312,0951,6227.52003–04 to nowActive
2411,95491113.11986–87 to 1999–00Hall of Fame
2511,9011,4248.41984–85 to 2006–07Retired
NBA career rebounding leaders, Nos. 26 to 50
#PlayerReboundsGamesRPGSeasonsStatus
2611,6071,1839.81985–86 to 2001–02Hall of Fame
2711,51396711.92012–13 to nowActive
2811,4891,5227.51998–99 to 2018–19Hall of Fame
2911,46384613.51958–59 to 1971–72Hall of Fame
3011,3051,2269.22001–02 to 2018–19Hall of Fame
3111,25693212.11950–51 to 1963–64Hall of Fame
3211,05492611.91962–63 to 1974–75Retired
3310,8611,1239.72008–09 to nowActive
3410,8161,1079.81977–78 to 1990–91Hall of Fame
3510,7071,03610.32011–12 to nowActive
3610,57290511.72013–14 to nowActive
3710,49798710.61989–90 to 2002–03Hall of Fame
3810,4821,0889.61996–97 to 2011–12Hall of Fame
3910,4671,1609.02001–02 to 2019–20Retired
4010,44476613.61970–71 to 1982–83Hall of Fame
4110,4001,0689.71980–81 to 1993–94Retired
4210,3701,2578.21984–85 to 2000–01Retired
4310,2081,1169.12001–02 to 2017–18Retired
4410,1011,1638.71999–00 to 2014–15Retired
4510,09290511.21954–55 to 1965–66Retired
469,7129899.82008–09 to nowActive
479,69895910.11970–71 to 1983–84Hall of Fame
489,6871,0029.71970–71 to 1982–83Retired
499,61887511.01962–63 to 1973–74Hall of Fame
509,5139739.81996–97 to 2012–13Retired
Also in the race: 13 earlier stars and record holdersThey race on the screen in their own eras. ~ marks a total summed from season rows.

Questions

Answered from the same figures as the race, so the answers change when the numbers do.

Who is the NBA's all-time leading rebounder?

Wilt Chamberlain, with 23,924 regular-season rebounds in 1,045 games (22.9 per game) from 1959–60 to 1972–73. Bill Russell is second with 21,620.

When did Wilt Chamberlain pass Bill Russell?

During the 1971–72 regular season. Bill Russell had held the career record since the 1962–63 season and finished with 21,620 rebounds.

Who has held the NBA career rebounding record?

Dolph Schayes (1950–51 to 1951–52), George Mikan (1952–53 to 1953–54), Dolph Schayes (1954–55 to 1961–62), Bill Russell (1962–63 to 1970–71), Wilt Chamberlain (1971–72 to now).

Which active player will move up the all-time list next?

As of , Andre Drummond needs 95 rebounds to pass Patrick Ewing for No. 26. Next: Rudy Gobert needs 136 rebounds to pass Nikola Vučević for No. 35; Nikola Vučević needs 110 rebounds to pass Jack Sikma for No. 34.

Who has the highest career rebounding average among the top 50?

Wilt Chamberlain, at 22.89 rebounds per game (23,924 in 1,045 games), just ahead of Bill Russell at 22.45. Bob Pettit is third at 16.22.

Which active players are in the top 50 all-time rebounders?

LeBron James (No. 23, 12,095), Andre Drummond (No. 27, 11,513), DeAndre Jordan (No. 33, 10,861), Nikola Vučević (No. 35, 10,707), Rudy Gobert (No. 36, 10,572), Kevin Love (No. 46, 9,712).

Do these totals include the playoffs or the ABA?

No. NBA regular-season rebounds. The NBA first recorded rebounds in 1950–51, so seasons before that count for nothing here. Playoff and ABA rebounds are not included, as in the official record.

How often is this page updated?

The figures were last read from Wikipedia on . Each career total in the tables links to the exact Wikipedia revision it was read from.

How this is built

Every number traces back to a dated Wikipedia revision. Estimates appear only on the moving screen and the chase cards, marked ~.

Sources

Career totals come from Wikipedia's list of NBA career rebounding leaders, linked to the exact revision read on . Season rows come from each player's own Wikipedia article.

What counts

NBA regular-season rebounds. The NBA first recorded rebounds in 1950–51, so seasons before that count for nothing here. Playoff and ABA rebounds are not included, as in the official record.

How the race moves

Each season's rebounds are games played × rebounds per game, both as listed, adjusted so every career adds up exactly to its reported total. Within a season the bars rise steadily from tip-off in October to the end of the regular season in April; those in-between values are estimates.

