Ranking Most Rebounds in NBA History: Bill Russell, Dwight Howard, and More

Rebounding is counted as one of the fundamentals of basketball, like shooting and scoring. However, rebounding has more psychological impact on the opponent rather than scoring. Scoring can be outdone by the forwards or guards from the other team. But when the teams cannot secure buckets, it creates pressure on them and affects their performance while defending as well.

That's why rebounding is a holy grail to imbibe fear in the mind of the opponent. Over time in the league, various centers and guards have dominated the rebounding ability. Today, we are going to enlist such players in the top 10 rankings to chart the most rebounds in NBA history.

10 NBA Players with the Most Rebounds

We have described the skills of players under the paint who had the upper hand against the scorers and made their place to the list of top 10 players with the most rebounds in NBA History according to BetMGM data:

10. Dwight Howard – 14,627 Rebounds

Position: Center / Power Forward
Teams Played For: Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets, Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets, Washington Wizards, Philadelphia 76ers
Games Played: 1,242
RPG (Rebounds Per Game): 11.8
Career Span: 2004–2022

Dwight Howard was a generational player who eliminated the scoring possibilities under the paint. He was a five-time rebounding champion and a whopping 4 times NBA All-Defensive First Team member. His rebounding abilities even earned him the NBA Defensive Player of the Year title three times in his career from 2009 to 2011. His average of 11.8 rebounds in his career led his rebounding total to 14,627 in the league.

9. Kevin Garnett – 14,662 Rebounds

Position: Power Forward / Center
Teams Played For: Minnesota Timberwolves, Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets
Games Played: 1,462
RPG: 10.0
Career Span: 1995–2016

Kevin Garnett belonged to the same category as Karl Malone because he was one of the best power forwards in the league. There is a reason why he is on the list of most rebounds in NBA History. Due to his ability to hit the ball for the boards, he earned the Defensive Player of the Year title in 2008. In addition to that, he was also selected for the NBA All-Defensive First Team 9 times in his career. The Big Ticket also led the league in rebounds four times in his career and helmed the Boston Celtics to the NBA championship in 2008.

8. Robert Parish – 14,715 Rebounds

Position: Center
Teams Played For: Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics, Charlotte Hornets, Chicago Bulls
Games Played: 1,611
RPG: 9.1
Career Span: 1976–1997

The Chief was a premium rebounder for the franchises in the league, although his contribution was not fruitful for the Golden State Warriors due to misfits. Later on, the NBA center won three NBA Championships with the Boston Celtics and another NBA Championship with the Chicago Bulls. In his career that spanned two decades, he totaled 1611 rebounds, averaging 9.1 rebounds per game.

7. Karl Malone – 14,968 Rebounds

Position: Power Forward
Teams Played For: Utah Jazz, Los Angeles Lakers
Games Played: 1,476
RPG: 10.1
Career Span: 1985–2004

Karl Malone, as a power forward, was the most polished form of an athlete. He was able to cover both ends of the court and that's why he averaged 25.0 points per game while tallying 10.1 rebounds per game on the other end of the floor. Surprisingly, he achieved this feat with his 6 feet 9 inches stature and also earned a spot on the NBA All-Defensive First Team three times in his career. With 14,968 rebounds, he holds the seventh spot on the list of most rebounds in NBA history.

6. Tim Duncan – 15,091 Rebounds

Position: Power Forward / Center
Teams Played For: San Antonio Spurs
Games Played: 1,392
RPG: 10.8
Career Span: 1997–2016

Tim Duncan was one of the most efficient rebounders in the history of the San Antonio Spurs franchise. The Big Fundamental blessed the court with his 15,091 rebounds and 6 feet 11 inches stature. His technical skills were on par with the NBA players on the level that he was able to win 5 NBA Championships in his career, all with the same team. Along with the NBA titles, he also earned the 3x NBA Finals MVP. His presence around the paint on the defensive end was so robust that he made it to the NBA All-Defensive First Team for a whopping 8 times in his career.

5. Moses Malone – 16,212 Rebounds

Position: Center
Teams Played For: Buffalo Braves, Houston Rockets, Philadelphia 76ers, Washington Bullets, Atlanta Hawks, Milwaukee Bucks, San Antonio Spurs
Games Played: 1,329
RPG: 12.2
Career Span: 1974–1995

Moses Malone, as a center, was a lottery ticket for the Philadelphia 76ers to the 1983 NBA Championship. He was a six-time rebounding champion in the league, which proves why he was able to accumulate 16212 boards in his career. He was even part of the All-NBA Defensive First Team in the year 1983. The showcase that he had out under the rim for the 76ers fans, he earned the 1983 NBA Finals MVP. Apart from that, the 6'10" center was also the recipient of the overall NBA MVP titles three times in his pro-basketball career.

4. Elvin Hayes – 16,279 Rebounds

Position: Power Forward / Center
Teams Played For: San Diego/Houston Rockets, Baltimore/Washington Bullets
Games Played: 1,303
RPG: 12.5
Career Span: 1968–1984

Two-time rebounding champion of the league, Elvin Hayes, was one of the most consistent performers in the league. He dished out 12.5 rebounds in his career totalling 16, 279 rebounds. That's why he holds the 4th spot on the list of the most rebounds in NBA History. His scoring and board abilities were the reasons that the Washington Bullets won their famous 1978 championship. Due to his consistent strive for improvement, he earned a place in fans' hearts and made it to the All-Star games 12 times in his career.

3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – 17,440 Rebounds

Position: Center
Teams Played For: Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers
Games Played: 1,560
RPG: 11.2
Career Span: 1969–1989
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar might not be the All-time scoring leader in the NBA anymore since LeBron James has already surpassed him in that domain. However, there is a category where King James is still far behind the legendary Kareem in rebounds. The legendary center recorded over 17000 rebounds in his career with 11.2 rebounds per game. The 6x NBA MVP earned his place on the All-NBA Defensive First team five times for his defensive prowess in the league. He was also the rebounding leader in the year 1976.

2. Bill Russell – 21,620 Rebounds

Position: Center
Teams Played For: Boston Celtics
Games Played: 963
RPG: 22.5
Career Span: 1956–1969

Bill Russell belongs to the same category as Wilt Chamberlain. He might not have been as successful as the Goliath, but he created his separate legacy. He was an 11-time NBA Champion who led the league in terms of rebounds four times during his career. The years in which he claimed the rebounding champion title were 1958, 1959, 1964, and 1965. He also made it to the NBA All-Defensive First team in 1969. So rebounding came naturally to the late Celtics legend. His 6 feet 10 inches, along with his solid build, was enough to crumble the hopes of the opponents.

1. Wilt Chamberlain – 23,924 Rebounds

Position: Center
Teams Played For: Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles Lakers

Games Played: 1,045
RPG: 22.9
Career Span: 1959–1973

Wilt Chamberlain stands tall with the record for most rebounds in NBA history, which is unbeatable in this modern-day competitive environment. Wilt recorded 23,924 total rebounds in his career, which has put him above any other rebounder in the league. Notably, the Goliath was a beast under the rim because he holds the record for the most rebounds in an NBA game. He achieved this feat while playing against the Boston Celtics on the night of November 24, 1960, where he made 55 rebounds. He was also a scoring machine since he was the only one to score 100 points in a single game. However, the 7 feet 1-inch stature of the Goliath was a menace for forwards from the opponent side.

NBA All-Time Rebound Leaders

The hold over the rim to defy the scorers from swooshing through the bucket is what makes rebounders a part of the NBA legacy. No matter how much the forwards push for the win, the rebounders will always have a stronger comeback.