Most Rebounds in NBA History

Wilt Chamberlain holds the NBA record for the most career rebounds with 23,924. Bill Russell ranks second with 21,620, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is third with 17,440. Chamberlain and Russell are the only players in NBA history to collect more than 20,000 regular-season rebounds.

This is an objective career-rebounds leaderboard. Placement is determined only by official NBA regular-season rebound totals. The seven graphics and detailed player profiles cover the top 20, while the complete table extends through No. 100. Playoff and ABA rebounds are excluded, while games played, rebounds per game, era and rebounding titles provide context without changing the order.

Career totals answer a different question than overall greatness. For the broader debate, see our ranking of the best NBA players of all time.

Last reviewed: August 11, 2026. Statistics are complete through the 2025-26 NBA regular season.

Most Rebounds in NBA History: Key Facts

• NBA record: Wilt Chamberlain, 23,924 regular-season rebounds.
• Second all time: Bill Russell, 21,620 rebounds.
• Third all time: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, 17,440 rebounds.
• Only 20,000-rebound players: Chamberlain and Russell.
• Top-20 cutoff: Dikembe Mutombo, 12,359 rebounds, only two more than No. 21 Paul Silas.
• Closest active player: LeBron James, 12,095 rebounds through 2025-26.

Top 10 NBA Career Rebound Leaders

How This Career Rebounds Ranking Works

This page ranks players by total rebounds recorded during NBA regular-season games. The statistic alone determines rank and tier placement. Rebounds per game, awards, championships, defensive value and peak dominance help explain the totals but cannot move a player above someone who collected more rebounds.

ABA statistics are not included. That distinction matters most for Moses Malone, who played two ABA seasons before beginning his NBA career. Playoff rebounds are also excluded, so this is not a ranking of postseason rebounding or the best rebounders by peak ability.

The supplied graphics divide the top 20 into seven thresholds. The headings below express those tiers as non-overlapping ranges so each total has one clear home. Players remain ordered from most rebounds to fewest within every tier. The complete table then extends the NBA-only leaderboard through No. 100.

How Era and Longevity Affect Career Rebound Totals

Career rebounds combine opportunity, rate and durability. Chamberlain and Russell played in a faster, lower-efficiency era that produced more missed shots, but their personal averages of 22.9 and 22.5 rebounds per game still tower over the rest of this leaderboard. Later stars faced fewer available rebounds per game while often building their totals across longer careers.

Games played expose the two different paths into the top 20. Robert Parish collected 14,715 rebounds over 1,611 games at 9.1 per game. Bob Pettit reached 12,849 in only 792 games by averaging 16.2. One case is built on extraordinary longevity; the other is driven by a much higher rate.

There is also a historical data limitation. The NBA began officially recording rebounds in 1950-51 and did not separate offensive and defensive rebounds until 1973-74. Total rebounds are therefore the only consistent career measure available across the full span represented here.

Which Active Players Are Closest to the Top 20?

LeBron James finished the 2025-26 season with 12,095 rebounds, ranking 23rd. He trails Mutombo’s top-20 cutoff by 264 rebounds and needs 265 more to move ahead. Paul Silas at 12,357 and Charles Oakley at 12,205 currently sit between James and Mutombo.

Andre Drummond is the next active threat with 11,513 rebounds. He needs 847 more to pass Mutombo. Drummond’s 11.9 career rebounds per game are comfortably above James’ 7.5, but James begins the 2026-27 season much closer to the cutoff. For a modern-only view, see the leaders in NBA rebounds since 2000.

Tier 7: 12,359-13,749 Career Rebounds

Tier 7 of the most rebounds in NBA history, featuring Hakeem Olajuwon, Shaquille O’Neal, Buck Williams, Jerry Lucas, Bob Pettit, Charles Barkley, and Dikembe Mutombo.

Tier 7 contains ranks 14 through 20. The totals are close, but the careers behind them are not: Pettit and Lucas reached the group through elite per-game production, while Williams and Mutombo relied more heavily on durability.

