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LeBron James has scored the most career regular season points in NBA history, is the youngest to reach every career point milestone from 1,000 to 38,000 and is the only player to eclipse 39,000 and 40,000 career points. [1]

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. [2] LeBron James is the leading scorer in NBA history.

Scoring leaders

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]
Rank Player Pos Team(s) played for (years) [b] Total points Games
played 		Points
per game [c] 		Field goals
made 		Three-point
field goals
made [d] 		Free
throws
made
1 LeBron James^ SF Cleveland Cavaliers ( 2003– 2010, 2014– 2018)
Miami Heat ( 2010– 2014)
Los Angeles Lakers ( 2018–present) 		40,474 1,492 27.1 14,837 2,410 8,390
2 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar* C Milwaukee Bucks ( 1969– 1975)
Los Angeles Lakers ( 1975– 1989) 		38,387 1,560 24.6 15,837 1 6,712
3 Karl Malone* PF Utah Jazz ( 1985– 2003)
Los Angeles Lakers ( 2003–2004) 		36,928 1,476 25.0 13,528 85 9,787
4 Kobe Bryant* SG Los Angeles Lakers ( 1996– 2016) 33,643 1,346 25.0 11,719 1,827 8,378
5 Michael Jordan* SG Chicago Bulls ( 1984– 1993, 1995– 1998)
Washington Wizards ( 2001– 2003) 		32,292 1,072 30.1 12,192 581 7,327
6 Dirk Nowitzki* PF Dallas Mavericks ( 1998– 2019) 31,560 1,522 20.7 11,169 1,982 7,240
7 Wilt Chamberlain* C Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors ( 1959– 1965)
Philadelphia 76ers ( 1965– 1968)
Los Angeles Lakers ( 1968– 1973) 		31,419 1,045 30.1 12,681 n/a 6,057
8 Kevin Durant^ SF/PF Seattle SuperSonics/ Oklahoma City Thunder ( 2007– 2016)
Golden State Warriors ( 2016– 2019)
Brooklyn Nets ( 2019– 2023)
Phoenix Suns ( 2023–present) 		28,924 1,061 27.3 9,950 2,031 6,993
9 Shaquille O'Neal* C Orlando Magic ( 1992– 1996)
Los Angeles Lakers ( 1996– 2004)
Miami Heat ( 2004– 2008)
Phoenix Suns ( 2008– 2009)
Cleveland Cavaliers ( 2009–2010)
Boston Celtics ( 2010–2011) 		28,596 1,207 23.7 11,330 1 5,935
10 Carmelo Anthony† SF Denver Nuggets ( 2003– 2011)
New York Knicks ( 2011– 2017)
Oklahoma City Thunder ( 2017–2018)
Houston Rockets ( 2018–2019)
Portland Trail Blazers ( 2019– 2021)
Los Angeles Lakers ( 2021–2022) 		28,289 1,260 22.5 10,119 1,731 6,320
11 Moses Malone* C Buffalo Braves ( 1976)
Houston Rockets ( 1976– 1982)
Philadelphia 76ers ( 1982– 1986, 1993–1994)
Washington Bullets ( 1986– 1988)
Atlanta Hawks ( 1988– 1991)
Milwaukee Bucks ( 1991– 1993)
San Antonio Spurs ( 1994–1995) 		27,409 1,329 20.6 9,435 8 8,531
12 Elvin Hayes* PF/C San Diego/Houston Rockets ( 1968– 1972, 1981– 1984)
Baltimore/Capital/Washington Bullets ( 1972– 1981) 		27,313 1,303 21.0 10,976 5 5,356
13 Hakeem Olajuwon* C Houston Rockets ( 1984– 2001)
Toronto Raptors ( 2001–2002) 		26,946 1,238 21.8 10,749 25 5,423
14 Oscar Robertson* PG Cincinnati Royals ( 1960– 1970)
Milwaukee Bucks ( 1970– 1974) 		26,710 1,040 25.7 9,508 n/a 7,694
