The NBA has a rich history of high-scoring athletes that have wowed us and created moments of great drama and joy.
And some of them have crushed our dreams to the width of a neutron star…
In this article, we will first list the highest-scoring players in NBA history with their relevant stats.
Later, we will list the same top 10 scoring machines according to different stats that may reveal more about their true strengths. Whatever the findings and their validity, you can rest assured that these are the NBA’s all-time greatest scorers.
We will try to come to some conclusion as to who was the best scorer irrespective of their actual numbers. So – who are the top 10 scorers in NBA history?
Update - 2nd Nov 2022:
A quick word to say - props to Kevin Durant. 6 games into the 2022/'23 season and he has surpassed Vince Carter to become the 19th highest-scoring player in NBA history. Not only that, but it took him 12 thousand fewer minutes to do so.
Kudos Kevin
THE NBA’S TOP 10 ALL-TIME LEADING SCORERS:
10 – MOSES MALONE
Date of birth: March 23rd 1955 – died September 13th 2015 – aged 60 – RIP
Born: Petersburg, Virginia
High school: Petersburg. Petersburg, Virginia
Teams: Houston Rockets, Philadelphia 76ers, Atlanta Hawks, Washington Wizards, Milwaukee Bucks, Utah Stars, Spirits of St. Louis, San Antonio Spurs, Los Angeles Clippers
Positions: Center, power forward
Height / weight: 6’10” (2.08m) / 215lb (97kg)
NBA debut: October 21st 1976
Career length: 21 years (1974-1995)
Games played: 1,329
Minutes played: 45,071
Points scored: 27,409
NBA scoring average: 20.6 points
Field goals made / attempted / percentage: 9,435 / 19,225 / 49.1%
3-pointers made / attempted / percentage: 8 / 80 / 10%
Free throws made / attempted / percentage: 8,531 / 11,090 / 76.9%
Highest scoring game: 53 points
Most rebounds / assists / steals: 37 / 7 / 5
9 – CARMELO ANTHONY
Date of birth: May 29th 1984 – 37 years old
Born: Brooklyn, New York
College: Syracuse
Teams: Denver Nuggets, New York Knickerbockers, Portland Trail Blazers, Oklahoma City Thunder, Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets
Positions: Small forward, power forward
Height / weight: 6’7″ (2.01m) / 238lb (107kg)
NBA debut: October 29th 2003
Career length: 18 years ongoing (2003 – )
Games played: 1,253
Minutes played: 43,363
Points scored: 28,218
NBA scoring average: 22.5 points
Field goals made / attempted / percentage: 10,090 / 22,574 / 44.7%
3-pointers made / attempted / percentage: 1,724 / 4,842 / 35.6%
Free throws made / attempted / percentage: 6,314 / 7,757 / 81.4%
Highest scoring game: 62 points
Most rebounds / assists / steals: 22 / 11 / 6
8 – SHAQUILLE O’NEAL
Date of birth: March 6th 1972 – 50 years old
Born: Newark, New Jersey
College: LSU
Teams: Los Angeles Lakers, Orlando Magic, Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics
Positions: Center
Height / weight: 7’1″ (2.16m) / 325lb (147kg)
NBA debut: November 6th 1992
Career length: 19 years (1992 – 2011)
Games played: 1,207
Minutes played: 41,917
Points scored: 28,596
NBA scoring average: 23.7 points
Field goals made / attempted / percentage: 11,330 / 19,457 / 58.2%
3-pointers made / attempted / percentage: 1 / 22 / 4.5%
Free throws made / attempted / percentage: 5,935 / 11,252 / 52.7%
Highest scoring game: 53 points
Most rebounds / assists / steals: 28 / 10 / 5
7 – WILT CHAMBERLAIN
Date of birth: August 21st 1936 – died October 12th 1999 – aged 63 – RIP
Born: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
College: Kansas
Teams: Philadelphia Warriors/ San Fransisco Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, Philadelphia 76ers
Positions: Center
Height / weight: 7’1″ (2.16m) / 275lb (124kg)
NBA debut: October 24th 1959
Career length: 14 years (1959 – 1973)
Games played: 1,045
Minutes played: 47,859
Points scored: 31,419
NBA scoring average: 30.1 points
