By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
A two-time EuroLeague champion with Real Madrid and already on top of the all-time list of players with the most blocks, Walter Tavares added yet another career milestone after climbing up to first place in the all-time rebounds list.
Helping his side defeat Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv on Thursday, in a game held behind closed doors due to security concerns, the 33-year-old center reached 2,016 rebounds, surpassing the career total of 2,010 of Paulius Jankunas, who now sits second.
In attendance, fifth-placed Felipe Reyes proudly joined postgame celebrations at Movistar Arena.
EuroLeague’s all-time rebounds list
| Player | Rebounds |
| 1. Walter Tavares | 2,016 |
| 2. Paulius Jankunas | 2,010 |
| 3. Kyle Hines | 1,855 |
| 4. Jan Vesely | 1,838 |
| 5. Felipe Reyes | 1,799 |
Tavares pulled down the record-breaking rebound during the third quarter and ended up with 11 in Round 21 of the 2025-26 Regular Season. He also recorded nine points and one block over 27:11.
“I think if I weren’t here for so long, 8-9 years, it would not be possible. I have seen how Felipe has been all these years getting rebounds! It is amazing to do this in only nine years,” he reacted. “I will try to keep up and do my best until I retire.”
Improving to 13-8 at the end of the first double-game week of 2026, the team based in the Spanish capital is tied with Panathinaikos Aktor in sixth place of the standings, the lowest seed guaranteeing a spot in the Playoffs 2026.
Selected with the 43rd overall pick of the 2014 NBA draft by the Atlanta Hawks in 2014, the Cape Verdean center logged 13 appearances between the Hawks and Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons, before returning to Europe and Spain, and joining Madrid in 2017.