15 Dominique Wilkins* SF Atlanta Hawks ( 1982– 1994)
Los Angeles Clippers ( 1994)
Boston Celtics ( 1994–1995)
San Antonio Spurs ( 1996–1997)
Orlando Magic ( 1999) 		26,668 1,074 24.8 9,963 711 6,031
16 Tim Duncan* PF/C San Antonio Spurs ( 1997– 2016) 26,496 1,392 19.0 10,285 30 5,896
17 Paul Pierce* SF/SG Boston Celtics ( 1998– 2013)
Brooklyn Nets ( 2013–2014)
Washington Wizards ( 2014–2015)
Los Angeles Clippers ( 2015– 2017) 		26,397 1,343 19.7 8,668 2,143 6,918
18 John Havlicek* SF/SG Boston Celtics ( 1962– 1978) 26,395 1,270 20.8 10,513 n/a 5,369
19 Kevin Garnett* PF Minnesota Timberwolves ( 1995– 2007, 2015– 2016)
Boston Celtics ( 2007– 2013)
Brooklyn Nets ( 2013– 2015) 		26,071 1,462 17.8 10,505 174 4,887
20 James Harden^ SG/PG Oklahoma City Thunder ( 2009– 2012)
Houston Rockets ( 2012– 2021)
Brooklyn Nets ( 2021– 2022)
Philadelphia 76ers ( 2022– 2023)
Los Angeles Clippers ( 2023–present) 		25,885 1,072 24.1 7,643 2,940 7,659
21 Vince Carter* SG/SF Toronto Raptors ( 1998– 2004)
New Jersey Nets ( 2004– 2009)
Orlando Magic ( 2009– 2010)
Phoenix Suns ( 2010–2011)
Dallas Mavericks ( 2011– 2014)
Memphis Grizzlies ( 2014– 2017)
Sacramento Kings ( 2017–2018)
Atlanta Hawks ( 2018– 2020) 		25,728 1,541 16.7 9,293 2,290 4,852
22 Alex English* SF Milwaukee Bucks ( 1976– 1978)
Indiana Pacers ( 1978– 1980)
Denver Nuggets ( 1980– 1990)
Dallas Mavericks ( 1990–1991) 		25,613 1,193 21.5 10,659 18 4,277
23 Reggie Miller* SG Indiana Pacers ( 1987– 2005) 25,279 1,389 18.2 8,241 2,560 6,237
24 Russell Westbrook^ PG Oklahoma City Thunder ( 2008– 2019)
Houston Rockets ( 2019–2020)
Washington Wizards ( 2020–2021)
Los Angeles Lakers ( 2021– 2023)
Los Angeles Clippers ( 2023–present) 		25,211 1,162 21.7 9,055 1,273 5,828
25 Jerry West* PG/SG Los Angeles Lakers ( 1960– 1974) 25,192 932 27.0 9,016 n/a 7,160
26 Patrick Ewing* C New York Knicks ( 1985– 2000)
Seattle SuperSonics ( 2000–2001)
Orlando Magic ( 2001–2002) 		24,815 1,183 21.0 9,702 19 5,392
27 Ray Allen* SG Milwaukee Bucks ( 1996– 2003)
Seattle SuperSonics ( 2003– 2007)
Boston Celtics ( 2007– 2012)
Miami Heat ( 2012– 2014) 		24,505 1,300 18.9 8,567 2,973 4,398
28 Allen Iverson* SG/PG Philadelphia 76ers ( 1996– 2006, 2009–2010)
Denver Nuggets ( 2006– 2008)
Detroit Pistons ( 2008–2009)
Memphis Grizzlies ( 2009) 		24,368 914 26.7 8,467 1,059 6,375
29 Charles Barkley* PF Philadelphia 76ers ( 1984– 1992)
Phoenix Suns ( 1992– 1996)
Houston Rockets ( 1996– 2000) 		23,757 1,073 22.1 8,435 538 6,349
30 Stephen Curry^ PG Golden State Warriors ( 2009–present) 23,668 956 24.8 8,084 3,747 3,753
31 DeMar DeRozan^ SG/SF Toronto Raptors ( 2009– 2018)
San Antonio Spurs ( 2018– 2021)
Chicago Bulls ( 2021–present) 		23,582 1,110 21.2 8,440 531 6,171
32 Robert Parish* C Golden State Warriors ( 1976– 1980)
Boston Celtics ( 1980– 1994)
Charlotte Hornets ( 1994– 1996)
Chicago Bulls ( 1996–1997) 		23,334 1,611 14.5 9,614 0 4,106
33