Field goals made / attempted / percentage: 12,681 / 23,497 / 54%
Free throws made / attempted / percentage: 6,057 / 11,862 / 51.1%
Highest scoring game: 100 points
Most rebounds / assists: 55 / 21
6 – DIRK NOWITZKI
Date of birth: June 19th 1978 – 43 years old
Born: Wurzburg, Germany
High school: Rontgen Gymnasium. Wurzburg, Germany
Teams: Dallas Mavericks
Positions: Power forward, center
Height / weight: 7’0″ (2.13m) / 245lb (111kg)
NBA debut: February 5th 1999
Career length: 21 years (1998-2019)
Games played: 1,522
Minutes played: 51,367
Points scored: 31,560
NBA scoring average: 20.7 points
Field goals made / attempted / percentage: 11,169 / 23,734 / 47.1%
3-pointers made / attempted / percentage: 1,982 / 5,210 / 38%
Free throws made / attempted / percentage: 7,240 / 8,239 / 87.9%
Highest scoring game: 53 points
Most rebounds / assists / steals: 23 / 12 / 9
5 – MICHAEL JORDAN
Date of birth: February 17th 1963
Born: Brooklyn, New York
College: UNC
Teams: Chicago Bulls, Washington Wizards
Positions: Shooting guard, small forward
Height / weight: 6’6″ (1.98m) / 198lb (89kg)
NBA debut: October 26th 1984
Career length: 14 years (1984 – 2003)
Games played: 1,072
Minutes played: 41,010
Points scored: 32,292
NBA scoring average: 30.1 points
Field goals made / attempted / percentage: 12,192 / 24,537 / 49.7%
3-pointers made / attempted / percentage: 581 / 1,778/ 32.7%
Free throws made / attempted / percentage: 7,327 / 8,772 / 83.5%
Highest scoring game: 69 points
Most rebounds / assists / steals: 18 / 17 / 10
4 – KOBE BRYANT
Date of birth: August 23rd 1978 – died January 26th 2020 – aged 41 – RIP
Born: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
High school: Lower Merion, Ardmore. Pennsylvania
Teams: Los Angeles Lakers
Positions: Lower Merion in Ardmore
Height / weight: 6’6” (1.98m) / 212lb (96kg)
NBA debut: November 3rd 1996
Career length: 20 years (1996-2016)
Games played: 1,346
Minutes played: 48,643
Points scored: 33,643
NBA scoring average: 25 points
Field goals made / attempted / percentage: 11,719 / 26,200 / 44.7%
3-pointers made / attempted / percentage: 1,827 / 5,546 / 32.9%
Free throws made / attempted / percentage: 8,378 / 10,011 / 83.7%
Highest scoring game: 81 points
Most rebounds / assists / steals: 16 / 17 / 7
3 – KARL MALONE
Date of birth: July 24th 1963
Born: Summerfield, Louisiana
College: Louisiana Tech
Teams: Utah Jazz, Los Angeles Lakers
Positions: Power forward
Height / weight: 6’9” (2.06m) / 250lb (113kg)
NBA debut: October 25th 1985
Career length: 19 years (1985-2004)
Games played: 1,476
Minutes played: 54,852
Points scored: 36,928
NBA scoring average: 25 points
Field goals made / attempted / percentage: 13,528 / 26,210 / 51.6%
3-pointers made / attempted / percentage: 85 / 310 / 27.4%
Free throws made / attempted / percentage: 9,787 / 13,188 / 74.2 %
Highest scoring game: 61 points
Most rebounds / assists / steals: 23 / 10 / 7
2 – LEBRON JAMES
Date of birth: December 30th 1984
Born: Akron, Ohio
College: St. Vincent-St. Mary, Akron. Ohio
Teams: Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, Los Angeles Lakers
Positions: Small forward, power forward, point guard, shooting guard
Height / weight: 6’9” (2.06m) / 250lb (113kg)
NBA debut: October 29th 2003
Career length: 18 years ongoing (2003- )
Games played: 1,363
Minutes played: 52,017
Points scored: 36,947
NBA scoring average: 27.1 points
Field goals made / attempted / percentage: 13,499 / 26,746 / 50.5%
3-pointers made / attempted / percentage: 2,130 / 6,161 / 34.6%
Free throws made / attempted / percentage: 7,819 / 10,651 / 73.4 %
Highest scoring game: 61 points
Most rebounds / assists / steals: 19 / 19 / 7
1 – KAREEM ABDUL-JABBAR
Date of birth: April 16th 1947
Born: New York, New York
College: UCLA
Teams: Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers
Positions: Center
