After leading the NBA in rebounds per game in 2022/23 and ’23/24, Kings center Domantas Sabonis is set to achieve the feat for a third straight season. His 13.9 rebounds per game this year represent a career high.
As Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press writes, unless Nikola Jokic blows away the NBA’s single-game rebounding record on Sunday, Sabonis will become the seventh player in NBA history to win at least three straight rebound titles, joining Wilt Chamberlain, Dennis Rodman, Moses Malone, Kevin Garnett, Dwight Howard, and Andre Drummond. Outside of Drummond, who is still active, all of those players are Hall of Famers.
“I didn’t know that they’re all there,” Sabonis said of the group. “That’s pretty cool, pretty cool. Pretty exciting, you know. At the same time, I’m just trying to go out there and play and do my job for the team and help whatever I can do to let them win. But obviously, it’s an honor to be mentioned with those guys. I think that’s really cool.”
Sabonis is also vying to be named to an All-NBA team for a third consecutive year. He made the third team in both 2023 and 2024 and said it “would be an honor” to do so again this season.
As Reynolds points out, Sabonis is one of just six players who have a chance to receive a third straight All-NBA nod in 2025 — Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, LeBron James, and Stephen Curry are the others.
“I never dreamt of being in the top 15 players of a season, let alone my name carrying a legacy, my dad’s name, the number, everything,” said Sabonis, the son of Hall of Famer Arvydas Sabonis. “It’s just awesome.”
While the Kings’ playoff hopes are still alive, they’ll have to win a pair of play-in games just to earn the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference. Given that the team has fallen well short of expectations this season, there’s a chance that Sabonis’ future in Sacramento will become a popular topic of speculation over the summer, Reynolds notes.
A report in March suggested that Sabonis is expected to “seek clarity” on the Kings’ direction this offseason following the in-season trade of his longtime running mate De’Aaron Fox. For his part, the star big man – who has three more years left on his contract – insists he’s just fine where he is and isn’t seeking a change of scenery.
“I’m happy I’m in Sacramento,” Sabonis said, per Reynolds. “My offseason home’s in Napa. I couldn’t be happier here. I love the fans. I love playing for the city. I just wish we could perform better and give them what they deserve.”