Adrian Dantley*

SF Buffalo Braves ( 1976–1977)
Indiana Pacers ( 1977)
Los Angeles Lakers ( 1977– 1979)
Utah Jazz ( 1979– 1986)
Detroit Pistons ( 1986– 1989)
Dallas Mavericks ( 1989– 1990)
Milwaukee Bucks ( 1991) 		23,177 955 24.3 8,169 7 6,832
34 Dwyane Wade* SG Miami Heat ( 2003– 2016, 2018– 2019)
Chicago Bulls ( 2016–2017)
Cleveland Cavaliers ( 2017–2018) 		23,165 1,054 22.0 8,454 549 5,708
35 Elgin Baylor* SF Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers ( 1958– 1971) 23,149 846 27.4 8,693 n/a 5,763
36 Chris Paul^ PG New Orleans Hornets ( 2005– 2011)
Los Angeles Clippers ( 2011– 2017)
Houston Rockets ( 2017– 2019)
Oklahoma City Thunder ( 2019–2020)
Phoenix Suns ( 2020– 2023)
Golden State Warriors ( 2023–present) 		22,288 1,272 17.5 7,898 1,720 4,772
37 Clyde Drexler* SG Portland Trail Blazers ( 1983– 1995)
Houston Rockets ( 1995– 1998) 		22,195 1,086 20.4 8,335 827 4,698
38 Gary Payton* PG Seattle SuperSonics ( 1990– 2003)
Milwaukee Bucks ( 2003)
Los Angeles Lakers ( 2003–2004)
Boston Celtics ( 2004–2005)
Miami Heat ( 2005– 2007) 		21,813 1,335 16.3 8,708 1,132 3,265
39 Larry Bird* SF/PF Boston Celtics ( 1979– 1992) 21,791 897 24.3 8,591 649 3,960
40 Hal Greer* SG/PG Syracuse Nationals/Philadelphia 76ers ( 1958– 1973) 21,586 1,122 19.2 8,504 n/a 4,578
41 Damian Lillard^ PG Portland Trail Blazers ( 2012– 2023)
Milwaukee Bucks ( 2023–present) 		21,151 842 25.1 6,822 2,607 4,900
42 Walt Bellamy* C Chicago Packers/Zephyrs/Baltimore Bullets ( 1961– 1965)
New York Knicks ( 1965– 1968)
Detroit Pistons ( 1968– 1970)
Atlanta Hawks ( 1970– 1974)
New Orleans Jazz ( 1974) 		20,941 1,043 20.1 7,914 n/a 5,113
43 Pau Gasol* PF/C Memphis Grizzlies ( 2001– 2008)
Los Angeles Lakers ( 2008– 2014)
Chicago Bulls ( 2014– 2016)
San Antonio Spurs ( 2016– 2019)
Milwaukee Bucks ( 2019) 		20,894 1,226 17.0 7,980 179 4,755
44 Bob Pettit* PF/C Milwaukee/St. Louis Hawks ( 1954– 1965) 20,880 792 26.4 7,349 n/a 6,182
45 David Robinson* C San Antonio Spurs ( 1989– 2003) 20,790 987 21.1 7,365 25 6,035
46 George Gervin* SG/SF San Antonio Spurs ( 1976– 1985)
Chicago Bulls ( 1985–1986) 		20,708 791 26.2 8,045 77 4,541
47 LaMarcus Aldridge† PF/C Portland Trail Blazers ( 2006– 2015)
San Antonio Spurs ( 2015– 2021)
Brooklyn Nets ( 2021– 2022) 		20,558 1,076 19.1 8,311 227 3,709
48 Mitch Richmond* SG Golden State Warriors ( 1988– 1991)
Sacramento Kings ( 1991– 1998)
Washington Wizards ( 1998– 2001)
Los Angeles Lakers ( 2001–2002) 		20,497 976 21.0 7,305 1,326 4,561
49 Joe Johnson† SG/SF Boston Celtics ( 2001–2002, 2021–2022)
Phoenix Suns ( 2002– 2005)
Atlanta Hawks ( 2005– 2012)
Brooklyn Nets ( 2012– 2016)
Miami Heat ( 2016)
Utah Jazz ( 2016– 2018)
Houston Rockets ( 2018) 		20,407 1,277 16.0 7,823 1,978 2,783
50 Tom Chambers PF San Diego Clippers ( 1981– 1983)
Seattle SuperSonics ( 1983– 1988)
Phoenix Suns ( 1988– 1993)
Utah Jazz ( 1993– 1995)
Charlotte Hornets ( 1997)
Philadelphia 76ers ( 1997) 		20,049 1,107 18.1 7,378 227 5,066

Progressive list of scoring leaders

This is a progressive list of scoring leaders showing how the record increased through the years. [2]

