7 fastest players to reach 10,000 NBA career points ft. Luka Doncic
Dallas Mavericks All-Star Luka Doncic made it a Christmas Day 2023 to remember for him as apart from leading his team to a victory in impressive fashion, he also etched his name in NBA history by becoming the seventh-fastest player to reach 10,000 career points.
"The Don" did it in his 50-point outing at home against the Phoenix Suns, helping the Mavericks to a 128-114 victory, their 18th win in 32 games in the ongoing season.
Here are the seven fastest NBA players to 10,000 points, as shared by NBA.com:
7 fastest NBA players to reach 10,000 career points
#7. Luka Doncic (358 games)
Luka Doncic became the seventh fastest to 10,000 points by doing it in just 358 games all with the Dallas Mavericks, the team which acquired in a trade on draft day in 2018.
He did it on Christmas Day 2023 against the Suns. Needing just 11 points to break the scoring milestone entering the game, "The Don" did not take too long to achieve it, scoring a deep 3-pointer in the opening quarter.
Doncic went on to finish with 50 points in the game, taking his career total to date to 10,039 points.
Incidentally, he is also the sixth youngest to achieve the feat, doing it at the age of 24 years and 300 days old, behind LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony and Tracy McGrady.
#6. George Gervin (355 games)
The "Iceman" is one of the best scoring guards in NBA history and sixth in the list of youngest to 10,000 points, doing it 355 games.
He did it as a member of the San Antonio Spurs, where he spent the majority of his 15-year pro career.
The master of the finger roll ended his career in the NBA with 20,708 points in 791 games.
#5. Oscar Robertson (334 games)
Known for his all-around skills and triple-double ways, Oscar Robertson was a solid scorer who reached 10,000 points in 334 games, fifth fastest in league history.
The "Big O" achieved it as a member of the Cincinnati Royals in the 1964-65 season, where he averaged 30.4 points.
He went on to finish his career with the Milwaukee Bucks with 26,710 points (25.7 points per game), currently 14th in the all-time scoring list.
#4. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (319 games)
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had the most points scored in NBA history with 38,387 until LeBron James broke it this year. He, however, reached 10,000 points as the fourth fastest, achieving it in 319 games as a member of the Milwaukee Bucks.
"The Captain" reached the scoring milestone in his fourth year in the NBA in the 1972-73 season at the age of 25. That season he also averaged 30.2 points in 76 games.
#3. Elgin Baylor (315 games)
Coming in as the third fastest to 10,000 points is Elgin Baylor of the LA Lakers, doing it in 315 games.
He did it during the 1962-63 season where he scored 2,719 points and a 34-point average in 80 games.
Baylor finished his career with 23,149 points.
#2. Michael Jordan (303 games)
Michael Jordan is the second fastest to reach the 10,000-point plateau, achieving it in 303 games.
It came on Jan. 25, 1989, in a game against the Philadelphia 76ers despite nursing a bruised knee. With 5:37 left in the game, "Air Jordan" hit a 16-foot fadeaway jumper to give him 33 points and exactly 10,000 for his career. Unfortunately, they lost the game, 120-108.
Jordan ended his career in 2003 third in the all-time NBA scoring list with 32,292 points until he fell to fifth place with Kobe Bryant and LeBron James climbing the ladder.
#1. Wilt Chamberlain (236 games)
Arguably the first scoring machine the league has ever seen, it is little wonder that Wilt Chamberlain tops this list, scoring his 10,000th point in 236 games.
He did it in the 1962-63 season with the San Francisco Warriors (formerly Philadelphia Warriors) at the age of 26, where he went on to average 44.8 points per game.
Chamberlain continued to be a dominant scorer as his career progressed, making full use of his inherent size advantage over most of the competition. He finished his career with 31,419 points, currently seventh in league history.