Famous five: The only 5 players to lead their teams in all major stats categories in a single NBA season
Leading an NBA team in scoring and rebounding can be done. Leading an NBA team in scoring and assists can also be done. If you're Russell Westbrook, you could end up leading your team in scoring, rebounds and assists. Incidentally, Westbrook also led his team in scoring, rebounds, assists and steals in his 2016-17 MVP season. Or take the case of reigning league MVP Nikola Jokic, who led the Denver Nuggets in scoring, assists, rebounds and steals in 2020-21.
But how many NBA players have led their teams in all five major stats categories – scoring, rebounding, assists, steals and blocks? Ever since the NBA started recording blocks in the 1973-74 season, only five individuals have achieved this historic feat. So here’s the distinguished list of players who have led from the front by doing it all for their teams.
#1 Dave Cowens (1977-78: 18.6 ppg, 14.0 rpg, 4.6 apg, 102 steals, 67 blocks)
Cowens was an eight-time All-Star who played for most of his career with the Boston Celtics in the 1970s. Playing at the center position, Cowens helped the Celtics to two titles in 1974 and 1976 and was also the regular-season MVP in the NBA in 1973. Over his 13-year career in the league, Cowens averaged 17.6 ppg and 13.6 rpg.
Cowens was the first ever player to hit the statistical milestone of leading the five major statistical categories. Cowens achieved this feat in the 1977-78 when he averaged 18.6 ppg, 14.0 rpg and 4.6 apg. And although two of his teammates averaged more steals and blocked shots than him that season, Cowens totalled more steals (102) and blocks (67), giving him the distinction of becoming the first player to make it to the NBA’s record books for this rare feat.
#2 Scottie Pippen (1994-95: 21.4 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 5.2 apg, 2.9 spg and 1.1 bpg)
We all know Scottie Pippen as Robin to Michael Jordan’s Batman. But in the 1994-95 NBA season, with MJ still out of the game because of his first retirement, Pippen was Batman for the Chicago Bulls.
Carrying off seamlessly from his MVP-like performance in the 1993-94 season (Pippen finished third that season), Pippen simply dominated the floor for the Bulls with 21.4 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 5.2 apg, 1.1 bpg and a league-best 2.9 spg. And although Jordan came out of retirement in March 1995 and averaged 26.9 ppg, the fact that he played only 17 regular season games, doesn’t cancel out Pippen’s achievement. Another reason for Pippen leading the rebounding and blocked shots category in 1994-95 was that Horace Grant, the Bulls power forward, also left for Orlando in the 1994 offseason.