List of NBA career scoring leaders
Appearance
(Redirected from List of National Basketball Association career scoring leaders)
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This article contains two charts: The first chart is a list of the top 50 all-time scorers in the history of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The list includes only points scored in regular season games. The second chart is a progressive list of the leading all-time NBA scorers.[1] LeBron James is the leading scorer in NBA history.
Scoring leaders
[edit]The following is a list of National Basketball Association players by total career regular season points scored.
- Statistics accurate as of the 2023–24 NBA season.
^ | Active NBA player |
* | Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame |
† | Not yet eligible for Hall of Fame consideration[a] |
Progressive list of scoring leaders
[edit]This is a progressive list of scoring leaders showing how the record increased through the years.[1]
Progression of career scoring leaders
Joe Fulks held the career scoring record from the league's inaugural season in 1946 to 1952 and was the first player to eclipse 5,000 career points.
George Mikan held the record from 1952 to 1958 and was the first player to eclipse 10,000 career points.
Ed Macauley held the record for 39 days in 1958, the shortest in NBA history.
Dolph Schayes held the record from 1958 to 1964 and was the first player to eclipse 15,000 career points.
Bob Pettit held the record from 1964 to 1966 and is the first player to eclipse 20,000 career points.
Wilt Chamberlain held the record from 1966 to 1984 and was the first player to eclipse 25,000 and 30,000 career points. He played the fewest games to reach every point milestone from 1,000 to 31,000 in NBA history.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar held the record for 38 years, 10 months, and 2 days (14,187 days) from 1984 to 2023, the longest in NBA history. He is the first player to eclipse 35,000 career points.
- Statistics accurate as of the 2023–24 NBA season.
^ | Active NBA player |
* | Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame |
ATL | Atlanta Hawks | DET | Detroit Pistons | MIL | Milwaukee Bucks | PHW | Philadelphia Warriors |
BOS | Boston Celtics | FTW | Fort Wayne Pistons | MIN | Minnesota Timberwolves | PHX | Phoenix Suns |
BUF | Buffalo Braves | GSW | Golden State Warriors | MNL | Minneapolis Lakers | SAS | San Antonio Spurs |
CHI | Chicago Bulls | HOU | Houston Rockets | NOJ | New Orleans Jazz | SDR | San Diego Rockets |
CHS | Chicago Stags | IND | Indiana Pacers | NOP | New Orleans Pelicans | SFW | San Francisco Warriors |
CLE | Cleveland Cavaliers | KCO | Kansas City-Omaha Kings | OKC | Oklahoma City Thunder | STL | St. Louis Hawks |
DAL | Dallas Mavericks | LAL | Los Angeles Lakers | ORL | Orlando Magic | SYR | Syracuse Nationals |
DEN | Denver Nuggets | MIA | Miami Heat | PHI | Philadelphia 76ers | UTA | Utah Jazz |
Season | Year-by-year leader | Points | Active player leader | Total points | Career record | Total points | Single-season record | Points | Season |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1946–47 | Joe Fulks*PHW | 1,389 | Joe Fulks*PHW | 1,389 | Joe Fulks*PHW | 1,389 | Joe Fulks*PHW | 1,389 | 1946–47 |
