List of NCAA Division I men's basketball season blocks leaders

Last updated

David Robinson recorded 207 blocks in 1985-86, the most for a single season in NCAA history. David Robinson at 1988 Summer Olympics vs. Brazil 1 (cropped).JPEG
David Robinson recorded 207 blocks in 1985–86, the most for a single season in NCAA history.

In basketball, a block (short for blocked shot) occurs when a defender deflects or stops a field goal attempt without committing a foul. [1] The National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA) Division I block title is awarded to the player with the highest blocks per game average in a given season. The block title was first recognized in the 1985–86 season when statistics on blocks were first compiled by the NCAA. [2]

Contents

David Robinson of Navy holds the all-time NCAA Division I record single-season total blocks record (207) which was set during 1985–86, coincidentally the first season that the NCAA kept track of blocked shots. [2] [3] Although Robinson holds the single-season record, it is Jarvis Varnado of Mississippi State who claims the all-time career blocked shots record (564). [4] The highest single-season blocks per game (bpg) record is held by Northeastern's Shawn James, who averaged 6.53 blocks in 2005–06. [5]

Five players have been two-time NCAA bpg leaders: David Robinson (1986, 1987), Keith Closs (1995, 1996), Tarvis Williams (1999, 2001), Jarvis Varnado (2008, 2009), and Jamarion Sharp (2022, 2023). Additionally, six freshmen have led Division I in blocks: Alonzo Mourning (1989), Shawn Bradley (1991), Keith Closs (1995), Hassan Whiteside (2010), Anthony Davis (2012), and Chris Obekpa (2013). Among all-time NCAA blocks leaders, only Robinson, Mourning, and Shaquille O'Neal are members of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. [6]

Keith Closs, the blocks leader in 1995 and 1996, only played college basketball for two seasons. [7] He left the NCAA after only two years to pursue a career in professional basketball, thereby foregoing his final two seasons of eligibility under NCAA by-laws. Had he decided to stay at Central Connecticut, Closs could have potentially become the first player to lead Division I in blocks for not only three years, but possibly all four.

Nine players on this list were born outside the United States—Shawn Bradley in Germany (West Germany at the time of his birth), Adonal Foyle in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Wojciech Myrda in Poland, Deng Gai in what is now South Sudan (part of Sudan at the time of his birth), Chris Obekpa in Nigeria, Jordan Bachynski in Canada, Vashil Fernandez in Jamaica, Liam Thomas in Australia, and Ajdin Penava in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Key

Blocks leaders

Alonzo Mourning was the first freshman to win the shot blocking title. Alonzo Mourning.jpg
Alonzo Mourning was the first freshman to win the shot blocking title.
Adonal Foyle led the NCAA as a junior in 1997. Adonal Foyle.jpg
Adonal Foyle led the NCAA as a junior in 1997.
Jarvis Varnado led the NCAA in 2008 and 2009. Jarvis Varnado.jpg
Jarvis Varnado led the NCAA in 2008 and 2009.
Anthony Davis led the country in 2012 en route to national Defensive Player of the Year honors. Anthony Davis dunk.JPG
Anthony Davis led the country in 2012 en route to national Defensive Player of the Year honors.

All teams are listed with their current athletic brand names, which do not always reflect those used by a given program in a specific season.

