List of National Basketball Association career scoring leaders
(Redirected from Most career points in the NBA)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/00/Kareem-Abdul-Jabbar_Lipofsky.jpg)
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has scored the most points in NBA history.
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] The all-time leading scorer in NBA history is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who scored a total of 38,387 career points.
Scoring leaders
The following is a list of National Basketball Association players by total career regular season points scored.
- Statistics accurate as of November 2, 2022.
^ | Active NBA player |
* | Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame |
† | Not yet eligible for Hall of Fame consideration[a] |
§ | 1st time eligible for Hall of Fame in 2023[2] |
Progressive list of scoring leaders
This is a progressive list of scoring leaders showing how the record increased through the years.[1]
- Statistics accurate as of November 2, 2022.
^ | Active NBA player |
* | Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame |
† | Not yet eligible for Hall of Fame consideration[e] |
§ | 1st time eligible for Hall of Fame in 2023[3] |
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 | Kevin Durant^BKN | 260 | 37,217 | 2022–23 | |||||
Season | Year-by-year leader | Points | Active player leader | Total points | Career record | Total points | Single-season record | Points | Season |
See also
- List of National Basketball Association annual scoring leaders
- List of National Basketball Association career playoff scoring leaders
- List of National Basketball Association career 3-point scoring leaders
- List of National Basketball League (United States) career scoring leaders
- List of National Basketball Association single-game scoring leaders
Notes
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
References
- ^ a b "NBA Progressive Leaders and Records for Points". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved December 6, 2021.
- ^ "2023 Hall of Fame Candidates". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
- ^ "2023 Hall of Fame Candidates". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved October 12, 2020.