NBA & ABA Year-by-Year Leaders and Records for Defensive Rebounds

Active players are listed in bold
* Indicates member of the Hall of Fame.
Defensive Rebounds since 1973-74 (1967-68 for ABA)

Table
Season Lg Player DRB Tm
2020-21 NBA Rudy Gobert 720 UTA
2019-20 NBA Giannis Antetokounmpo 716 MIL
2018-19 NBA Andre Drummond 809 DET
2017-18 NBA Andre Drummond 848 DET
2016-17 NBA DeAndre Jordan 816 LAC
2015-16 NBA Andre Drummond 803 DET
2014-15 NBA DeAndre Jordan 829 LAC
2013-14 NBA DeAndre Jordan 783 LAC
2012-13 NBA Dwight Howard 694 LAL
2011-12 NBA Dwight Howard 585 ORL
2010-11 NBA Dwight Howard 789 ORL
2009-10 NBA Dwight Howard 798 ORL
2008-09 NBA Dwight Howard 757 ORL
2007-08 NBA Dwight Howard 882 ORL
2006-07 NBA Kevin Garnett* 792 MIN
2005-06 NBA Kevin Garnett* 752 MIN
2004-05 NBA Kevin Garnett* 861 MIN
2003-04 NBA Kevin Garnett* 894 MIN
2002-03 NBA Kevin Garnett* 858 MIN
2001-02 NBA Tim Duncan* 774 SAS
2000-01 NBA Ben Wallace* 749 DET
1999-00 NBA Dikembe Mutombo* 853 ATL
1998-99 NBA Dikembe Mutombo* 418 ATL
1997-98 NBA Dennis Rodman* 780 CHI
1996-97 NBA Ervin Johnson 682 DEN
1995-96 NBA David Robinson* 681 SAS
1994-95 NBA Karl Malone* 715 UTA
1993-94 NBA Dennis Rodman* 914 SAS
1992-93 NBA Patrick Ewing* 789 NYK
1991-92 NBA Dennis Rodman* 1007 DET
1990-91 NBA Karl Malone* 731 UTA
1989-90 NBA Hakeem Olajuwon* 850 HOU
1988-89 NBA Hakeem Olajuwon* 767 HOU
1987-88 NBA Charles Oakley 740 CHI
1986-87 NBA Charles Oakley 775 CHI
1985-86 NBA Bill Laimbeer 770 DET
1984-85 NBA Mark Eaton 720 UTA
1983-84 NBA Jack Sikma* 686 SEA
1982-83 NBA Moses Malone* 749 PHI
1981-82 NBA Jack Sikma* 815 SEA
1980-81 NBA Swen Nater 722 SDC
1979-80 NBA Swen Nater 864 SDC
1978-79 NBA Moses Malone* 857 HOU
1977-78 NBA Truck Robinson 990 NOJ
1976-77 NBA Kareem Abdul-Jabbar* 824 LAL
1975-76 NBA Kareem Abdul-Jabbar* 1111 LAL
  ABA Artis Gilmore* 901 KEN
1974-75 NBA Sam Lacey 921 KCO
  ABA Artis Gilmore* 934 KEN
1973-74 NBA Elvin Hayes* 1109 CAP
  ABA Artis Gilmore* 1060 KEN
1972-73 ABA Artis Gilmore* 1027 KEN
1971-72 ABA Artis Gilmore* 1070 KEN
1970-71 ABA Julius Keye 1084 DNR
1969-70 ABA Spencer Haywood* 1104 DNR
1968-69 ABA Mel Daniels* 873 INA
1967-68 ABA Mel Daniels* 711 MNM