Who is the New Orleans Pelicans’ all-time leader in rebounds in a single game?

Arguably no statistic is more heavily scrutinized than rebounding. Once upon a time, it was arguably the most cited measure after points. Then, for a time, rebounding as an individual skill lost some of its luster. And now, we’ve got guys like Mitchell Robinson swinging an entire playoff series with his rebounding.

No matter how you slice it, at the end of the day, rebounding matters. That’s why we track it.

On November 24, 1960, Wilt Chamberlain set the all-time record for rebounds in a game, tallying 60 while he was a member of the Philadelphia Warriors.

But what about our New Orleans Pelicans? Who is the franchise leader in total rebounds for a single game?

According to the folks at Stat Muse, that record belongs to a modern-day legend. Anthony Davis once secured 26 rebounds in a game on January 2, 2019, against the Brooklyn Nets.

On the surface, that number doesn’t appear to be as impressive as Chamberlain’s total. But you also need to factor in that Davis plays in an era where players typically play fewer minutes, and there are fewer rebounds to grab overall (because offense is more efficient, so you have fewer missed shots).

For those wondering, here is the top-10 list for most rebounds in a single game in franchise history  (the date on which each of these performances took place is listed in the parenthesis):

1. Anthony Davis – 26 (January 2, 2019)

2. DeMarcus Cousins – 24 (March 3, 2017)

3. Jonas Valanciunas – 23 (October 25, 2021)

4. DeMarcus Cousins – 23 (January 22, 2018)

5. DeMarcus Cousins – 23 (October 26, 2017)

6. Tyson Chandler – 23 (February 13, 2007)

7. DeMarcus Cousins – 22 (December 6, 2017)

8. DeMarcus Cousins – 22 (November 3, 2017)

9. Anthony Davis – 22 (December 23, 2016)

10. Tyson Chandler – 22 (January 4, 2008)

Despite Davis being the all-time single-game leader in franchise history, it is actually DeMarcus Cousins’ whose name shows up the most frequently (five times) in the top-10 list. Also featured twice is another franchise icon: Tyson Chandler.

On top of that, it looks like a current Pelican is also one of the all-time leaders, as fan-favorite Jonas Valanciunas authored a 23-rebound game early into his tenure with the team (it was his fourth career game) against the Minnesota Timberwolves.