Height / weight: 7’2” (2.18m) / 225lb (102kg)
NBA debut: October 18th 1969
Career length: 20 years (1969-1989)
Games played: 1,560
Minutes played: 57,446
Points scored: 38,387
NBA scoring average: 24.6 points
Field goals made / attempted / percentage: 15,837 / 28,307 / 55.9%
3-pointers made / attempted / percentage: 1 / 18 / 5.6%
Free throws made / attempted / percentage: 6,712 / 9,304 / 72.1%
Highest scoring game: 55 points
Most rebounds / assists / steals: 34 / 14 / 4
TOP 10 BY NBA SCORING AVERAGE:
10 – Moses Malone: 20.6 points
9 – Dirk Nowitzki: 20.7 points
8 – Carmelo Anthony: 22.5 points
7 – Shaquille O’Neal: 23.7 points
6 – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: 24.6 points
4 – Karl Malone / Kobe Bryant: 25 points
3 – LeBron James: 27.1 points
1 – Michael Jordan / Wilt Chamberlain: 30.1 points
TOP 10 BY FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE:
9 – Kobe Bryant: 44.7% / Carmelo Anthony: 44.7%
8 – Dirk Nowitzki: 47.1%
7 – Moses Malone: 49.1%
6 – Michael Jordan: 49.7%
5 – LeBron James: 50.5%
4 – Karl Malone: 51.6%
3 – Wilt Chamberlain: 54%
2 – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: 55.9%
1 – Shaquille O’Neal: 58.2%
TOP 10 BY MINUTES PLAYED:
10 – Michael Jordan: 41,010
9 – Shaquille O’Neal: 41,917
8 – Carmelo Anthony: 43,363
7 – Moses Malone: 45,071
5 – Wilt Chamberlain: 47,85956 – Kobe Bryant: 48,643
4 – Dirk Nowitzki: 51,367
3 – LeBron James: 52,017
2 – Karl Malone: 54,852
1 – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: 57,446
TOP 10 BY MOST REBOUNDS/ASSISTS/STEALS (COMBINED):
10 – Carmelo Anthony: 39
9 – Moses Malone: 49
7 – Karl Malone: 40 / Kobe Bryant: 40
6 -Shaquille O’Neal: 43
5 – Dirk Nowitzki: 44
3 – LeBron James: 45 / Michael Jordan: 45
2 – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: 52
1 – Wilt Chamberlain: 76
TOP 10 BY HIGHEST SCORING GAME:
8 – Shaquille O’Neal: 53 points / Moses Malone: 53 points / Dirk Nowitzki: 53 points
7 – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: 55 points
5 – LeBron James: 61 points / Karl Malone: 61 points
4 – Carmelo Anthony: 62 points
3 – Michael Jordan: 69 points
2 – Kobe Bryant: 81 points
1 – Wilt Chamberlain: 100 points
TOP 10 BY FREE THROW PERCENTAGE:
10 – Wilt Chamberlain: 51.1%
9 – Shaquille O’Neal: 52.7%
8 – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: 72.1%
7 – LeBron James: 73.4%
6 – Karl Malone: 74.2%
5 – Moses Malone: 76.9%
4 – Carmelo Anthony: 81.4%
3 – Michael Jordan: 83.5%
2 – Kobe Bryant: 83.7%
1 – Dirk Nowitzki: 87.9%
TOP 10 BY THE TIME TAKEN PER POINT SCORED:
10 – Moses Malone: 1.64 minutes
9 – Dirk Nowitzki: 1.63 minutes
8 – Carmelo Anthony: 1.54 minutes
7 – Wilt Chamberlain: 1.52 minutes
6 – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: 1.50 minutes
5 – Karl Malone: 1.49 minutes
4 – Shaquille O’Neal: 1.47 minutes
3 – Kobe Bryant: 1.45 minutes
2 – LeBron James: 1.41 minutes
1 – Michael Jordan: 1.27 minutes
FINAL THOUGHTS
These titans of the game we love so much have scored the most points of any individuals that have ever graced a basketball court.
It is somewhat unfair to compare athletes that come from such different eras. The 3-point score didn’t even exist when Wilt Chamberlain was plying his trade!
Nevertheless, it doesn’t always follow that the more modern athletes dominate all categories. Chamberlain still has the highest score ever in an NBA game.
The best scoring output doesn’t necessarily represent the best player but it certainly does pay dividends to have a record-breaking points scorer on your roster.
The team here at The Jump Hub have enjoyed reminiscing over some of these incredible players. From active players like King James to the all-time leading scorer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. These players have enhanced our enjoyment of the game beyond measure and we salute them all.
