In basketball, minutes of game time during which a player is on the court are recorded. The minutes played statistics are recorded as far back as the 1951–52 NBA season when statistics on minutes were first compiled by the National Basketball Association (NBA). Fifteen times the average leader has played fewer than 40 minutes per game and eight times the leader has played more than 46 minutes per game. Wilt Chamberlain has the seven highest leading totals, while Nate Archibald is the only other single-season leader to average over 46 minutes per game. In one season, Wilt Chamberlain averaged over 48 minutes per game (meaning that he rested fewer minutes during the season than he played in overtime during the season).
To qualify as minutes leader, the player must appear in at least 58 games (out of 82). However, a player who appears in fewer than 58 games may qualify as annual minutes leader if his minute total would have given him the greatest average, had he appeared in 58 games. This has been the requirement since the 2013–14 NBA season.
Wilt Chamberlain led the league in minutes played per game nine times, followed by Allen Iverson (7), Michael Finley and LeBron James (3) times. Twelve other players have led the league in minutes per game twice, eight of them in consecutive years. Wilt Chamberlain holds the record for consecutive titles with five, followed by Iverson with three (two times). Fifteen times a member of the San Francisco Warriors, Philadelphia Warriors, Golden State Warriors has led the league in average minutes. Nine full seasons and parts of another the average leader played for the Philadelphia 76ers. Seventeen seasons and parts of another the leader played for either the Philadelphia Warriors or the Philadelphia 76ers.
In 16 of the 61 seasons since the statistics has been kept, the minutes per game leader was not the total minutes played leader. Larry Bird and Allen Iverson are the only multiple leaders in average who were surpassed in total minutes multiple times. Five of Allen Iverson's seven times and both of Larry Bird's times as the average leader they were surpassed in total minutes. Kevin Durant is the only player to lead the league in total minutes without finishing in the top three in average minutes during the same season. He is also the only player to never lead in average minutes, but lead in total minutes multiple times. The first four times and five of the first seven times that the leader in average did not lead in total minutes, he finished second in total minutes. However, the last six times that the average leader did not lead the league in total minutes, he was outside the top 10 and the last nine times, he was outside the top 5.
Key ^Denotes player who is still active in the NBA*Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame†Not yet eligible for Hall of Fame consideration§1st time eligible for Hall of Fame in 2025Player (X)Denotes the number of times the player had been theminutes leader up to and including that seasonGGuardFForwardCCenter
Annual leaders
SeasonPlayerPositionTeamGamesplayedTotal minutesMinutes per gameReferences * F/GPhiladelphia Warriors66293944.53 *CPhiladelphia Warriors70316645.23 * (2)CPhiladelphia Warriors72329645.78 * (2) F/GPhiladelphia Warriors72295341.01 GPhiladelphia Warriors72284039.44 *F/CSyracuse Nationals72285139.60 * (2)F/CSyracuse Nationals72291840.53 *CBoston Celtics70297942.56 *CPhiladelphia Warriors72333846.36 * (2)CPhiladelphia Warriors79377347.76 * (3)CPhiladelphia Warriors80388248.52 * (4)CSan Francisco Warriors80380647.58 * (5)CSan Francisco Warriors80368946.11 *GCincinnati Royals75342145.61 * (6)CPhiladelphia 76ers79373747.30 * (7)CPhiladelphia 76ers81368245.46 * (8)CPhiladelphia 76ers82383646.78 * (9)CLos Angeles Lakers81366945.30 *F/CSan Diego Rockets82366544.70*F/GBoston Celtics81367845.41* (2)F/GBoston Celtics82369845.10 *GKansas City–Omaha Kings80368146.01 * (2)F/CCapital Bullets82366544.47*C/FBuffalo Braves82353943.16* (2)C/FBuffalo Braves78332842.67*GNew Orleans Jazz73304141.66F/CNew Orleans Jazz82363844.37*C/FHouston Rockets82339041.34GLos Angeles Lakers82322639.34*F/CUtah Jazz80341742.71* (2)C/FHouston Rockets81339841.95F/GDetroit Pistons58225238.83C/FWashington Bullets75308241.09*FBoston Celtics80316139.51*GPhiladelphia 76ers82327039.88* (2)FBoston Celtics74300540.61*GChicago Bulls82331140.38* (2)GChicago Bulls81325540.19F/GSacramento Kings82323839.49*F/GGolden State Warriors82331540.43* (2)F/GGolden State Warriors81334641.31FCharlotte Hornets82332340.52GGolden State Warriors82353343.09FMilwaukee Bucks82336140.99FNew York Knicks82345742.16 (2)FCharlotte Hornets73314343.05G/FDallas Mavericks82339441.39 *GPhiladelphia 76ers48199041.46 (2)G/FDallas Mavericks82346442.24 (3)G/FDallas Mavericks82344341.99 * (2)GPhiladelphia 76ers60262243.70 * (3)GPhiladelphia 76ers82348542.50 * (4)GPhiladelphia 76ers48204042.50 ^FCleveland Cavaliers80338842.35 * (5)GPhiladelphia 76ers72310343.10 * (6)GPhiladelphia 76ers/Denver Nuggets65276142.48 * (7)GDenver Nuggets82342441.76F/GPhiladelphia 76ers82326939.87 GGolden State Warriors64264741.36 (2)GGolden State Warriors80322740.34 FChicago Bulls54212939.43 (2)FChicago Bulls75290338.71* FNew York Knicks77298238.73 ^ G/FChicago Bulls65251338.66 ^GHouston Rockets82312538.11 ^ (2)FCleveland Cavaliers74279437.76 ^ (3)FCleveland Cavaliers82302636.90 ^GWashington Wizards82302836.93 ^GPortland Trail Blazers66247437.48 ^FNew York Knicks71266737.56 ^F/CToronto Raptors68257837.91 ^ (2)F/CToronto Raptors71265237.40 ^FChicago Bulls79298937.84 ^FNew York Knicks77289737.62 ^GPhiladelphia 76ers70266138.01
Multiple-time leaders RankPlayerTeamTimes as leaderYears1Wilt ChamberlainPhiladelphia Warriors/San Francisco Warriors (5), Philadelphia 76ers (3), Los Angeles Lakers (1)9, , , , , , , , 2Allen IversonPhiladelphia 76ers (5) / Philadelphia 76ers/Denver Nuggets (1) / Denver Nuggets (1)7, , , , , , 3Michael FinleyDallas Mavericks 3, , LeBron JamesCleveland Cavaliers, , 5Paul ArizinPhiladelphia Warriors 2, Larry BirdBoston Celtics, Luol DengChicago Bulls, Monta EllisGolden State Warriors, John HavlicekBoston Celtics, Elvin HayesSan Diego Rockets (1) / Capital Bullets (1), Neil JohnstonPhiladelphia Warriors, Michael JordanChicago Bulls, Moses MaloneHouston Rockets, Anthony MasonNew York Knicks (1) / Charlotte Hornets (1), Bob McAdooBuffalo Braves, Chris MullinGolden State Warriors, Dolph SchayesSyracuse Nationals, Pascal Siakam Toronto Raptors,
Notes
See also NBA records List of NBA career minutes played leaders List of NBA annual assists leaders List of NBA annual scoring leaders List of NBA annual 3-point scoring leaders List of NBA annual rebounding leaders List of NBA annual steals leaders List of NBA annual blocks leaders List of NBA annual field goal percentage leaders
References General
Specific