The Bulls are much more than just their dynastic dominance from the Michael Jordan era. They have had some great rebounders come through their doors dating all the way back to the franchise’s inception.
Below, we’ll dig into the top single-season rebounding performances in Chicago Bulls history.
Dennis Rodman – 1996-97, 16.1 RPG
Rodman’s 16.1 rebounds per game stands as the best rebounding season in Bulls history by a wide margin. No other Bull has ever averaged more than 13.8 in a single season, and Rodman himself owns the top three rebounding seasons in franchise history. In 1997, Rodman won the rebounding title with a whopping 16.1 per game, which was 4.5 more than the second-most prolific rebounder that year (Dikembe Mutombo). Rodman and the Bulls went on to win the NBA Championship and add to the Chicago dynasty.
Dennis Rodman – 1997-98, 15.0 RPG
1998 marked Rodman’s seventh consecutive season as the league’s top rebounder. He brought down an even 15.0 rebounds per game, which edged out Jayson Williams’ 13.6 RPG. Rodman had 16 games with at least 20 rebounds and topped out with 29 boards against the Hawks on Dec. 27 of that season. The 1998 season marked the final year of the Bulls’ dynasty with Chicago outlasting Utah in six games to win the title.
Dennis Rodman – 1995-96, 14.9 RPG
1995-96 marked Rodman’s first year with the Bulls and he immediately proved to be a difference-making signing for the club. He led the league in rebounding at 14.9 RPG while leading in both offensive (5.6) and defensive (9.3) rebounds per game. Rodman’s efforts on the glass earned him a spot on the NBA’s First Team All-Defensive team that season, and he also garnered some Defensive Player of the Year votes. The Bulls went on to win their first championship after a two-year drought in that season.
Tom Boerwinkle – 1970-71, 13.8 RPG
Boerwinkle was a steadying presence in the middle during the early days of the Bulls’ franchise. He spent 10 years with the club, beginning in 1968-69. He averaged double-digit rebounds four times, but his high watermark came in the 1971 season when he pulled down an impressive 13.8 rebounds per game. That figure put Boerwinkle at eighth in the league in rebounding that season.
Charles Oakley – 1986-87, 13.1 RPG
Oakley came into the league in 1985 and carved out a role as a rookie en route to finishing fifth in Rookie of the Year voting. He took a significant leap in Year 2, though, and boosted his statistical output across the board. Oakley started 81 out of 82 games and bumped his scoring from 9.6 to 14.5 PPG and his rebounding from 8.6 to 13.1 RPG. He led the league in defensive rebounding at 9.5 per game. Oakley went on to establish himself as one of the greatest Knicks of all time after his three-year opening stint with the Bulls.
