Hoops Habit
Fansided

NBA: The best rebounder of all time from every NBA team

By Christopher Jeter

Patrick Ewing, New York Knicks (Photo credit should read MATT CAMPBELL/AFP via Getty Images)
Patrick Ewing, New York Knicks (Photo credit should read MATT CAMPBELL/AFP via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
19 of 30
Next
Anthony Davis, New Orleans Pelicans
Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images /

Best rebounder in New Orleans Pelicans history: Anthony Davis

It feels a bit weird to put active players on this list since their respective chapters with their teams haven’t finished yet, but it seems like a safe bet to put Anthony Davis here as the greatest rebounder for the relatively young Pelicans franchise.

The team, known as the New Orleans Hornets then, took Davis with the first overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. Thus far, it has proven to be the right decision. The former Kentucky Wildcat has blossomed into one of the games premier two-way players, wreaking havoc on opponents with his lethal combination of size and skill.

Davis’ lanky, 6-foot-10 frame allows him to guard multiple positions without having to cover much space. It also allows him to grab an inordinate amount of rebounds.

Since his rookie season — where he averaged a respectable 13.5 points and 8.2 rebounds — Davis has gone five consecutive seasons averaging at least 20 points and 10 rebounds per game. He’s also led the league in blocks for three of those years, but let’s focus on the rebounding for now.

That level of consistency on the glass has allowed Davis to climb to second on the all-time Pelicans offensive rebounds list (trailing only David West) and first on the all-time defensive and total rebounds lists.

The advanced numbers love Davis, too. As of 2018, he ranks second on the all-time list for defensive rebounding percentage and eighth on the all-time list for defensive rebounding rate. Of course, he would’ve been higher if guys like Omer Asik weren’t around to siphon rebounds away from him.

Whether Davis finishes his career with the Pelicans remains to be seen. One thing is certain, he will go down as one of the franchise’s all-time greats.