Rebound (basketball)
Encyclopedia
A rebound in basketball
is the act of successfully gaining possession of the basketball after a missed field goal
or free throw
. Rebounds
in basketball are a routine part in the game, as all possessions change after a shot is successfully made.
is not considered a rebound. Team rebounds are credited to a team that gains possession of the ball after any missed shot that is not cleared by a single player (i.e. deflected out of bounds after the shot, blocked out of bounds, etc.). A team rebound is never credited to any player, and is generally considered to be a formality, as according to the rules of basketball, every missed shot must be rebounded whether a single player controls the ball or not.
Rebounds are credited to the first player that gains clear possession of the ball or to a player that successfully deflects the ball into the basket for a score. There are many attributes characteristic of great rebounders, the most common are height and strength. Because height is so important, most rebounds are made by centers
and power forwards
. However, some smaller players can be excellent rebounders; for example Jason Kidd
, point guard
for the Dallas Mavericks
, led the New Jersey Nets in rebounding for several years. Great rebounders must also have a keen sense of timing. Great leaping ability is also an asset, but not necessary. Players such as Larry Bird
and Bobby Jones were good rebounders, but never known for their leaping ability. (Bird has been quoted as saying "Most rebounds are taken below the rim. That's where I get mine." )
Note that a ball does not need to actually "rebound" off the rim or backboard for a rebound to be credited. Rebounds are credited after missed shots, including air ball
s.
s go beyond raw rebound totals by taking into account external factors unrelated to a player's ability, such as the number of shots taken in games and the percentage of those shots that are made.
Other great rebounders, past and present, include
Some other notable rebounders in the NBA today include Andrew Bogut
, Tyson Chandler
, Kevin Love
, Zach Randolph
, and David Lee
.
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
is the act of successfully gaining possession of the basketball after a missed field goal
Field goal (basketball)
In basketball, the term field goal refers to a basket scored on any shot or tap other than a free throw, worth two or three points depending on the distance of the attempt from the basket. "Field Goal" is the official terminology used by the National Basketball Association in their rule book,...
or free throw
Free throw
In basketball, free throws or foul shots are unopposed attempts to score points from a restricted area on the court , and are generally awarded after a foul on the shooter by the opposing team...
. Rebounds
Rebound (sports)
Rebound is a term used in sports to describe the ball becoming available for possession by either opponent after an attempt to put the ball or puck into the goal has been unsuccessful...
in basketball are a routine part in the game, as all possessions change after a shot is successfully made.
Types of rebounds
Rebounds are divided into two main categories: "offensive rebounds", in which the ball is recovered by the offensive side and does not change possession, and "defensive rebounds," in which the defending team gains possession. A majority of rebounds are defensive because the team on defense tends to be in better position (in other words, closer to the basket) to recover missed shots. Offensive rebounds lead to another opportunity to score for the offensive team, either right away or by resetting the offense. A blockBlock (basketball)
In basketball, a block , not to be confused with blocking, occurs when a defensive player legally deflects a field goal attempt from an offensive player. The defender must not touch the offensive player's hands or otherwise a foul is called. In order to be legal, the block must occur while the shot...
is not considered a rebound. Team rebounds are credited to a team that gains possession of the ball after any missed shot that is not cleared by a single player (i.e. deflected out of bounds after the shot, blocked out of bounds, etc.). A team rebound is never credited to any player, and is generally considered to be a formality, as according to the rules of basketball, every missed shot must be rebounded whether a single player controls the ball or not.
Rebounds are credited to the first player that gains clear possession of the ball or to a player that successfully deflects the ball into the basket for a score. There are many attributes characteristic of great rebounders, the most common are height and strength. Because height is so important, most rebounds are made by centers
Center (basketball)
The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
and power forwards
Power forward (basketball)
Power forward is a position in the sport of basketball. The position is referred to in playbook terms as the four position and is commonly abbreviated "PF". It has also been referred to as the "post" position. Power forwards play a role similar to that of center in what is called the "post" or "low...
. However, some smaller players can be excellent rebounders; for example Jason Kidd
Jason Kidd
Jason Frederick Kidd is an American professional basketball point guard who plays for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association. Raised in Oakland, California, Kidd played college basketball at the University of California, Berkeley and was drafted second overall by the Dallas...