14. Hakeem Olajuwon – 13,748 Rebounds

Career: 13,748 rebounds in 1,238 games; 11.1 rebounds per game.

Olajuwon won two rebounding titles and paired his work on the glass with elite rim protection. He finished only 21 rebounds behind Wes Unseld despite averaging nearly three fewer per game, a reflection of Olajuwon’s longer career. His rebounding is one part of a defensive résumé that also places him among the defining names in the history of the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award.

15. Shaquille O’Neal – 13,099 Rebounds

Career: 13,099 rebounds in 1,207 games; 10.9 rebounds per game.

O’Neal’s total came with a lower career rate than several early-era centers, but his size made him one of the league’s premier possession finishers at his peak. He accumulated more than 13,000 rebounds despite declining minutes and a smaller role late in his career.

16. Buck Williams – 13,017 Rebounds

Career: 13,017 rebounds in 1,307 games; 10.0 rebounds per game.

Williams is the only player in the top 20 who is not in the Basketball Hall of Fame. His inclusion is built on substance rather than reputation: 17 seasons, more than 1,300 games and a double-digit career rebounding average. He is also one of only 16 players to exceed 13,000 NBA rebounds.

17. Jerry Lucas – 12,942 Rebounds

Career: 12,942 rebounds in 829 games; 15.6 rebounds per game.

Lucas played fewer games than anyone in the top 20 except Pettit, yet he nearly reached 13,000 rebounds. His 15.6 average ranks fourth within this top 20, behind only Chamberlain, Russell and Pettit. That rate makes his lower placement a longevity issue, not a reflection of his rebounding peak.

18. Bob Pettit – 12,849 Rebounds

Career: 12,849 rebounds in 792 games; 16.2 rebounds per game.

Pettit owns the third-highest rebounds-per-game average among these 20 players and the shortest career by games played. He averaged at least 12.4 rebounds in every season and retired with a rate that still trails only Chamberlain and Russell among the top-20 career leaders.

19. Charles Barkley – 12,546 Rebounds

Career: 12,546 rebounds in 1,073 games; 11.7 rebounds per game.

Barkley’s total stands out because he was listed at 6-foot-6 and regularly fought much larger frontcourt players. He led the NBA at 14.6 rebounds per game in 1986-87 and finished his career with a better average than Kareem, Duncan, Garnett, O’Neal and Olajuwon.

20. Dikembe Mutombo – 12,359 Rebounds

Career: 12,359 rebounds in 1,196 games; 10.3 rebounds per game.

Mutombo won two rebounding titles and averaged double figures on the glass throughout the heart of his prime. He owns the narrowest possible grip on a leaderboard spot: his career total is only two rebounds higher than Paul Silas’ 12,357 at No. 21.

Tier 6: 13,750-14,999 Career Rebounds

Tier 6 of the most rebounds in NBA history, featuring Karl Malone, Robert Parish, Kevin Garnett, Dwight Howard, Nate Thurmond, Walt Bellamy, and Wes Unseld.

Tier 6 covers ranks seven through 13. Only 1,199 rebounds separate Karl Malone at the top from Wes Unseld at the bottom, but the group ranges from Parish’s record-setting durability to Thurmond’s 15.0-rebound career average.

7. Karl Malone – 14,968 Rebounds

Career: 14,968 rebounds in 1,476 games; 10.1 rebounds per game.

Malone finished only 32 rebounds short of joining the 15,000 club. His route to seventh was relentless availability: he played at least 80 games in 17 seasons and paired that durability with a double-digit career average.

8. Robert Parish – 14,715 Rebounds

Career: 14,715 rebounds in 1,611 games; 9.1 rebounds per game.

Parish has the lowest per-game average in the top 20, but he played more games than anyone else on the list. He remained useful deep into his 40s, turning steady production across 21 seasons into the eighth-highest rebound total ever.

9. Kevin Garnett – 14,662 Rebounds

Career: 14,662 rebounds in 1,462 games; 10.0 rebounds per game.

