Moses Moody (left) lands on the top 5 list for single season rebounds per game in Philadelphia’s franchise history.
The Sixers have been home to some of the best big men to ever suit up in the NBA. Charles Barkley spent eight years with the club and Joel Embiid has dominated the glass in recent years. However, we have to throw it back a bit further to find the top rebounding seasons in 76ers history.
Wilt Chamberlain – 1966, 24.6 RPG
Chamberlain holds the belt for not just three of the entries on this list, but six of the top ten rebounding seasons in NBA history on a per-game basis. Wilt the Stilt’s high watermark in Philadelphia came in 1966 when he pulled down 24.6 rebounds per game in what would result in his second MVP season. He also won one of his seven scoring titles that season with 33.5 points per game.
Wilt Chamberlain – 1967, 24.2 RPG
The Big Dipper didn’t slow down much the following season, notching his second straight campaign in Philadelphia with at least 24 rebounds per game. Chamberlain’s scoring regressed a tad in that season (24.1) but he still won NBA MVP. The 1967 season had a happier ending for Chamberlain and the Sixers after a disappointing exit in the prior season’s playoffs. He helped lead the club to their second NBA title.
Wilt Chamberlain – 1968, 23.8 RPG
Chamberlain had yet another unbelievable season on the glass in 1968 on his way to a third consecutive NBA MVP. He led the league in rebounding at 23.8 and finished fourth in scoring (24.3). No other player in the league averaged even 20.0 rebounds per game, showing just how much of a different level Chamberlain was on at his peak.
Dolph Schayes – 1951, 16.4 RPG
Schayes’ 16.4 rebounds per game in 1951 look almost pedestrian compared to Chamberlain’s gaudy totals. However, Schayes won the rebounding title that year with that effort, clearing the runner-up, George Mikan, by 2.3 boards. That season proved to be Schayes’ best rebounding season, but the Rainbow Kid had 11 seasons in which he averaged double-digit rebounds per game.
Moses Malone – 1983, 15.3 RPG
The Chairman of the Boards made a strong impression in his first season with the 76ers. The reigning MVP won his second consecutive piece of hardware in 1983 by leading the league in rebounding (15.3) while also pouring in 24.5 points and racking up 2.0 blocks per game. Malone proved to be the missing piece for the 76ers as he helped the club get over the hump and win the title that season. He would also go on to win the rebounding title each of the following two seasons while in Philly.
