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	Chamberlain, WiltWilt Chamberlain*	Philadelphia Warriors	72	1,941	27.0
2	1956–57	Russell, BillBill Russell*	Boston Celtics	48	943	19.6
3	1961–62	Bellamy, WaltWalt Bellamy*	Chicago Packers	79	1,500	19.0
4	1968–69	Unseld, WesWes Unseld*	Baltimore Bullets	82	1,491	18.2
5	1963–64	Lucas, JerryJerry Lucas*	Cincinnati Royals	79	1,375	17.4
6	1968–69	Hayes, ElvinElvin Hayes*	San Diego Rockets	82	1,406	17.1
7	1955–56	Stokes, MauriceMaurice Stokes*	Rochester Royals	67	1,094	16.3
8	1971–72	Smith, ElmoreElmore Smith	Buffalo Braves	78	1,184	15.2
9	1970–71	Cowens, DaveDave Cowens*	Boston Celtics	81	1,216	15.0
10	1958–59	Baylor, ElginElgin Baylor*	Minneapolis Lakers	70	1,050	15.0
11	1964–65	Reed, WillisWillis Reed*	New York Knicks	80	1,175	14.7
12	1969–70	Abdul-Jabbar, KareemKareem Abdul-Jabbar*	Milwaukee Bucks	82	1,190	14.5
13	1992–93	O'Neal, ShaquilleShaquille O'Neal*	Orlando Magic	81	1,122	13.9
14	1954–55	Pettit, BobBob Pettit*	Milwaukee Hawks	72	994	13.8
15	1963–64	Johnson, GusGus Johnson*	Baltimore Bullets	78	1,064	13.6
16	1951–52	Hutchins, MelMel Hutchins	Milwaukee Hawks	66	880	13.3
17	1953–54	Felix, RayRay Felix	Baltimore Bullets	72	958	13.3
18	1964–65	Jackson, LuciousLucious Jackson	Philadelphia 76ers	76	980	12.9
19	1981–82	Williams, BuckBuck Williams	New Jersey Nets	82	1,005	12.3
20	1991–92	Mutombo, DikembeDikembe Mutombo*	Denver Nuggets	71	870	12.3

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