List of NBA annual blocks leaders

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In basketball, a blocked shot occurs when a defender deflects or stops a field goal attempt without committing a foul.[1] The National Basketball Association's (NBA) block title is awarded to the player with the highest blocks per game average in a given season. The block title was first recognized in the 1973–74 NBA season when statistics on blocks were first compiled.[2] To qualify for the blocks title, the player must appear in at least 70 percent of the season's games (58 games in typical 82-game season). However, a player who appears in fewer than the minimum games may qualify as annual blocks leader if his block total would have still given him the highest average, even had he appeared in the extra required games and recorded 0 blocks in these extra games. This has been the requirement since the 2013–14 NBA season.[3][4]

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (pictured) along with Mark Eaton and Marcus Camby each won four block titles, the most in NBA history

Mark Eaton holds the all-time records for total blocks (456) and blocks per game (5.56) in a season; both achieved in the 1984–85 NBA season.[2] Manute Bol holds the rookie records for total blocks and blocks per game when he had 397 and averaged 5.0 in the 1985–86 NBA season.[2] Victor Wembanyama had the highest season block average (3.08) in the 2025–26 NBA season.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Mark Eaton and Marcus Camby all won the most block titles, with four.[2] George T. Johnson, Manute Bol, Hakeem Olajuwon, Dikembe Mutombo, Alonzo Mourning, Theo Ratliff, Dwight Howard, Anthony Davis, Serge Ibaka, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Victor Wembanyama have also won the title more than once. Dikembe Mutombo, Marcus Camby, and Victor Wembanyama have also won the most consecutive block titles, with three. Two players have won both the block title and the NBA championship in the same season: Bill Walton in 1977 with the Portland Trail Blazers and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1980 with the Los Angeles Lakers.[5]

Key

^ Denotes player who is still active in the NBA
* Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
† Not yet eligible for Hall of Fame consideration[a]
§ 1st time eligible for Hall of Fame in 2025[6]
‡ Denotes player who won the Defensive Player of the Year award that year
Player (X) Denotes the number of times the player had been the
blocks leader up to and including that season
GGuardFForwardCCenter