SeasonPlayerPos.Cl.TeamGames
played
Blocks BPGRef.
1985–86 David Robinson *CJr Navy 352075.91 [3]
1986–87 David Robinson * (2)CSr Navy 321444.50 [3]
1987–88 Rodney Blake CSr Saint Joseph's 291164.00 [8]
1988–89 Alonzo Mourning *CFr Georgetown 341694.97 [9]
1989–90 Kenny Green FSr Rhode Island 261244.77 [10]
1990–91 Shawn Bradley CFr BYU 341775.21 [11]
1991–92 Shaquille O'Neal *CJr LSU 301575.23 [12]
1992–93 Theo Ratliff C/FSo Wyoming 281244.43 [13]
1993–94 Grady Livingston CJr Howard 261154.42 [14]
1994–95 Keith Closs CFr Central Connecticut 261395.35 [15]
1995–96 Keith Closs (2)CSo Central Connecticut 281786.36 [15]
1996–97 Adonal Foyle CJr Colgate 281806.43 [16]
1997–98 Jerome James CSr Florida A&M 271254.63 [17]
1998–99 Tarvis Williams C/FSo Hampton 271355.00 [18]
1999–00 Ken Johnson CJr Ohio State 301615.37 [19]
2000–01 Tarvis Williams (2)C/FSr Hampton 321474.59 [18]
2001–02 Wojciech Myrda CSr Louisiana–Monroe 321725.38 [20]
2002–03 Emeka Okafor CSo Connecticut 331564.73 [21]
2003–04 Anwar Ferguson CSr Houston 271114.11 [22]
2004–05 Deng Gai FSr Fairfield 301655.50 [23]
2005–06 Shawn James FSo Northeastern 301966.53 [24]
2006–07 Mickell Gladness CJr Alabama A&M 301886.27 [25]
2007–08 Jarvis Varnado F/CSo Mississippi State 341574.62 [26]
2008–09 Jarvis Varnado (2)F/CJr Mississippi State 361704.72 [26]
2009–10 Hassan Whiteside F/CFr Marshall 341825.35 [27]
2010–11 William Mosley CJr Northwestern State 321564.88 [28]
2011–12 Anthony Davis CFr Kentucky 401864.65 [29]
2012–13 Chris Obekpa CFr St. John's 331334.03 [30]
2013–14 Jordan Bachynski CSr Arizona State 331334.03 [31]
2014–15 Jordan Mickey FSo LSU 311123.61 [32]
2015–16 Vashil Fernandez CSr Valparaiso 361193.31 [33]
2016–17 Liam Thomas CSr Nicholls 311304.19 [34]
2017–18 Ajdin Penava FJr Marshall 341343.94 [35]
2018–19 Brandon Gilbeck CSr Western Illinois 311063.42 [36]
2019–20 Osasumwen Osaghae FSr FIU 321193.71 [37]
2020–21 KC Ndefo FJr Saint Peter's 25913.64 [38]
2021–22 Jamarion Sharp CJr Western Kentucky 321484.62 [39]
2022–23 Jamarion Sharp (2)CSr Western Kentucky 321314.09 [39]
2023–24 Isaiah Cozart CGr Eastern Kentucky 301163.87 [40]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Block (basketball)</span> Defensive action preventing a score

In basketball, a block or blocked shot occurs when a defensive player legally deflects a field goal attempt from an offensive player to prevent a score. The defender is not allowed to make contact with the offensive player's hand or a foul is called. In order to be legal, the block must occur while the shot is traveling upward or at its apex. A deflected field goal that is made does not count as a blocked shot and simply counts as a successful field goal attempt for shooter plus the points awarded to the shooting team. For the shooter, a blocked shot is counted as a missed field goal attempt. Also, on a shooting foul, a blocked shot cannot be awarded or counted, even if the player who deflected the field goal attempt is different from the player who committed the foul. If the ball is heading downward when the defender hits it, it is ruled as goaltending and counts as a made basket. Goaltending is also called if the block is made after the ball bounces on the backboard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adonal Foyle</span> Vincentian-American former professional basketball player

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Keith Mitchell Closs Jr. is an American professional basketball coach and former player who is the head coach for the Santiago Basket Titanes of the Laliga de Campeones (LDC). He played at the center position.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Central Connecticut Blue Devils men's basketball</span> College basketball team

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jarvis Varnado</span> American basketball player (born 1988)

Jarvis Lamar Varnado is an American professional basketball player for Piratas de La Guaira of the Venezuelan Basketball League. Varnado is known as a defensive specialist and is especially adept at shot blocking where he's aided by his large wingspan.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jordan Bachynski</span> Canadian basketball player

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References

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