Garnett led the league in rebounding four consecutive times from 2003-04 through 2006-07. He finished only 53 rebounds behind Parish despite playing 149 fewer games, which captures the difference between Garnett’s stronger rate and Parish’s greater longevity.

10. Dwight Howard – 14,627 Rebounds

Career: 14,627 rebounds in 1,242 games; 11.8 rebounds per game.

Howard won five rebounding titles in six seasons and owns the highest rebound total by anyone whose NBA career began after 2000. Only 88 rebounds separate him from Parish at No. 8, even though Howard played 369 fewer games.

11. Nate Thurmond – 14,464 Rebounds

Career: 14,464 rebounds in 964 games; 15.0 rebounds per game.

Thurmond’s rate is the fifth highest in this top 20, but he spent much of his prime sharing an era with Chamberlain and Russell. He never won a rebounding title, yet averaged at least 17 rebounds five times and reached 14,464 in fewer than 1,000 games.

12. Walt Bellamy – 14,241 Rebounds

Career: 14,241 rebounds in 1,043 games; 13.7 rebounds per game.

Bellamy began his career with 19.0 rebounds per game as a rookie and remained an elite rebounder through the 1960s. His total reflects both a major early peak and the durability to play more than 1,000 games across 14 seasons.

13. Wes Unseld – 13,769 Rebounds

Career: 13,769 rebounds in 984 games; 14.0 rebounds per game.

Unseld never had traditional center height, but his strength, positioning and ability to turn rebounds into outlet passes shaped Washington’s offense. He averaged 18.2 rebounds as a rookie and finished his entire 13-year career with one franchise.

Tier 5: 15,000-16,999 Career Rebounds

Tier 5 of the most rebounds in NBA history, featuring Elvin Hayes, Moses Malone, and Tim Duncan.

Only six players have reached 15,000 NBA regular-season rebounds. Elvin Hayes, Moses Malone and Tim Duncan occupy the lower half of that exclusive group.

4. Elvin Hayes – 16,279 Rebounds

Career: 16,279 rebounds in 1,303 games; 12.5 rebounds per game.

Hayes finished only 67 rebounds ahead of Moses Malone, the smallest gap between adjacent players in the top six. He won two rebounding titles and never played fewer than 80 games in any of his 16 seasons, an extraordinary durability record that supported his place at No. 4.

5. Moses Malone – 16,212 Rebounds

NBA career: 16,212 rebounds in 1,329 games; 12.2 rebounds per game.

Malone led the NBA in rebounding six times and made offensive rebounding a primary source of pressure rather than a secondary skill. His total here excludes the two seasons he played in the ABA, keeping the leaderboard strictly within NBA regular-season statistics.

6. Tim Duncan – 15,091 Rebounds

Career: 15,091 rebounds in 1,392 games; 10.8 rebounds per game.

Duncan is one of two top-six players to spend his entire career with one franchise, joining Russell. He never led the league in rebounds, but 19 seasons of positioning, defensive discipline and availability pushed him 91 rebounds beyond the 15,000 threshold.

Tier 4: 17,000-18,999 Career Rebounds

Tier 4 of the most rebounds in NBA history, featuring Kareem Abdul-Jabbar with 17,440 career rebounds.

3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – 17,440 Rebounds

Career: 17,440 rebounds in 1,560 games; 11.2 rebounds per game.

Kareem sits alone between the 20,000-rebound giants and the 16,000 group. He won one rebounding title, but his larger advantage was staying productive for 20 seasons and more than 57,000 minutes. Ranking third in rebounds and near the top of the NBA’s career scoring leaderboard captures the full scale of that longevity.

Tier 3: 19,000-20,999 Career Rebounds

Tier 3 of the most rebounds in NBA history, with the 19,000-plus rebound range shown but no player listed in this tier.

This tier is intentionally empty. Kareem ended his career at 17,440, while Russell finished at 21,620. The 4,180-rebound gap between second and third is the largest between adjacent players anywhere in the top 20.

