This list exhibits the National Basketball Association's top rookie single-season rebounding averages and top rookie single-season rebounding averages since the NBA/ABA merger in 1976 based on at least 70 games played or 800 rebounds. The NBA did not record rebounds until the 1950–51 season.
Statistics accurate as of the 2023–24 NBA season.
| ^ | Active NBA player | |
| Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame | ||
| † | Not yet eligible for Hall of Fame consideration | |
| Bold | Denotes NBA season leaders |
| Rank | Season | Player | Team | Games | Rebounds | RPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Philadelphia Warriors | 72 | 1,941 | 27.0 | ||
| 2 | Boston Celtics | 48 | 943 | 19.6 | ||
| 3 | Chicago Packers | 79 | 1,500 | 19.0 | ||
| 4 | Baltimore Bullets | 82 | 1,491 | 18.2 | ||
| 5 | Cincinnati Royals | 79 | 1,375 | 17.4 | ||
| 6 | San Diego Rockets | 82 | 1,406 | 17.1 | ||
| 7 | Rochester Royals | 67 | 1,094 | 16.3 | ||
| 8 | Buffalo Braves | 78 | 1,184 | 15.2 | ||
| 9 | Boston Celtics | 81 | 1,216 | 15.0 | ||
| 10 | Minneapolis Lakers | 70 | 1,050 | 15.0 | ||
| 11 | New York Knicks | 80 | 1,175 | 14.7 | ||
| 12 | Milwaukee Bucks | 82 | 1,190 | 14.5 | ||
| 13 | Orlando Magic | 81 | 1,122 | 13.9 | ||
| 14 | Milwaukee Hawks | 72 | 994 | 13.8 | ||
| 15 | Baltimore Bullets | 78 | 1,064 | 13.6 | ||
| 16 | Milwaukee Hawks | 66 | 880 | 13.3 | ||
| 17 | Baltimore Bullets | 72 | 958 | 13.3 | ||
| 18 | Philadelphia 76ers | 76 | 980 | 12.9 | ||
| 19 | New Jersey Nets | 82 | 1,005 | 12.3 | ||
| 20 | Denver Nuggets | 71 | 870 | 12.3 | ||
| Rank | Season | Player | Team | Games | Rebounds | RPG | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Orlando Magic | 81 | 1,122 | 13.9 | |||
| 2 | New Jersey Nets | 82 | 1,005 | 12.3 | |||
| 3 | Denver Nuggets | 71 | 870 | 12.3 | |||
| 4 | Golden State Warriors | 82 | 994 | 12.1 | |||
| 5 | † | Los Angeles Clippers | 82 | 989 | 12.1 | ||
| 6 | San Antonio Spurs | 82 | 983 | 12.0 | |||
| 7 | San Antonio Spurs | 82 | 977 | 11.9 | |||
| 8 | Houston Rockets | 82 | 974 | 11.9 | |||
| 9 | Houston Rockets | 82 | 913 | 11.1 | |||
| 10 | Charlotte Hornets | 82 | 899 | 11.0 | |||
| 11 | Charlotte Bobcats | 73 | 795 | 10.9 | |||
| 12 | ^ | San Antonio Spurs | 71 | 755 | 10.6 | ||
| 13 | San Diego Clippers | 70 | 744 | 10.6 | |||
| 14 | Indiana Pacers | 81 | 860 | 10.6 | |||
| 15 | Milwaukee Bucks | 80 | 847 | 10.6 | |||
| 16 | ^ | Minnesota Timberwolves | 82 | 858 | 10.5 | ||
| 17 | Boston Celtics | 82 | 852 | 10.4 | |||
| 18 | Charlotte Hornets | 78 | 805 | 10.3 | |||
| 19 | ^ | Phoenix Suns | 71 | 729 | 10.3 | ||
| 20 | New Jersey Nets | 74 | 759 | 10.3 |