Who has the record for the most blocks in an NBA season?
There are a few actions in an NBA game that can bring players and fans to their feet; blocks are certainly one of them. A blocked shot happens when a player deflects or denies a field-goal effort without fouling their opponent. Blocks can often be game-defining, such as LeBron James' effort to deny Andre Iguodala, though, at the very least, they are hugely entertaining.
Legendary Utah Jazz center Mark Eaton holds the NBA record for most blocks in a season, something that is unlikely to be eclipsed. His tally of 456 total blocks in the 1984-85 campaign hasn't been threatened in more than three decades. The closest anybody has come to his tally was Manute Bol (397) the next year.
Since the turn of the century, Theo Ratliffe is the only player to have swatted away more than 300 shots (305) in an NBA season. Last year's block champion, Myles Turner, tallied just 159.
Who was Mark Eaton, and who will compete for the most blocks in the 2021-22 NBA season?
Mark Eaton played his entire 11-year career in the NBA with the Utah Jazz. He earned one All-Star selection, two Defensive Player of the Year trophies and was also named to the league's All-Defensive teams on five occasions.
Ironically, his All-Star call-up (1989) did not come in the 1984-85 campaign, in which he also averaged 9.7 points and 11.3 rebounds alongside his tally of 5.6 blocks per game.
Eaton led the NBA in blocks on four occasions, and ranks fourth in blocks in the league's history. He is likely to stay there for a long time. Standing at an imposing 7' 4", he was the defensive anchor in a team that made the playoffs for ten straight years, making the Conference Finals once.
After his career in the NBA, Mark Eaton found success as a motivational speaker. He was also very active in the community of Utah through his charity work, providing sporting activities for at-risk youth. Tragically, Eaton passed away at the age of 64 in May this year after a cycling accident.
His rim protection and defensive abilities will long be remembered by NBA fans. There will likely be no player who may even come close to his record for blocks in a season.
The Utah Jazz have had several dominating centers in their history, with their current big man Rudy Gobert having a lot of resemblance to Eaton. Gobert led the league in blocks after the 2016-17 season with 214. He has been the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year on three occasions.
Gobert, along with the likes of Myles Turner, Nerlens Noel and Clint Capela, will all battle for the title of block champion in the upcoming 2021-22 NBA campaign.