NBA Players with the Highest Rebounding Averages in Their 5th Season

Explore the NBA players who delivered the best stats ever in a 5th NBA season, ranked by regular season rebounds per game. See how the all-time greats compare in this top-50 historical list.

Year:

5th

/ Other years

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Show: Season - Playoffs / Other Stats

Other Stats

Rebounds Per Game

3-Pointers Made Per Game

Total

Which NBA player averaged the most rebounds in the Regular Season in his 5th year?

Playing for the 1961 Boston Celtics, Bill Russell averaged 23.9 rebounds in 78 games — the highest rebounds per game average by any NBA player in his 5th season.

Rebounds Per Game, 5th Season

23.9 rpg
Bill Russell
(1961 Boston Celtics)

Note: No game minimums were used for this list / = NBA champion in this season.

Rebounds Per Game in a Player's 5th Season - Top 50

Regular Season

		Rebounds			Other stats
Rk	Player (Team)	Per Game	Total	Gms	Pts	Ast	Stl	Blk	3pm
1	Bill Russell (1961 Celtics)	23.9	1,868	78	16.9	3.4	-	-	-
2	Wilt Chamberlain (1964 Warriors)	22.3	1,787	80	36.9	5.0	-	-	-
3	Nate Thurmond (1968 Warriors)	22.0	1,121	51	20.5	4.2	-	-	-
4	Jerry Lucas (1968 Royals)	19.0	1,560	82	21.5	3.1	-	-	-
5	Bob Pettit (1959 Hawks)	16.4	1,182	72	29.2	3.1	-	-	-
6	Wes Unseld (1973 Bullets)	15.9	1,260	79	12.5	4.4	-	-	-
7	Walt Bellamy (1966 more than 1 team)	15.7	1,254	80	22.8	2.9	-	-	-
8	Bill Bridges (1967 Hawks)	15.1	1,190	79	17.4	2.8	-	-	-
9	Moses Malone (1981 Rockets)	14.8	1,180	80	27.8	1.8	1.0	1.9	0.0
10	Dave Cowens (1975 Celtics)	14.7	958	65	20.4	4.6	1.3	1.1	-

		Rebounds			Other stats
Rk	Player (Team)	Per Game	Total	Gms	Pts	Ast	Stl	Blk	3pm
11	Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1974 Bucks)	14.5	1,178	81	27.0	4.8	1.4	3.5	-
12	Elvin Hayes (1973 Bullets)	14.5	1,177	81	21.2	1.6	-	-	-
13	Willis Reed (1969 Knicks)	14.5	1,191	82	21.1	2.3	-	-	-
14	George Mikan (1953 Lakers)	14.4	1,007	70	20.6	2.9	-	-	-
15	Elgin Baylor (1963 Lakers)	14.3	1,146	80	34.0	4.8	-	-	-
16	Sam Lacey (1975 Kings)	14.2	1,149	81	11.5	5.3	1.7	2.1	-
17	Hassan Whiteside (2017 Heat)	14.1	1,088	77	17.0	0.7	0.7	2.1	0.0
18	Red Kerr (1959 Nationals)	14.0	1,008	72	17.8	2.0	-	-	-
	Kevin Love (2013 Timberwolves)	14.0	252	18	18.3	2.3	0.7	0.5	1.1
20	Dwight Howard (2009 Magic)	13.8	1,093	79	20.6	1.4	1.0	2.9	0.0

		Rebounds			Other stats
Rk	Player (Team)	Per Game	Total	Gms	Pts	Ast	Stl	Blk	3pm
21	Andre Drummond (2017 Pistons)	13.8	1,115	81	13.6	1.1	1.5	1.1	0.0
22	Kenny Sears (1960 Knicks)	13.7	876	64	18.5	2.0	-	-	-
23	Billy Cunningham (1970 76ers)	13.6	1,101	81	26.1	4.3	-	-	-
24	Hakeem Olajuwon (1989 Rockets)	13.5	1,105	82	24.8	1.8	2.6	3.4	0.0
25	Walter Dukes (1960 Pistons)	13.4	883	66	15.2	1.2	-	-	-
26	Willie Naulls (1961 Knicks)	13.4	1,055	79	23.4	2.4	-	-	-
27	Ben Wallace (2001 Pistons)	13.2	1,052	80	6.4	1.5	1.3	2.3	0.0
28	Harry Gallatin (1953 Knicks)	13.1	916	70	12.4	1.8	-	-	-
29	Gus Johnson (1968 Bullets)	13.0	782	60	19.1	2.7	-	-	-
30	Bob McAdoo (1977 more than 1 team)	12.9	926	72	25.8	2.8	1.1	1.4	-

		Rebounds			Other stats
Rk	Player (Team)	Per Game	Total	Gms	Pts	Ast	Stl	Blk	3pm
31	Tim Duncan (2002 Spurs)	12.7	1,042	82	25.5	3.7	0.7	2.5	0.0
32	Chris Kaman (2008 Clippers)	12.7	711	56	15.7	1.9	0.6	2.8	0.0
33	DeMarcus Cousins (2015 Kings)	12.7	747	59	24.1	3.6	1.5	1.7	0.0
34	Jack Sikma (1982 Supersonics)	12.7	1,038	82	19.6	3.4	1.2	1.3	0.0
35	Clint Capela (2019 Rockets)	12.7	848	67	16.6	1.4	0.7	1.5	0.0
36	Shaquille O'Neal (1997 Lakers)	12.5	640	51	26.2	3.1	0.9	2.9	0.0
37	Dennis Rodman (1991 Pistons)	12.5	1,026	82	8.2	1.0	0.8	0.7	0.1
38	Charles Barkley (1989 76ers)	12.5	986	79	25.8	4.1	1.6	0.8	0.4
39	Neil Johnston (1956 Warriors)	12.5	872	70	22.1	3.2	-	-	-
40	Swen Nater (1981 Clippers)	12.4	1,017	82	15.6	2.4	0.6	0.6	0.0

		Rebounds			Other stats
Rk	Player (Team)	Per Game	Total	Gms	Pts	Ast	Stl	Blk	3pm
41	Bill Laimbeer (1985 Pistons)	12.4	1,013	82	17.5	1.9	0.8	0.9	0.0
42	Wayne Embry (1963 Royals)	12.3	936	76	18.6	2.3	-	-	-
43	Clyde Lovellette (1958 Royals)	12.1	862	71	23.4	1.9	-	-	-
44	Dolph Schayes (1954 Nationals)	12.1	870	72	17.1	3.0	-	-	-
45	Bob Lanier (1975 Pistons)	12.0	914	76	24.0	4.6	1.0	2.3	-
46	Buck Williams (1986 Nets)	12.0	986	82	15.9	1.6	0.9	1.2	0.0
47	LeRoy Ellis (1967 Bullets)	12.0	970	81	14.9	2.1	-	-	-
48	Domantas Sabonis (2021 Pacers)	12.0	742	62	20.3	6.7	1.2	0.5	0.8
49	Charles Oakley (1990 Knicks)	11.9	727	61	14.6	2.4	1.0	0.3	0.0
50	Curtis Perry (1975 Suns)	11.9	940	79	13.4	2.4	1.4	1.0	-

* The NBA began recording rebounds in 1951, steals and blocks in 1974, and added the 3-point line in 1980.