, point guard
Point guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
for the Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
, led the New Jersey Nets in rebounding for several years. Great rebounders must also have a keen sense of timing. Great leaping ability is also an asset, but not necessary. Players such as Larry Bird
Larry Bird
Larry Joe Bird is a former American NBA basketball player and coach. Drafted into the NBA sixth overall by the Boston Celtics in 1978, Bird started at small forward and power forward for thirteen seasons, spearheading one of the NBA's most formidable frontcourts that included center Robert Parish...
and Bobby Jones were good rebounders, but never known for their leaping ability. (Bird has been quoted as saying "Most rebounds are taken below the rim. That's where I get mine." )
Note that a ball does not need to actually "rebound" off the rim or backboard for a rebound to be credited. Rebounds are credited after missed shots, including air ball
Air ball
In basketball, an air ball is a shot that misses both the rim and the backboard.The usage may have an ironic subtext to it; "air" is generally used positively in basketball, often relating to jumping ability. The "air ball", on the other hand, is widely perceived as the opposite: a signifier of an...
s.
Boxing out
Boxing out is a technique used to obtain rebounds. It is important that players position themselves in the best spot to get the rebound. This is done primarily by boxing out. A player boxes out an opponent by positioning himself between the other player and the basket, and maintaining body contact with the player he is guarding. The action can also be called "blocking out". A team can be boxed out by several players using this technique to stop the other team from rebounding. Because fighting for a rebound can be very physical, rebounding is often regarded as "grunt work" or a "hustle" play.Statistics
Statistics of a player's "rebounds per game" or "rebounding average"—including offensive, defensive. and total—measure a player's rebounding effectiveness by dividing the number of rebounds by the number of games played. Rebound rateRebound rate
In basketball statistics, rebound rate or rebound percentage is a statistic to gauge how effective a player is at gaining possession of the basketball after a missed field goal or free throw. Rebound rate is an estimate of the percentage of missed shots a player rebounded while he was on the floor...
s go beyond raw rebound totals by taking into account external factors unrelated to a player's ability, such as the number of shots taken in games and the percentage of those shots that are made.
Notable rebounders in the NBA
- Wilt ChamberlainWilt ChamberlainWilton Norman "Wilt" Chamberlain was an American professional NBA basketball player for the Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers; he also played for the Harlem Globetrotters prior to playing in the NBA...
— led the NBA in rebounds in 11 different seasons, has the most career rebounds in the regular season (23,924), the highest career average (22.9 rpg), the single season rebounding records in total (2,149) and average (27.2 rpg), most rebounds in a regular season game (55) and playoff game (41) in the NBA, and has the most career All-Star Game rebounds (197). - Bill RussellBill RussellWilliam Felton "Bill" Russell is a retired American professional basketball player who played center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association...
— first player to average over 20 rebounds per game in the regular season, ranks second to Chamberlain in regular season total (21,620) and average (22.5) rebounds, averaged more than 20 rebounds per game in 10 of 13 seasons played, grabbed 51 rebounds in a single game (second best ever), grabbed a record 32 rebounds in one half, and is the all-time playoff leader in total (4,104) and average (24.9 rpg) rebounds. - Bob PettitBob PettitRobert Lee "Bob" Pettit Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player. He played 11 seasons in the NBA, all with the Milwaukee/St. Louis Hawks . He was the first recipient of the NBA's Most Valuable Player Award. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1970...
— averaged 20.3 rebounds per game in the 1960-61 season, his career average of 16.2 rebounds per game is third all-time, and holds the top two performances for rebounds in an NBA All-Star Game with 26 (in 1958) and 27 (in 1962). - Nate ThurmondNate ThurmondNathaniel "Nate" Thurmond is a retired American basketball player. Dominant at both center and power forward, he was a seven-time All-Star and the first player in NBA history to record a quadruple-double....
— averaged more than 20 rebounds per game in two seasons (including 22.0 rpg in the 1967-68 season), career average of 15.0 rpg, and holds the all-time NBA record for rebounds in a single quarter with 18. He is also the only player besides Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain to record more than 40 rebounds in a single game. - Jerry LucasJerry LucasJerry Ray Lucas was a basketball player from the 1950s to the 1970s, and is now a memory education expert. In 1996, the NBA's 50th anniversary, he was named one of the 50 greatest players in National Basketball Association history...
— averaged more than 20 rebounds per game in two seasons (including 21.1 rpg in the 1965-66 season), and had a career average of 15.6 rpg. Along with Russell, Chamberlain and Thurmond is one of only four players to grab at least 40 rebounds in a single game. - Moses MaloneMoses MaloneMoses Eugene Malone is a retired American Hall of Fame basketball player who starred in both the American Basketball Association and the National Basketball Association...
