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Who are the best rebounders?
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– 10 Most important players
– Top Five scorers
– Top Five rim protectors
– Top Five rebounders
The board man gets paid, or at least that’s the saying. Rebounding is an often overlooked aspect of the game. It’s seen as something that anyone can do if they put enough effort into it. At the highest levels though, there is a lot of technique and skill that is needed to be truly elite. Below we project the best rebounders of the conference for this upcoming season.
5. A.J. Bramah, Nevada – A.J. Bramah is coming off of a season where he averaged a double-double. Only one other player on this list has done that. He collected 12.1 rebounds per 40 minutes last season but laying in the horizon league. The numbers suggest he could be the best rebounder in the Mountain West this season. The issue is, the Mountain West is a much tougher conference than the Horizon. Robert Morris’ SOS was -5.53 last season. For contrast, Nevada’s was 2.12. Bramah will still be a good player, and a great rebounder. Those skills don’t just disappear. He won’t be able to dominate as easily though, and will likely take a few steps down the rankings.
4. Orlando Robinson, Fresno St – Robinson is a big man for a new age. He is skilled at finishing around the basket, but also extends his range out beyond the 3-point line. Usually, when big men do that it hurts their rebounding totals, and that may be the case with Robinson as well, but if it is it’s hard to see. Despite having a more perimeter-oriented game than most big men, Robinson finished 4th in the Mountain West in total rebound percentage. He is the tallest player on this list at 7’0”, 235 lbs, and that size and strength helps him battle down low. Coach Hutson likes long, athletic teams that play defense and attack the glass. Robinson fits the bill.
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3. Nathan Mensah – Only two players are projected by barttorvik.com to be among the top 5 in both offensive and defensive rebounding percentages for the upcoming season. The first is Orlando Robinson, the second is Nathan Mensah. At 6’10” with a 7’5″ wingspan, Mensah is able to grab rebounds that others wouldn’t be able to. He’s big and strong enough to box out on defense, and playing for a great defense gives him extra chances to collect boards. He is also good at chasing down offensive rebounds, as he finished 10th in the conference last season in offensive rebounding percentage, and should continue to improve this season. Between his ability to force misses and then collect them, Mensah will be a terror for opposing offenses all season long.
2. David Roddy, Colorado St – David Roddy made huge improvements from his freshman to sophomore season. He improved pretty much every facet of his game and entered the POY conversation. Rebounding is an area he is bound to be good at. He doesn’t have the height of other players, but he is ridiculously strong and physical. As a sophomore, he averaged twelve rebounds per 40 minutes. His strength and physicality even let the Rams play him at the center position, and sore only standing at 6’5”, he wins a lot of rebounding battles down low.
1. Justin Bean, Utah St – Justin bean’s rebounding numbers took a hit last year. They dropped from 14.1 rebounds per 40 minutes to 11.4 rebounds per 40 minutes. It is important to note, however, that Bean was playing next to a healthy Neemias Queta all season. Queta gathered a lot of rebounds, and under the circumstances it’s impressive that Bean got as many as he did. Whether it’s ending possessions defensively or gaining an extra possession offensively, Bean dominates the glass on both sides. With Bean being the senior leader on this season’s team, look for him to flex his strongest skill as much as possible.
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