List of National Basketball Association rookie single-season rebounding leaders

This list exhibits the National Basketball Association's top rookie single-season rebounding averages based on at least 70 games played or 800 rebounds. The NBA did not record rebounds until the 1950–51 season.

^	Active NBA player
*	Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
Bold	Denotes NBA season leaders

Rank	Season	Player	Team	Games	Rebounds	RPG
1	1959–60	Wilt Chamberlain*	Philadelphia Warriors	72	1,941	27.0
2	1956–57	Bill Russell*	Boston Celtics	48	943	19.6
3	1961–62	Walt Bellamy*	Chicago Packers	79	1,500	19.0
4	1968–69	Wes Unseld*	Baltimore Bullets	82	1,491	18.2
5	1963–64	Jerry Lucas*	Cincinnati Royals	79	1,375	17.4
6	1968–69	Elvin Hayes*	San Diego Rockets	82	1,406	17.1
7	1955–56	Maurice Stokes*	Rochester Royals	67	1,094	16.3
8	1971–72	Elmore Smith	Buffalo Braves	78	1,184	15.2
9	1970–71	Dave Cowens*	Boston Celtics	81	1,216	15.0
10	1958–59	Elgin Baylor*	Minneapolis Lakers	70	1,050	15.0
11	1964–65	Willis Reed*	New York Knicks	80	1,175	14.7
12	1969–70	Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*	Milwaukee Bucks	82	1,190	14.5
13	1992–93	Shaquille O'Neal*	Orlando Magic	81	1,122	13.9
14	1954–55	Bob Pettit*	Milwaukee Hawks	72	994	13.8
15	1963–64	Gus Johnson*	Baltimore Bullets	78	1,064	13.6
16	1951–52	Mel Hutchins	Milwaukee Hawks	66	880	13.3
17	1953–54	Ray Felix	Baltimore Bullets	72	958	13.3
18	1964–65	Lucious Jackson	Philadelphia 76ers	76	980	12.9
19	1981–82	Buck Williams	New Jersey Nets	82	1,005	12.3
20	1991–92	Dikembe Mutombo*	Denver Nuggets	71	870	12.3

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