Data

JSON63 players: career totals and every season's games and rebounds per gameCSVOne row per player, for spreadsheets

The JSON and CSV downloads hold reported figures only, no estimates · CC BY-SA 4.0 · updated

Photo credits · 61 photos from Wikimedia Commons
  • Wilt Chamberlain: Bill Allen, Public domain (file)
  • Bill Russell: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain (file)
  • Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: Yahoo from Sunnyvale, California, USA, CC BY 2.0 (file)
  • Elvin Hayes: George Gojkovich, Public domain (file)
  • Moses Malone: Cpl. Lameen Witter, Public domain (file)
  • Tim Duncan: Geoff Livingston, CC BY 2.0 (file)
  • Karl Malone: Airman 1st Class Jacob B. Wrightsman, Public domain (file)
  • Robert Parish: Basketball_Legends.jpg: Cpl. Lameen Witter derivative work: JoeJohnson2 (talk), Public domain (file)
  • Kevin Garnett: Keith Allison from Baltimore, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (file)
  • Dwight Howard: Erik Drost, CC BY 2.0 (file)
  • Nate Thurmond: Robert Kingsbury, Public domain (file)
  • Walt Bellamy: NBA, Public domain (file)
  • Wes Unseld: Louis Requena, Public domain (file)
  • Hakeem Olajuwon: U.S. Department of State, Public domain (file)
  • Shaquille O'Neal: TechCrunch, CC BY 2.0 (file)
  • Buck Williams: Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley, U.S. Navy, Public domain (file)
  • Jerry Lucas: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain (file)
  • Bob Pettit: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain (file)
  • Charles Barkley: Wright-Patt AFB, Public domain (file)
  • Dikembe Mutombo: Cavic = Steve Lipofsky, CC BY-SA 3.0 (file)
  • Paul Silas: Seattle SuperSonics, Public domain (file)
  • Charles Oakley: GabboT, CC BY-SA 2.0 (file)
  • LeBron James: Erik Drost, CC BY 2.0 (file)
  • Dennis Rodman: GabboT, CC BY-SA 2.0 (file)
  • Kevin Willis: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain (file)
  • Patrick Ewing: AlexanderJonesi, CC BY-SA 2.0 (file)
  • Andre Drummond: Chensiyuan, CC BY-SA 4.0 (file)
  • Dirk Nowitzki: Keith Allison from Baltimore, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (file)
  • Elgin Baylor: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain (file)
  • Pau Gasol: Dabryna, CC BY-SA 4.0 (file)
  • Dolph Schayes: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain (file)
  • Bill Bridges: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain (file)
  • DeAndre Jordan: Verse Photography, CC BY-SA 2.0 (file)
  • Jack Sikma: Unknown Illinois Wesleyan, Public domain (file)
  • Nikola Vučević: Zafer, CC BY 4.0 (file)
  • Rudy Gobert: Erik Drost, CC BY 2.0 (file)
  • David Robinson: Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley, U.S. Navy., Public domain (file)
  • Ben Wallace: Keith Allison, CC BY-SA 2.0 (file)
  • Tyson Chandler: scott mecum, CC BY 2.0 (file)
  • Dave Cowens: Cpl. Lameen Witter, Public domain (file)
  • Bill Laimbeer: Lorie Shaull, CC BY-SA 4.0 (file)
  • Otis Thorpe: United States Forest Service, Public domain (file)
  • Zach Randolph: Verse Photography, CC BY-SA 2.0 (file)
  • Shawn Marion: Danny Bollinger, CC BY 2.0 (file)
  • Johnny Kerr: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain (file)
  • Kevin Love: Erik Drost, CC BY 2.0 (file)
  • Bob Lanier: photo taken by flickr user compujeramey (Jeramey Jannene), CC BY 2.0 (file)
  • Sam Lacey: Cincinnati Royals / NBA, Public domain (file)
  • Dave DeBusschere: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain (file)
  • Marcus Camby: eric molina, CC BY 2.0 (file)
  • Nikola Jokić: All-Pro Reels, CC BY-SA 2.0 (file)
  • Bob McAdoo: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain (file)
  • Truck Robinson: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain (file)
  • Domantas Sabonis: Augustas Didžgalvis, CC BY-SA 4.0 (file)
  • Harry Gallatin: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain (file)
  • Swen Nater: Associated Students of UCLA, Public domain (file)
  • Ivica Zubac: All-Pro Reels, CC BY-SA 2.0 (file)
  • Mel Hutchins: Unknown Brigham Young University, Public domain (file)
  • George Mikan: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain (file)
  • Ömer Aşık: thepanamerican, CC BY-SA 2.0 (file)
  • Donovan Clingan: The White House, Public domain (file)