1947–48 | Max ZaslofskyCHS | 1,007 | 2,338 | 2,338 | 1947–48 | ||||
1948–49 | George Mikan*MNL | 1,698 | 3,898 | 3,898 | George Mikan*MNL | 1,698 | 1948–49 | ||
1949–50 | 1,865 | 4,863 | 4,863 | 1,865 | 1949–50 | ||||
1950–51 | 1,932 | 6,099 | 6,099 | 1,932 | 1950–51 | ||||
1951–52 | Paul Arizin*PHW | 1,674 | 7,021 | 7,021 | 1951–52 | ||||
1952–53 | Neil Johnston*PHW | 1,564 | George Mikan*MNL | 8,460 | George Mikan*MNL | 8,460 | 1952–53 | ||
1953–54 | 1,759 | 9,766 | 9,766 | 1953–54 | |||||
1954–55 | 1,631 | Max ZaslofskyFTW | 7,902 | 1954–55 | |||||
1955–56 | Bob Pettit*STL | 1,849 | George Mikan*MNL | 10,156 | 10,156 | 1955–56 | |||
1956–57 | Paul Arizin*PHW | 1,817 | Ed Macauley*STL | 10,150 | 1956–57 | ||||
1957–58 | George Yardley*DET | 2,001 | Dolph Schayes*SYR | 11,764 | Dolph Schayes*SYR | 11,764 | George Yardley*DET | 2,001 | 1957–58 |
1958–59 | Bob Pettit*STL | 2,105 | 13,298 | 13,298 | Bob Pettit*STL | 2,105 | 1958–59 | ||
1959–60 | Wilt Chamberlain* PHW 1959–62 SFW 1962–65 PHI 1965–66 |
2,707 | 14,987 | 14,987 | Wilt Chamberlain*PHW | 2,707 | 1959–60 | ||
1960–61 | 3,033 | 16,855 | 16,855 | 3,033 | 1960–61 | ||||
1961–62 | 4,029 | 17,677 | 17,677 | 4,029 | 1961–62 | ||||
1962–63 | 3,586 | 18,304 | 18,304 | 1962–63 | |||||
1963–64 | 2,948 | Bob Pettit*STL | 19,756 | Bob Pettit*STL | 19,756 | 1963–64 | |||
1964–65 | 2,534 | 20,880 | 20,880 | 1964–65 | |||||
1965–66 | 2,649 | Wilt Chamberlain* PHI 1965–68 LAL 1968–73 |
21,486 | Wilt Chamberlain* PHI 1965–68 LAL 1968–73 |
21,486 | 1965–66 | |||
1966–67 | Rick Barry*SFW | 2,775 | 23,442 | 23,442 | 1966–67 | ||||
1967–68 | Dave Bing*DET | 2,142 | 25,434 | 25,434 | 1967–68 | ||||
1968–69 | Elvin Hayes*SDR | 2,327 | 27,098 | 27,098 | 1968–69 | ||||
1969–70 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*MIL | 2,361 | 27,426 | 27,426 | 1969–70 | ||||
1970–71 | 2,596 | 29,122 | 29,122 | 1970–71 | |||||
1971–72 | 2,822 | 30,335 | 30,335 | 1971–72 | |||||
1972–73 | Nate Archibald*KCO | 2,719 | 31,419 | 31,419 | 1972–73 | ||||
1973–74 | Bob McAdoo*BUF | 2,261 | Oscar Robertson*MIL | 26,710 | 1973–74 | ||||
1974–75 | 2,831 | John Havlicek*BOS | 22,389 | 1974–75 | |||||
1975–76 | 2,427 | 23,678 | 1975–76 | ||||||
1976–77 | Pete Maravich*NOJ | 2,273 | 25,073 | 1976–77 | |||||
1977–78 | George Gervin*SAS | 2,232 | 26,395 | 1977–78 | |||||
1978–79 | 2,365 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*LAL | 22,141 | 1978–79 | |||||
1979–80 | 2,585 | 24,175 | 1979–80 | ||||||
1980–81 | Adrian Dantley*UTA | 2,452 | 26,270 | 1980–81 | |||||
1981–82 | George Gervin*SAS | 2,551 | 28,088 | 1981–82 | |||||
1982–83 | Alex English*DEN | 2,326 | 29,810 | 1982–83 | |||||
1983–84 | Adrian Dantley*UTA | 2,418 | 31,527 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*LAL | 31,527 | 1983–84 | |||
1984–85 | Michael Jordan*CHI | 2,313 | 33,262 | 33,262 | 1984–85 | ||||
1985–86 | Alex English*DEN | 2,414 | 35,108 | 35,108 | 1985–86 | ||||
1986–87 | Michael Jordan*CHI | 3,041 | 36,474 | 36,474 | 1986–87 | ||||
1987–88 | 2,868 | 37,639 | 37,639 | 1987–88 | |||||
1988–89 | 2,633 | 38,387 | 38,387 | 1988–89 | |||||