Tier 2: 21,000-22,999 Career Rebounds

Tier 2 of the most rebounds in NBA history, featuring Bill Russell with 21,620 career rebounds.

2. Bill Russell – 21,620 Rebounds

Career: 21,620 rebounds in 963 games; 22.5 rebounds per game.

Russell led the league in rebounding four times and averaged at least 20 per game in 10 of his 13 seasons. His rebounds were the first action in Boston’s transition offense, not an isolated box-score achievement. He also reached 21,620 in 82 fewer games than Chamberlain and still ranks second in both career total and career average.

Tier 1: 23,000+ Career Rebounds

Tier 1 of the most rebounds in NBA history, featuring Wilt Chamberlain with 23,924 career rebounds.

1. Wilt Chamberlain – 23,924 Rebounds

Career: 23,924 rebounds in 1,045 games; NBA-record 22.9 rebounds per game.

Chamberlain led the league in rebounding 11 times and owns the career records for both total rebounds and average. He also holds the single-season records with 2,149 total rebounds and 27.2 per game in 1960-61. Russell kept the career race close, but Wilt ultimately created a 2,304-rebound cushion at the top.

The record is not simply the product of a long career. Chamberlain played fewer games than most players in the top 20 and still leads all of them by more than 2,000 rebounds.

What the Top 20 Career Rebound Leaders Reveal

• The top two are isolated: Russell trails Chamberlain by 2,304 rebounds, then Kareem sits another 4,180 behind Russell.
• Longevity and rate create very different résumés: Parish averaged 9.1 rebounds across 1,611 games, while Pettit averaged 16.2 in only 792.
• The middle is extremely tight: Only 251 rebounds separate Parish at No. 8 from Thurmond at No. 11.
• The 15,000 club is tiny: Chamberlain, Russell, Kareem, Hayes, Moses Malone and Duncan are the only members.
• The top-20 cutoff is fragile: Mutombo leads Silas by two rebounds, and James enters 2026-27 only 264 behind Mutombo.

Complete Top 100 Most Rebounds in NBA History Table

Frequently Asked Questions

Who has the most rebounds in NBA history?

Wilt Chamberlain holds the NBA regular-season record with 23,924 career rebounds. He also owns the career record with 22.9 rebounds per game.

Who is second in NBA career rebounds?

Bill Russell ranks second with 21,620 rebounds. He averaged 22.5 per game across 963 regular-season games.

Does this leaderboard include playoff rebounds?

No. It uses regular-season statistics only. Russell is the playoff rebound leader with 4,104, but those rebounds do not count toward his 21,620 total here.

Are ABA rebounds included in the totals?

No. This is an NBA-only leaderboard. Moses Malone’s two ABA seasons are excluded from his listed total of 16,212 NBA rebounds.

Why is Dennis Rodman not in the top 20?

Rodman had an extraordinary peak and won seven consecutive rebounding titles, but he finished with 11,954 career rebounds in 911 games. That places him 24th in total rebounds despite his 13.1 career average.

Can LeBron James enter the top 20 in career rebounds?

Yes. James finished 2025-26 with 12,095 rebounds. He needs 265 more to pass Mutombo’s 12,359 and move into the top 20.

When did the NBA begin tracking rebounds?

The NBA began officially recording total rebounds in 1950-51. Offensive and defensive rebounds were not tracked separately until 1973-74.

Final Takeaway

Wilt Chamberlain’s 23,924 rebounds remain the standard, but the shape of the leaderboard is just as revealing as the record. Russell is the only player remotely close, Kareem occupies an empty middle ground, and only six players have ever reached 15,000.

The top 20 also shows why career totals need context. Pettit and Lucas reached the list through massive per-game production in shorter careers. Parish, Karl Malone and Duncan accumulated their totals through exceptional durability. Mutombo’s two-rebound advantage over Silas proves that even a 20-player historical leaderboard can turn on one possession.

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