Recently, Dwight Howard was publicly upset when he was left off the NBA’s top-75 greatest of all-time list. While Howard certainly has his critics, he raises an interesting point about the value of rebounds and defense.

Consider some of Howard’s career statistics and compare them to the NBA’s greatest players. Howard currently ranks 11th on the all-time rebounds list. Amongst active players, Howard is the top rebounder in the NBA with over 14,300 rebounds in his career.

Read on to learn what other players make the list for top rebounders of all time. While there are some household names on the list, other top rebounders may surprise you.

1. Wilt Chamberlain

There is no question that Wilt is one of the NBA’s best overall players. He led the league in rebounds an astonishing 11 times.

Chamberlain was able to use his 7’1” height to his advantage over his long storied career.

What makes Chamberlain so impressive is that he performed on both sides of the court. Chamberlain was also a prolific scorer and is the NBA’s only player to register a 100 point game. He is top 10 in triple-doubles during playoff games in NBA history.

2. Bill Russell

Bill Russell is another household name coming in number two on the all-time rebounding list. Russell is the only other player in history to rack up over 20,000 boards.

Russell dominated the NBA in the 1950s and 1960s. No player has won more NBA titles than Bill Russell, who brought 11 total championships to the Boston Celtics during his career.

3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=133YwacaFPQ

Kareem is just one of three NBA players to record over 17,000 boards. The Lakers great is a Hall of Famer and widely recognized as one of the league’s all-time best.

He played for two decades so it is not surprising to see him so high on the rebounding list. Perhaps most impressive is that Kareem was an All-Star 19 out of 20 total seasons.

4. Elvin Hayes

Hayes does not have the same name recognition as a Wilt or Kareem. However, he had a storied NBA career in the 1970s.

Hayes played 16 seasons for the Rockets and the Bullets. He led the Bullets to a title in 1978 and also appeared in two other NBA finals.

5. Moses Malone

Moses Malone is number four on our list but has an asterisk on his statistics. He also played in the ABA and recorded an additional 1600 boards in that league. For combined ABA/NBA stats, Malone would rank three instead of five.

Malone had a storied career bringing a championship to the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1980s. His career ended in the mid-1990s with 12 all-star appearances and three league MVP awards. Malone is the all-time leader in offensive rebounding.

6. Tim Duncan

Duncan is the first player of the modern era to appear on the top rebounders of the all-time list. Duncan played his entire career for the San Antonio Spurs.

He won five NBA championships with the Spurs. Perhaps more impressive than the titles were individual accolades such as 13 consecutive NBA All-Defensive teams.

7. Karl Malone

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1PQ0r9Yug8

Malone, nicknamed the Mailman, was an all-around talent. If it were not for Michael Jordan and the Bulls, Malone would have been in consideration for the league’s best player.

Malone collected nearly 15,000 boards in his storied career with the Utah Jazz. What makes the feat even more impressive is how incredible Malone was on the offensive side of the ball.

8. Robert Parish

Robert Parish is well-known for his tenure with the Boston Celtics. Parish and teammate Larry Bird are widely considered the best front-court duo in NBA history.

They won three championships together with the Celtics. Parish later won another championship as a bench player for the Chicago Bulls. Parish played more games than any other person in NBA history, a record that certainly helped in his collection of boards.

9. Kevin Garnett

Garnett recently retired and put up an incredible NBA career. He played for multiple teams, most notably winning a championship with the Boston Celtics.

KG was known for his fierce style of play. He also is known for pairing up with Paul Pierce and Ray Allen to form the NBA’s first super-team of the free agency era.

10. Nate Thurmond

Nate Thurmond was a productive center who played up until 1977. He quietly accrued more than 14,400 boards during his playing career.

Thurmond spent the vast majority of his playing career with the Golden State Warriors. He famously grabbed 42 boards in a single game. This is a feat only matched by Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell.

11. Dwight Howard

Howard is the only active player in the NBA to make this list. Many feel that Howard is underappreciated given his defensive prowess.

He is also ranked 13th all-time for blocks. However, over the past few seasons, Howard has been relegated to a role player.

12. Walt Bellamy

Bellamy was the first overall pick in the 1961 NBA draft. He went to the Chicago Packers and played for 14 seasons.

Bellamy is one of just 12 players to collect more than 14,000 boards. He holds the record for most games played in a single season with 88. Bellamy is a four-time all-star and was elected to the Hall of Fame.

13. Wes Unseld

Unseld was taken as the second overall pick in the 1968 NBA draft by the Baltimore Bullets. He played in four NBA Finals series and won a championship in 1978.

He has multiple accolades such as NBA Finals MVP, League MVP, and Rookie of the Year. Over the course of his nearly 1000-game career, Unseld averaged a double-double with points and boards.

14. Hakeem Olajuwon

Hakeem the Dream Olajuwon is one of the greatest overall players in NBA history. He won two championships with the Rockets.

Individually, he won two Finals MVPs and a league MVP. The Dream was also a 12-time all-star.

15. Shaquille O’Neill

Shaq is perhaps the biggest name on this list from a pop culture standpoint. Besides basketball, people associated Shaq with movies and music.

At the same time, Shaq was a dominant player on the court and one of 16 players to collect over 13,000 boards. He won multiple titles with the Lakers and the Heat.

Top 15 Players With the Most Rebounds

Every single player on this list is a Hall of Famer. Basketball experts recognize the importance of strong defense. Recording over 13,000 boards is an incredible accomplishment.

If you enjoyed this article about the top players with the most rebounds, check out our blog for more great NBA content.