1989–90 | 2,753 | Moses Malone* ATL 1989–91 MIL 1991–93 PHI 1993–94 SAS 1994–95 |
24,868 | 1989–90 | |||||
1990–91 | 2,580 | 25,737 | 1990–91 | ||||||
1991–92 | 2,404 | 27,016 | 1991–92 | ||||||
1992–93 | 2,541 | 27,066 | 1992–93 | ||||||
1993–94 | David Robinson*SAS | 2,383 | 27,360 | 1993–94 | |||||
1994–95 | Shaquille O'Neal*ORL | 2,315 | 27,409 | 1994–95 | |||||
1995–96 | Michael Jordan*CHI | 2,491 | Michael Jordan*CHI | 24,489 | 1995–96 | ||||
1996–97 | 2,431 | 26,920 | 1996–97 | ||||||
1997–98 | 2,357 | 29,277 | 1997–98 | ||||||
1998–99 | Shaquille O'Neal*LAL | 1,289 | Karl Malone* UTA 1998–2003 LAL 2003–04 |
28,946 | 1998–99 | ||||
1999–00 | 2,344 | 31,041 | 1999–00 | ||||||
2000–01 | Jerry StackhouseDET | 2,380 | 32,919 | 2000–01 | |||||
2001–02 | Paul Pierce*BOS | 2,144 | 34,707 | 2001–02 | |||||
2002–03 | Kobe Bryant*LAL | 2,461 | 36,374 | 2002–03 | |||||
2003–04 | Kevin Garnett*MIN | 1,987 | 36,928 | 2003–04 | |||||
2004–05 | Allen Iverson*PHI | 2,302 | Reggie Miller*IND | 25,279 | 2004–05 | ||||
2005–06 | Kobe Bryant*LAL | 2,832 | Shaquille O'Neal* MIA 2005–08 PHX 2008–09 CLE 2009–10 BOS 2010–11 |
24,764 | 2005–06 | ||||
2006–07 | 2,430 | 25,454 | 2006–07 | ||||||
2007–08 | 2,323 | 26,286 | 2007–08 | ||||||
2008–09 | Dwyane Wade*MIA | 2,386 | 27,619 | 2008–09 | |||||
2009–10 | Kevin Durant^OKC | 2,472 | 28,255 | 2009–10 | |||||
2010–11 | 2,161 | 28,596 | 2010–11 | ||||||
2011–12 | 1,850 | Kobe Bryant*LAL | 29,484 | 2011–12 | |||||
2012–13 | 2,280 | 31,617 | 2012–13 | ||||||
2013–14 | 2,593 | 31,700 | 2013–14 | ||||||
2014–15 | James Harden^HOU | 2,217 | 32,482 | 2014–15 | |||||
2015–16 | 2,376 | 33,643 | 2015–16 | ||||||
2016–17 | Russell Westbrook^OKC | 2,558 | Dirk Nowitzki*DAL | 30,260 | 2016–17 | ||||
2017–18 | LeBron James^CLE | 2,251 | 31,187 | 2017–18 | |||||
2018–19 | James Harden^HOU | 2,818 | LeBron James^LAL | 32,543 | 2018–19 | ||||
2019–20 | 2,335 | 34,241 | 2019–20 | ||||||
2020–21 | Stephen Curry^GSW | 2,015 | 35,367 | 2020–21 | |||||
2021–22 | Trae Young^ATL | 2,155 | 37,062 | 2021–22 | |||||
2022–23 | Jayson Tatum^BOS | 2,225 | 38,652 | LeBron James^LAL | 38,652 | 2022–23 | |||
2023–24 | Luka Dončić^DAL | 2,370 | 40,474 | 40,474 | 2023–24 | ||||
Season | Year-by-year leader | Points | Active player leader | Total points | Career record | Total points | Single-season record | Points | Season |
See also
[edit]- NBA records
- Point (basketball)
- List of NBA annual scoring leaders
- List of NBA career playoff scoring leaders
- List of NBA career 3-point scoring leaders
- List of National Basketball League (United States) scoring leaders
- List of NBA single-game scoring leaders
- List of NBA career minutes played leaders
Notes
[edit]- ^ A player is not eligible for induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame until he has been fully retired for three calendar years.
- ^ American Basketball Association (ABA) teams other than those admitted into the NBA in 1976 are not included; each year is linked to an article about that particular NBA season.
- ^ Rounded to the nearest tenth.
- ^ First adopted in the 1979–80 season.
References
[edit]- ^ a b "NBA Progressive Leaders and Records for Points". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved December 6, 2021.