Annual leaders

Kareem Abdul Jabbar won four times in (1975, 1976, 1979, 1980).
Mark Eaton won four times in (1984, 1985, 1987, 1988).
Hakeem Olajuwon won three times in (1990, 1991, 1993).
Dikembe Mutombo won three times in (1994, 1995, 1996).
Alonzo Mourning won two times in (1999, 2000).
Theo Ratliff won three times in (2001, 2003, 2004).
Marcus Camby won four times in (1998, 2006, 2007, 2008).
Dwight Howard won two times in (2009, 2010).
Serge Ibaka won two times in (2012, 2013).
Anthony Davis won three times in (2014, 2015, 2018).
Victor Wembanyama won three times in (2024, 2025, 2026).
More information Season, Player ...
Season Player Pos[b] Team(s) Games
played		 Total blocks Blocks per game Ref
1973–74 Elmore Smith C Los Angeles Lakers 81 393 4.85 [7][8]
1974–75 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*[c] C Milwaukee Bucks 65 212 3.26 [9][10]
1975–76 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar* (2) C Los Angeles Lakers 82 338 4.12 [10][11]
1976–77 Bill Walton*[d] C/F Portland Trail Blazers 65 211 3.25 [12][13]
1977–78 George T. Johnson C/F New Jersey Nets 81 274 3.38 [14][15]
1978–79 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar* (3) C Los Angeles Lakers 80 316 3.95 [10][16]
1979–80 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar* (4) C Los Angeles Lakers 82 280 3.41 [10][17]
1980–81 George T. Johnson (2) C/F San Antonio Spurs 82 278 3.39 [15][18]
1981–82 George T. Johnson (3) C/F San Antonio Spurs 75 234 3.12 [15][19]
1982–83 Tree Rollins C Atlanta Hawks 80 343 4.29 [20][21]
1983–84 Mark Eaton C Utah Jazz 82 351 4.28 [22][23]
1984–85 ‡ Mark Eaton (2) C Utah Jazz 82 456 5.56 [23][24]
1985–86 Manute Bol C Washington Bullets 80 397 4.96 [25][26]
1986–87 Mark Eaton (3) C Utah Jazz 79 321 4.06 [23][27]
1987–88 Mark Eaton (4) C Utah Jazz 82 304 3.71 [23][28]
1988–89 Manute Bol (2) C Golden State Warriors 80 345 4.31 [26][29]
1989–90 Hakeem Olajuwon*[e] C Houston Rockets 82 376 4.59 [33][34]
1990–91 Hakeem Olajuwon* (2)[f] C Houston Rockets 56 221 3.95 [34][35]
1991–92 ‡ David Robinson* C San Antonio Spurs 68 305 4.49 [36][37]
1992–93 ‡ Hakeem Olajuwon* (3) C Houston Rockets 82 342 4.17 [34][38]
1993–94 Dikembe Mutombo* C Denver Nuggets 82 336 4.10 [39][40]
1994–95 ‡ Dikembe Mutombo* (2) C Denver Nuggets 82 321 3.91 [40][41]
1995–96 Dikembe Mutombo* (3) C Denver Nuggets 74 332 4.49 [40][42]
1996–97 Shawn Bradley[g] C New Jersey Nets
Dallas Mavericks		 73 248 3.40 [43][44]
1997–98 Marcus Camby[h] C/F Toronto Raptors 63 230 3.65 [45][46]
1998–99[i] ‡ Alonzo Mourning* C Miami Heat 46 180 3.91 [48][49]
1999–00 ‡ Alonzo Mourning* (2) C Miami Heat 79 294 3.72 [49][50]
2000–01 Theo Ratliff[j] C/F Philadelphia 76ers 50 187 3.74 [51][52]
2001–02 ‡ Ben Wallace* F/C Detroit Pistons 80 278 3.48 [53][54]
2002–03 Theo Ratliff (2) C/F Atlanta Hawks 81 262 3.23 [52][55]
2003–04 Theo Ratliff (3)[k] C/F Atlanta Hawks
Portland Trail Blazers		 85 307 3.61 [52][56]
2004–05 Andrei Kirilenko[l] F Utah Jazz 41 136 3.32 [57][58]
2005–06 Marcus Camby (2)[m] C/F Denver Nuggets 56 184 3.29 [46][59]
2006–07 ‡ Marcus Camby (3) C/F Denver Nuggets 70 231 3.30 [46][60]
2007–08 Marcus Camby (4) C/F Denver Nuggets 79 285 3.61 [46][61]
2008–09 ‡ Dwight Howard* C Orlando Magic 79 231 2.92 [62]
2009–10 ‡ Dwight Howard* (2) C Orlando Magic 82 228 2.78 [62]
2010–11 Andrew Bogut[n] C Milwaukee Bucks 65 168 2.58 [64]
2011–12[o] Serge Ibaka F Oklahoma City Thunder 66 241 3.65 [66]
2012–13 Serge Ibaka (2) F Oklahoma City Thunder 80 242 3.03 [66]
2013–14 Anthony Davis^[p] F/C New Orleans Pelicans 67 189 2.82 [68]
2014–15 Anthony Davis^ (2) F/C New Orleans Pelicans 68 200 2.94 [68]
2015–16 Hassan Whiteside C Miami Heat 73 269 3.68 [69]
2016–17 Rudy Gobert^ C Utah Jazz 81 214 2.64 [70]
2017–18 Anthony Davis^ (3) F/C New Orleans Pelicans 75 193 2.57 [68]
2018–19 Myles Turner^ C Indiana Pacers 74 199 2.69 [71]
2019–20 Hassan Whiteside (2) C Portland Trail Blazers 67 196 2.93 [72]
2020–21 Myles Turner^ (2)[q] C Indiana Pacers 47 159 3.38 [71]
2021–22 Jaren Jackson Jr.^ F/C Memphis Grizzlies 78 177 2.27 [74]
2022–23 ‡ Jaren Jackson Jr.^ (2)[r] F/C Memphis Grizzlies 63 189 3.00 [74]
2023–24 Victor Wembanyama^ C San Antonio Spurs 71 254 3.58 [76]
2024–25 Victor Wembanyama^ (2)[s] C San Antonio Spurs 46 176 3.83 [76]
2025–26 ‡ Victor Wembanyama^ (3) C San Antonio Spurs 64 197 3.08 [76]
Close