— led the NBA in rebounds per game in six different seasons including a high of 17.6 rpg in the 1978-79 season, ranks first in career offensive rebounds in the regular season (offensive and defensive rebounds were not recorded separately until the 1973-74 season), and ranks fifth all-time in total regular season rebounds in the NBA (third if ABAAmerican Basketball AssociationThe American Basketball Association was a professional basketball league founded in 1967. The ABA ceased to exist with the ABA–NBA merger in 1976.-League history:...
rebounds are also included). - Dennis RodmanDennis RodmanDennis Keith Rodman is a retired American Hall of Fame professional basketball player of the National Basketball Association's Detroit Pistons, San Antonio Spurs, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks. Born in Trenton, New Jersey, he was nicknamed "Dennis the Menace" and "The...
— led the league in rebounds per game an NBA record 7 consecutive seasons, including a high of 18.7 rpg in the 1991-92 season. Rodman holds the top seven rebound rateRebound rateIn basketball statistics, rebound rate or rebound percentage is a statistic to gauge how effective a player is at gaining possession of the basketball after a missed field goal or free throw. Rebound rate is an estimate of the percentage of missed shots a player rebounded while he was on the floor...
seasons since the 1970-71 season. Rodman has the highest career rebounding average of any player since the NBA began recording offensive and defensive rebounds in .
Other great rebounders, past and present, include
- Kareem Abdul-JabbarKareem Abdul-JabbarKareem Abdul-Jabbar is a retired American professional basketball player. He is the NBA's all-time leading scorer, with 38,387 points. During his career with the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers from 1969 to 1989, Abdul-Jabbar won six NBA championships and a record six regular season...
- Charles BarkleyCharles BarkleyCharles Wade Barkley is a former American professional basketball player. Nicknamed "Sir Charles" and "The Round Mound of Rebound", Barkley established himself as one of the National Basketball Association's most dominating power forwards...
- Elgin BaylorElgin BaylorElgin Gay Baylor is a retired Hall of Fame American basketball player and former NBA general manager who played 13 seasons as a forward for the NBA's Minneapolis Lakers/Los Angeles Lakers....
- Walt Bellamy
- Michael CageMichael CageMichael Jerome Cage is a retired American NBA basketball player.A 6'9" power forward/center from San Diego State, he is the Aztec's all-time rebounding leader and second leading scorer as of 2011. Cage was the 14th pick of the 1984 NBA Draft...
- Marcus CambyMarcus CambyMarcus D. Camby is an American professional basketball player, who currently plays for the Portland Trail Blazers of the NBA. He is a former Defensive Player of the Year during the 2006–07 NBA season, leading the league in blocked shots per game...
- Dave CowensDave CowensDavid William Cowens is a retired American professional basketball player and NBA head coach. At 6'9", he played the center and occasionally the power forward position. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1991...
- Tim DuncanTim DuncanTimothy Theodore "Tim" Duncan is an American professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association . The 6-foot 11-inch , 255-pound power forward/center is a four-time NBA champion, two-time NBA MVP, three-time NBA Finals MVP, and NBA Rookie of the Year...
- Patrick EwingPatrick EwingPatrick Aloysius Ewing Sr. is a Jamaican-American retired Hall of Fame basketball player and current assistant coach for the National Basketball Association's Orlando Magic. He played most of his career with the NBA's New York Knicks as their starting center and played briefly with the Seattle...
- Kevin GarnettKevin GarnettKevin Maurice Garnett is an American professional basketball player who currently plays power forward for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association . After a high school basketball career at Farragut Career Academy which included winning a national player of the year award, he...
- Elvin HayesElvin HayesElvin Ernest Hayes is a retired American basketball player and radio analyst for Houston Cougars men's basketball, where he played college basketball...
- Dwight HowardDwight HowardDwight David Howard is an American basketball player for the Orlando Magic of the National Basketball Association . Howard, who usually plays center but can also play power forward, had an outstanding high school career at Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy...
- Bill LaimbeerBill LaimbeerWilliam "Bill" Laimbeer, Jr. is a retired National Basketball Association player for the Detroit Pistons. Playing at center, the 6'11" Laimbeer was a four-time All-Star and integral part of the Pistons teams that won two championships...
- Karl MaloneKarl MaloneKarl Anthony Malone , nicknamed "The Mailman", is a retired American professional basketball power forward who spent the majority of his career with the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association . Malone spent his first 18 seasons with the Jazz and formed a formidable duo with his teammate...
- Dikembe MutomboDikembe MutomboDikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo , commonly referred to as Dikembe Mutombo, is a retired Congolese American professional basketball player who last played for the Houston Rockets of the NBA...
