Some defensive feats in NBA history refuse to fade, especially those seasons when rim protectors shaped the pace of play almost by themselves. Long before today’s spacing-heavy era, one campaign in particular set a standard that still looms.
The milestone came in the mid-1980s, during a stretch when interior battles were relentless and shot-blocking wasn’t just a highlight but a nightly deterrent. The record set then has survived rule changes, stylistic shifts and generations of dominant big men.
A few have come close—iconic specialists from the late ’80s and early ’90s, as well as modern-era anchors—but the gap remains striking. The durability of that mark serves as a reminder of how rare it is to command a season through pure shot denial.
Who holds the record for most blocks in a season?
One season towers over all others when it comes to shot-blocking dominance. Mark Eaton — during the 1984–85 campaign with Utah Jazz — established the all-time benchmark for blocks in a regular season. That year, he compiled the highest total ever recorded.
Mark Eaton #53 of the Utah Jazz in 1988. (Source: Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
His feat was more than a statistical fluke. He averaged a staggering number of blocks per game across all 82 games, anchoring the paint and reshaping how offenses approached the rim.
His consistency transformed what might have been just a highlight reel into a sustained defensive force. Decades on, no player has matched that exact combination of volume and sustained impact.
While modern defenders still register impressive block totals, changes in pace, shot selection, and league style make his record stand apart — a defensive milestone that continues to challenge and define what “dominant rim protection” means.
PlayerTeamSeasonBlocksMark EatonUtah Jazz1984-85456Manute BolWashington Bullets1985-86397Elmore SmithLos Angeles Lakers1973-74393Hakeem OlajuwonHouston Rockets1989-90376Mark EatonUtah Jazz1985-86369Mark EatonUtah Jazz1983-84351Manute BolGolden State Warriors1983-84345Tree RollinsAtlanta Hawks1982-83343Hakeem OlajuwonHouston Rockets1992-93342Kareem Abdul-JabbarLos Angeles Lakers1975-76338Dikembe MutomboDenver Nuggets1993-94336Dikembe MutomboDenver Nuggets1995-96332Patrick EwingNew York Knicks1989-90327Dikembe MutomboDenver Nuggets1994-95321Mark EatonUtah Jazz1986-87321David RobinsonSan Antonio Spurs1990-91320David RobinsonSan Antonio Spurs1989-90319Kareem Abdul-JabbarLos Angeles Lakers1978-79316Mark EatonUtah Jazz1988-89315Theo RatliffTOT2003-04307David RobinsonSan Antonio Spurs1991-92305Hakeem OlajuwonHouston Rockets1991-92304Mark EatonUtah Jazz1987-88304Manute BolWashington Bullets1986-87302Hakeem OlajuwonHouston Rockets1993-94297(Source: Statmuse)