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Coach · Joined: 04 Jun 2009 Posts: 98

I was talking about rebounding last night at a HS team camp with some people. We were talking about what makes a great rebounder.

What do you think are the 3 keys to rebounding?

Name me your top 3 all-time rebounders in the history of the game?

1-Wilt
2-Russell
3-(Tie) Moses, Rodman

Keith Ellis · Joined: 15 Apr 2007 Posts: 2551 Location: Costa Rica

Fantastic question, Coach. First off, height does not make one a great Rebounder. Wilt Chamberlain too often is scoffed at for incredible Rebounding as a 7-footer, but way too many examples of Russells, Unselds, Danielses, Cages, Truck Robinsons, Barkleys, Ben Wallaces, & Dennis Rodmans exist to swallow the story that Wilt's height awarded him caroms on the cheap. Simple girth doesn't get boards, either, as the gargantuan Shaquille O'Neal has learned.

Chamberlain's the greatest Rebounder. He snagged 55 boards on Russell! Moses Malone follows Wilt & Russ. Rodman's an easy pick for fourth, w/ the proviso that nobody in earlier times would've let Rodman concentrate solely on Rebounding while non-Offending to such an extreme. Rodman playing his famed game in the Sixties & Seventies would've been named Clyde Lee.

Fifth? I like Hakeem, who exploded on the Off glass early on before settling into becoming the league's best Defensive Rebounder before settling even further into becoming more of a scoring specialist a la Jabbar while never slacking on the boards as Kareem eventually did. Rebounding needs rhyme & reason as much as any other skill. Rodman-esque Rebounding for rebounds'-sake leads to the 1995 Spurs.

rlee · Posted: Sat Jun 13, 2009 5:18 pm Post subject:

Coach,

Agree w/ your rankings.

I'd say positioning, timing, anticipation

Need To Argue · Joined: 09 May 2009 Posts: 180 Location: New Jersey

I have to throw out two other names.
Jerry Lucas was unbelievable in Cincinnati and what about Walt Bellamy?
I would take them over all the others except the top three of Wilt, Russ and Moses. Then maybe the ultimate technique rebounder Unseld (slim or not so slim eras). The group you mention could also add Buck Williams.

Mike Goodman · Joined: 09 Feb 2007 Posts: 1391 Location: Delphi, Indiana

Limiting the selection to 25,000 career minutes, these players have the highest Rebound% -- yes, the % of all rebounds that occurred while they were on the court. Estimated but pretty close. Unavailable for minutes before 1971 (when opponent rebounds became a tracked statistic).

Next to that, my own 'enviro-adjusted' Rebounds (per 36 minutes) rate. This counts only 'opponent rebounds' as being 'available', which are estimated before 1971.

Keith Ellis · Joined: 15 Apr 2007 Posts: 2551 Location: Costa Rica

A carom is a carom. Adjudging one era's Rebounds relatively more valuable than another's is akin to the belief that a 40% FG-shooter in 1950 should have shot a higher percentage in the go-go Eighties.

Jerry11 · Joined: 26 May 2007 Posts: 149 Location: Cleveland Ohio

The most successful ever was Chamberlain, the all-time huge, powerful agile player. I don't think he'll ever be topped.
But some feel he had too many advantages, plus Wilt himself praised Russell, the former world-class high jumper at 6'10.
I also see one of the Malones and Rodman ( augh! ) mentioned here.

My pick goes to Jerry Lucas. Not just on high numbers, but on the way he did it. Russell didn't have his offensive responsibilities, Chamberlain was seldom 15 feet from the basket. He was not the bull Unseld was or the leaper Hayes was. But even Chamberlain couldn't keep him off the boards in his prime.
He made rebounding a science, and he has influenced a great many since he played. He knew where it was going before anybody else.