- Swen NaterSwen NaterSwen Eric Nater is a retired Dutch professional basketball player, primarily in the ABA and NBA.-Basketball career:Nater helped John Wooden's UCLA Bruins win two NCAA titles....
- Charles OakleyCharles OakleyCharles Oakley is a retired American professional basketball player and is currently an assistant coach for the Charlotte Bobcats of the National Basketball Association...
- Hakeem OlajuwonHakeem OlajuwonHakeem Abdul Olajuwon is a retired Nigerian-American professional basketball player. From 1984 to 2002, he played the center position in the National Basketball Association for the Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors. He led the Rockets to back-to-back NBA championships in 1994 and 1995. In 2008,...
- Shaquille O'NealShaquille O'NealShaquille Rashaun O'Neal , nicknamed "Shaq" , is a former American professional basketball player. Standing tall and weighing , he was one of the heaviest players ever to play in the NBA...
- Robert ParishRobert ParishRobert Lee Parish is a retired American basketball center. He was known for his strong defense and jump shooting, and was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003...
- Rony SeikalyRony SeikalyRonald Fred "Rony" Seikaly is a retired Lebanese-born American professional basketball player.-Early life:Seikaly was born in Beirut, Lebanon. At the age of 9, Rony moved from Beirut where he'd been attending elementary school at the Athenee de Beirut to Greece, where he spent the rest of his youth...
- Larry SmithLarry Smith (basketball)Larry Smith is a former American professional basketball player. A 6'8" forward/center from Alcorn State University, Smith spent 13 seasons in the National Basketball Association , playing for the Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, and San Antonio Spurs...
- Maurice StokesMaurice StokesMaurice Stokes was an American professional basketball player in the 1950s, whose career was cut short by a debilitating injury...
- Wes UnseldWes UnseldWestley Sissel "Wes" Unseld is an American former basketball player. He spent his entire NBA career with the Baltimore/Capital/Washington Bullets, and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1988.-Early life and college career:Unseld starred on a Seneca High School team...
- Ben WallaceBen WallaceBen Camey Wallace is an American basketball center for the Detroit Pistons of the NBA. A native of Alabama, Wallace attended Cuyahoga Community College and Virginia Union University and signed with the Washington Bullets as an undrafted free agent in 1996...
- Buck WilliamsBuck WilliamsCharles Linwood Williams , better known as "Buck", is a retired American professional basketball player and current assistant coach for the Portland Trail Blazers. He was well known for his rebounding ability and trademark goggles.Williams, 6 ft 8 in , ranks 13th all-time in NBA career rebounds...
- Jayson WilliamsJayson WilliamsJayson Williams is an American former professional basketball player. Standing 6 feet, 10 inches tall, he played for the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Nets of the National Basketball Association. In 2010, he pled guilty to assault in the shooting death of a limousine driver...
- Kevin WillisKevin WillisKevin Alvin Willis is a former American professional basketball player who last played for the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA. He is a 7-foot power forward/center...
- Oscar RobertsonOscar RobertsonOscar Palmer Robertson , nicknamed "The Big O", is a former American NBA player with the Cincinnati Royals and the Milwaukee Bucks...
Some other notable rebounders in the NBA today include Andrew Bogut
Andrew Bogut
Andrew Michael Bogut is an Australian professional basketball player. He plays for the Milwaukee Bucks of the United States' National Basketball Association....
, Tyson Chandler
Tyson Chandler
Tyson Cleotis Chandler is an American professional basketball center who most recently played for the Dallas Mavericks of the NBA. He was also a member of the United States men's national basketball team.-High school:...
, Kevin Love
Kevin Love
Kevin Love, born in Des Moines, Iowa, is a former NASCAR driver. He ran five races in the 2004 Craftsman Truck Series season, all for Fiddleback Racing....
, Zach Randolph
Zach Randolph
Zachary Randolph , nicknamed Z-Bo, is an American professional basketball player currently with the Memphis Grizzlies of the NBA...
, and David Lee
David Lee (basketball)
David Lee is an American professional basketball player who is a power forward and center for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association . He played college basketball for the University of Florida and was selected by the New York Knicks in the first round of the 2005 NBA...
.
See also
- List of National Basketball Association career rebounding leaders
- List of National Basketball Association season rebounding leaders
- List of National Basketball Association players with most rebounds in a game
- List of National Basketball Association top individual rebounding season averages
- List of National Basketball Association top rookie rebounding averages
- Rebound (sports)Rebound (sports)Rebound is a term used in sports to describe the ball becoming available for possession by either opponent after an attempt to put the ball or puck into the goal has been unsuccessful...