Wilt Chamberlain holds the top 5 spots for the Warriors single season rebounds per game.
The Golden State Warriors have had a bevy of potent scorers play for their franchise. They have also had some of the best rebounders in NBA history on the team. In particular, one player earned all five spots in their top five single season rebounds per game leaders.
Wilt Chamberlain, 1960-61, 27.2 RPG
The then Philadelphia Warriors took Chamberlain with the third pick in the 1959 Draft. The 1960-61 season was his second in the NBA. Not only did he lead the league by averaging 27.2 rebounds per game, but he also led the league in points per game (38.4), field goal percentage (50.9%) and minutes per game (47.8). Chamberlain made the All-Star team and was named All-NBA First Team that season. He finished fourth in MVP voting.
Wilt Chamberlain, 1959-60, 27.0 RPG
The 1959-60 season was Chamberlain’s rookie campaign. He burst onto the scene by leading the NBA in rebounds per game (27.0), points per game (37.6) and minutes per game (46.4). He made the All-Star team, won the Rookie of the Year award and was named league MVP.
Wilt Chamberlain, 1961-62, 25.6 RPG
The 1961-62 season marked the third straight season in which Chamberlain led the NBA in points, rebounds and minutes per game. Not only did he average 25.6 rebounds, but he averaged a whopping 50.4 points per game. Even with those robust numbers, he would only finish second in MVP voting. That also marked the only season of his career in which Chamberlain led the NBA in free-throws made per game (10.4).
Wilt Chamberlain, 1962-63, 24.3 RPG
The Warriors franchise moved to San Francisco for the 1962-63 season. The change didn’t impact Chamberlain, who produced another dominant season. He averaged 44.8 points and 24.3 rebounds over 47.6 minutes per game. All three of those averages were the highest marks in the NBA. Chamberlain shot 52.8% from the field that season, which was the highest mark of his career at the time. Chamberlain was named All-NBA Second Team that season, which was the first time in his career that he wasn’t named All-NBA First Team.
Wilt Chamberlain, 1963-64, 22.3 RPG
Despite averaging 22.3 rebounds per game in 1963-64, Chamberlain did not lead the league in the category for the first time in his career. The leader was Bill Russell, who averaged 24.7 rebounds. Chamberlain did lead the league in scoring with 36.9 points per game. He was named All-NBA First Team again and finished second in MVP voting. That would end up being Chamberlain’s final full season with the Warriors. During the 1964-65 season, he was traded to the 76ers. He eventually finished his career playing for the Lakers. While he did not win a championship with the Warriors, he won one title each with the 76ers and Lakers. Over 429 regular season games with the Warriors, Chamberlain averaged 25.1 rebounds.
