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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