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
Team abbreviations Team(s) listed is the one player was on when he established the record.
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
Scoring leader at the end of every season
Season Year-by-year leader Points Active player leader Total points Career record Total points Single-season record Points Season
1946–47 Joe Fulks*000 PHW 1,389 Joe Fulks*000 PHW 1,389 Joe Fulks*000 PHW 1,389 Joe Fulks*000 PHW 1,389 1946–47
1947–48 Max Zaslofsky000 CHS 1,007 2,338 2,338 1947–48
1948–49 George Mikan*000 MNL 1,698 3,898 3,898 George Mikan*000 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*000 PHW 1,674 7,021 7,021 1951–52
1952–53 Neil Johnston*000 PHW 1,564 George Mikan*000 MNL 8,460 George Mikan*000 MNL 8,460 1952–53
1953–54 1,759 9,766 9,766 1953–54
1954–55 1,631 Max Zaslofsky000 FTW 7,902 1954–55
1955–56 Bob Pettit*000 STL 1,849 George Mikan*000 MNL 10,156 10,156 1955–56
1956–57 Paul Arizin*000 PHW 1,817 Ed Macauley*000 STL 10,150 1956–57
1957–58 George Yardley*000 DET 2,001 Dolph Schayes*000 SYR 11,764 Dolph Schayes*000 SYR 11,764 George Yardley*000 DET 2,001 1957–58
1958–59 Bob Pettit*000 STL 2,105 13,298 13,298 Bob Pettit*000 STL 2,105 1958–59
1959–60 Wilt Chamberlain*
000 PHW 1959–62
000 SFW 1962–65
000 PHI 1965–66		 2,707 14,987 14,987 Wilt Chamberlain*000 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*000 STL 19,756 Bob Pettit*000 STL 19,756 1963–64
1964–65 2,534 20,880 20,880 1964–65
1965–66 2,649 Wilt Chamberlain*
000 PHI 1965–68
000 LAL 1968–73		 21,486 Wilt Chamberlain*
000 PHI 1965–68
000 LAL 1968–73		 21,486 1965–66
1966–67 Rick Barry*000 SFW 2,775 23,442 23,442 1966–67
1967–68 Dave Bing*000 DET 2,142 25,434 25,434 1967–68
1968–69 Elvin Hayes*000 SDR 2,327 27,098 27,098 1968–69
1969–70 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*000 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*000 KCO 2,719 31,419 31,419 1972–73
1973–74 Bob McAdoo*000 BUF 2,261 Oscar Robertson*000 MIL 26,710 1973–74
1974–75 2,831 John Havlicek*000 BOS 22,389 1974–75
1975–76 2,427 23,678 1975–76
1976–77 Pete Maravich*000 NOJ 2,273 25,073 1976–77
1977–78 George Gervin*000 SAS 2,232 26,395 1977–78
1978–79 2,365 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*000 LAL 22,141 1978–79
1979–80 2,585 24,175 1979–80
1980–81 Adrian Dantley*000 UTA 2,452 26,270 1980–81
1981–82 George Gervin*000 SAS 2,551 28,088 1981–82
1982–83 Alex English*000 DEN 2,326 29,810 1982–83
1983–84 Adrian Dantley*000 UTA 2,418 31,527 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*00 LAL 31,527 1983–84
1984–85 Michael Jordan*000 CHI 2,313 33,262 33,262 1984–85
1985–86 Alex English*000 DEN 2,414 35,108 35,108 1985–86
1986–87 Michael Jordan*000 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*
000 ATL 1989–91
000 MIL 1991–93
000 PHI 1993–94
000 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*000 SAS 2,383 27,360 1993–94
1994–95 Shaquille O'Neal*000 ORL 2,315 27,409 1994–95
1995–96 Michael Jordan*000 CHI 2,491 Michael Jordan*000 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*000 LAL 1,289 Karl Malone*
000 UTA 1998–2003
000 LAL 2003–04		 28,946 1998–99
1999–00 2,344 31,041 1999–00
2000–01 Jerry Stackhouse00 DET 2,380 32,919 2000–01
2001–02 Paul Pierce*000 BOS 2,144 34,707 2001–02
2002–03 Kobe Bryant*000 LAL 2,461 36,374 2002–03
2003–04 Kevin Garnett*000 MIN 1,987 36,928 2003–04
2004–05 Allen Iverson*000 PHI 2,302 Reggie Miller*000 IND 25,279 2004–05
2005–06 Kobe Bryant*000 LAL 2,832 Shaquille O'Neal*
000 MIA 2005–08
000 PHX 2008–09
000 CLE 2009–10
000 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*000 MIA 2,386 27,619 2008–09
2009–10 Kevin Durant^000 OKC 2,472 28,255 2009–10
2010–11 2,161 28,596 2010–11
2011–12 1,850 Kobe Bryant*000 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^000 HOU 2,217 32,482 2014–15
2015–16 2,376 33,643 2015–16
2016–17 Russell Westbrook^000 OKC 2,558 Dirk Nowitzki*000 DAL 30,260 2016–17
2017–18 LeBron James^000 CLE 2,251 31,187 2017–18
2018–19 James Harden^000 HOU 2,818 LeBron James^000 LAL 32,543 2018–19
2019–20 2,335 34,241 2019–20
2020–21 Stephen Curry^000 GSW 2,015 35,367 2020–21
2021–22 Trae Young^000 ATL 2,155 37,062 2021–22
2022–23 Jayson Tatum^000 BOS 2,225 38,652 LeBron James^000 LAL 38,652 2022–23
2023–24 Luka Dončić^000 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

Notes

  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ Rounded to the nearest tenth.
  4. ^ First adopted in the 1979–80 season.

References

  1. ^ "LeBron James is the Youngest Player to Reach Every Single 1000 Career Point Total from 1K to 38K". January 16, 2023.
  2. ^ a b "NBA Progressive Leaders and Records for Points". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved December 6, 2021.

External links

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