Multiple-time leaders

More information Rank, Player ...
RankPlayerTeam(s)Times leaderYears
1Kareem Abdul-JabbarMilwaukee Bucks (1); Los Angeles Lakers (3)41975, 1976, 1979, 1980
Marcus Camby Toronto Raptors (1); Denver Nuggets (3) 1998, 2006, 2007, 2008
Mark Eaton Utah Jazz 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988
4Anthony DavisNew Orleans Pelicans32014, 2015, 2018
George T. Johnson New Jersey Nets (1); San Antonio Spurs (2) 1978, 1981, 1982
Dikembe Mutombo Denver Nuggets 1994, 1995, 1996
Hakeem Olajuwon Houston Rockets 1990, 1991, 1993
Theo Ratliff Atlanta Hawks (2); Portland Trail Blazers (1) 2001, 2003, 2004
Victor Wembanyama San Antonio Spurs 2024, 2025, 2026
9Manute BolWashington Bullets (1); Golden State Warriors (1)21986, 1989
Dwight Howard Orlando Magic 2009, 2010
Serge Ibaka Oklahoma City Thunder 2012, 2013
Jaren Jackson Jr. Memphis Grizzlies 2022, 2023
Alonzo Mourning Miami Heat 1999, 2000
Myles Turner Indiana Pacers 2019, 2021
Hassan Whiteside Miami Heat (1); Portland Trail Blazers (1) 2016, 2020
Close

Notes

  1. [a]
    A player is not eligible for induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame until he has been fully retired for two calendar years.
  2. [b]
    The player's primary position is listed first.
  3. [c]
    In the 1974–75 NBA season, Elmore Smith had the highest block total (216) but was second in block average (2.92).
  4. [d]
    In the 1976–77 NBA season, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Elvin Hayes both had higher block totals (261 and 220 respectively) but they ranked second and third in block average (3.18 and 2.68 respectively).
  5. [e]
    When Hakeem Olajuwon arrived in the United States, the University of Houston incorrectly spelled his first name "Akeem". He used that spelling until March 9, 1991, when he announced that he would add an H.[30][31][32]
  6. [f]
    In the 1990–91 NBA season, David Robinson, Patrick Ewing and Manute Bol all had higher block totals (320, 258 and 247 respectively) but they ranked second, third and fourth in block average (3.90, 3.19 and 3.01 respectively).
  7. [g]
    In the 1996–97 NBA season, Dikembe Mutombo had the highest block total (264) but was second in block average (3.30).
  8. [h]
    In the 1997–98 NBA season, Dikembe Mutombo and Theo Ratliff both had higher block totals (277 and 258 respectively) but they ranked second and fourth in block average (3.38 and 3.15 respectively).
  9. [i]
    The 1998–99 NBA season was shortened to 50 games due to the league's lockout.[47] The qualification of this season's block title is to appear in at least 43 games (out of 50) or to have at least 61 blocks.[4]
  10. [j]
    In the 2000–01 NBA season, Theo Ratliff had only played in 50 games and ranked eighth in block total. Jermaine O'Neal and Shawn Bradley both shared the highest total (228).
  11. [k]
    In the 2003–04 NBA season, Theo Ratliff appeared in 85 games due to a mid-season trade.
  12. [l]
    In the 2004–05 NBA season, Andrei Kirilenko had only played in 41 games and ranked thirteenth in block total. Marcus Camby had the highest total (199).
  13. [m]
    In the 2005–06 NBA season, Andrei Kirilenko, Josh Smith and Elton Brand all had higher block totals (220, 208 and 201 respectively) but they ranked second, fourth and fifth in block average (3.19, 2.60 and 2.54 respectively).
  14. [n]
    In the 2010–11 NBA season, Serge Ibaka, JaVale McGee and Dwight Howard all had higher block totals (198, 193 and 186 respectively) but they ranked third, second and fourth in block average (2.41, 2.44 and 2.38 respectively).[63]
  15. [o]
    The 2011–12 NBA season was shortened to 66 games due to the league's lockout.[65] The qualification of this season's block title is to appear in at least 56 games (out of 66) or to have at least 80 blocks.[4]
  16. [p]
    In the 2013–14 NBA season, Serge Ibaka and DeAndre Jordan both had higher block totals (219 and 203 respectively) but they ranked second and third in block average (2.7 and 2.5 respectively).[67]
  17. [q]
    In the 2020–21 NBA season, Myles Turner only played in 47 games and ranked second in block total. Rudy Gobert had the highest total (190).[73] Myles Turner was recognized as the leader despite playing fewer than the required 51 games (70% of the season), as his average would still be 3.1 per game even if he played in the added games and not recorded a single block, which would remain higher than Rudy Gobert's 2.7.[3]
  18. [r]
    In the 2022–23 NBA season, Brook Lopez had the highest block total (193) but ranked third in block average (2.5).[75]
  19. [s]
    In the 2024–25 NBA season, Victor Wembanyama only played in 46 games but ranked first in block total. Walker Kessler had the highest average for qualifying players (2.4).[77] Victor Wembanyama is recognized as the leader despite playing fewer than the required 58 games, as his average would still be 3.0 per game even if he played in the added games and not recorded a single block.

See also

References

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