The National Basketball Association (NBA) is the world’s finest basketball league, which operates in the United States. The long, tiring, and gruesome regular season, which extends from October to April, followed by the postseason, finishing in the middle of June, is one of the most eagerly anticipated leagues globally. Throughout NBA history, we have witnessed some of the most memorable, dominant, and talented basketball players to have ever walked on this planet. In the game of basketball, several metrics and statistics are recorded to eventually see the impact any player has had on the game. In the NBA, the list of greatest players can be quite long, but for any player to find themselves on any NBA all-time list, that player has to be the best of the best.
While there are several key statistics, such as the number of rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks, to name a few, the most important statistic in the game of basketball is obviously the number of points scored by a player. In a game against the Denver Nuggets in March 2024, LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers became the first player in the history of the NBA to cross the elusive figure of 40,000 points.
Also Read: List of NBA Stars Who Never Won a Championship
NBA Career Scoring Leaders List
| Rank | Player | Pos | Teams | Points | GP |
| 1 | LeBron James | SF | Cleveland Cavaliers (2003–2010, 2014–2018) | 42,184 | 1562 |
| Miami Heat (2010–2014) | |||||
| Los Angeles Lakers (2018–present) | |||||
| 2 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | C | Milwaukee Bucks (1969–1975) | 38387 | 1560 |
| Los Angeles Lakers (1975–1989) | |||||
| 3 | Karl Malone | PF | Utah Jazz (1985–2003) | 36928 | 1476 |
| Los Angeles Lakers (2003–2004) | |||||
| 4 | Kobe Bryant | SG | Los Angeles Lakers (1996–2016) | 33643 | 1346 |
| 5 | Michael Jordan | SG | Chicago Bulls (1984–1993, 1995–1998) | 32292 | 1072 |
| Washington Wizards (2001–2003) | |||||
| 6 | Dirk Nowitzki | PF/C | Dallas Mavericks (1998–2019) | 31560 | 1522 |
| 7 | Wilt Chamberlain | C | Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors (1959–1965) | 31419 | 1045 |
| Philadelphia 76ers (1965–1968) | |||||
| Los Angeles Lakers (1968–1973) | |||||
| 8 | Shaquille O'Neal | C | Orlando Magic (1992–1996) | 28596 | 1207 |
| Los Angeles Lakers (1996–2004) | |||||
| Miami Heat (2004–2008) | |||||
| Phoenix Suns (2008–2009) | |||||
| Cleveland Cavaliers (2009–2010) | |||||
| Boston Celtics (2010–2011) | |||||
| 9 | Kevin Durant | SF/PF | Seattle SuperSonics/Oklahoma City Thunder (2007–2016) | 30571 | 1123 |
| Golden State Warriors (2016–2019) | |||||
| Brooklyn Nets (2019–2023) | |||||
| Phoenix Suns (2023–present) | |||||
| 10 | Carmelo Anthony | SF | Denver Nuggets (2003–2011) | 28289 | 1260 |
| New York Knicks (2011–2017) | |||||
| Oklahoma City Thunder (2017–2018) | |||||
| Houston Rockets (2018–2019) | |||||
| Portland Trail Blazers (2019–2021) | |||||
| Los Angeles Lakers (2021–2022) | |||||
| 11 | 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) | 27687 | 1151 |
| 12 | Moses Malone | C | Buffalo Braves (1976) | 27409 | 1329 |
| 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) | |||||
| 13 | Elvin Hayes | PF/C | San Diego/Houston Rockets (1968–1972, 1981–1984) | 27313 | 1303 |
| Baltimore/Capital/Washington Bullets (1972–1981) | |||||
| 14 | Hakeem Olajuwon | C | Houston Rockets (1984–2001) | 26946 | 1238 |
| Toronto Raptors (2001–2002) | |||||
| 15 | Oscar Robertson | PG | Cincinnati Royals (1960–1970) | 26710 | 1040 |
| Milwaukee Bucks (1970–1974) | |||||
| 16 | Dominique Wilkins | SF | Atlanta Hawks (1982–1994) | 26668 | 1074 |
| Los Angeles Clippers (1994) | |||||
| Boston Celtics (1994–1995) | |||||
| San Antonio Spurs (1996–1997) | |||||
| Orlando Magic (1999) | |||||
| 17 | Tim Duncan | PF/C | San Antonio Spurs (1997–2016) | 26496 | 1392 |
| 18 | Paul Pierce | SF/SG | Boston Celtics (1998–2013) | 26397 | 1343 |
| Brooklyn Nets (2013–2014) | |||||
| Washington Wizards (2014–2015) | |||||
| Los Angeles Clippers (2015–2017) | |||||
| 19 | John Havlicek | SF/SG | Boston Celtics (1962–1978) | 26395 | 1270 |
| 20 | 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) | 26205 | 1237 |
| 21 | Kevin Garnett | PF/C | Minnesota Timberwolves (1995–2007, 2015–2016) | 26071 | 1462 |
| Boston Celtics (2007–2013) | |||||
| Brooklyn Nets (2013–2015) | |||||
| 22 | Vince Carter | SG/SF | Toronto Raptors (1998–2004) | 25728 | 1541 |
| 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) | |||||
| 23 | Alex English | SF | Milwaukee Bucks (1976–1978) | 25613 | 1193 |
| Indiana Pacers (1978–1980) | |||||
| Denver Nuggets (1980–1990) | |||||
| Dallas Mavericks (1990–1991) | |||||
| 24 | Stephen Curry | PG | Golden State Warriors (2009–present) | 25386 | 1026 |
| 25 | DeMar DeRozan | SG/SF | Toronto Raptors (2009–2018) San Antonio Spurs (2018–2021) Chicago Bulls (2021–2024) Sacramento Kings (2024- present) | 25292 | 1187 |
| 26 | Reggie Miller | SG | Indiana Pacers (1987–2005) | 25279 | 1389 |
| 26 | Jerry West | PG/SG | Los Angeles Lakers (1960–1974) | 25192 | 932 |
| 28 | Patrick Ewing | C | New York Knicks (1985–2000) | 24815 | 1183 |
| Seattle SuperSonics (2000–2001) | |||||
| Orlando Magic (2001–2002) | |||||
| 29 | Ray Allen | SG | Milwaukee Bucks (1996–2003) | 24505 | 1300 |
| Seattle SuperSonics (2003–2007) | |||||
| Boston Celtics (2007–2012) | |||||
| Miami Heat (2012–2014) | |||||
| 30 | Allen Iverson | SG/PG | Philadelphia 76ers (1996–2006, 2009–2010) | 24368 | 914 |
| Denver Nuggets (2006–2008) | |||||
| Detroit Pistons (2008–2009) | |||||
| Memphis Grizzlies (2009) | |||||
| 31 | Charles Barkley | PF | Philadelphia 76ers (1984–1992) | 23757 | 1073 |
| Phoenix Suns (1992–1996) | |||||
| Houston Rockets (1996–2000) | |||||
| 32 | Robert Parish | C | Golden State Warriors (1976–1980) | 23334 | 1611 |
| Boston Celtics (1980–1994) | |||||
| Charlotte Hornets (1994–1996) | |||||
| Chicago Bulls (1996–1997) | |||||
| 33 | Adrian Dantley | SF | Buffalo Braves (1976–1977) | 23177 | 955 |
| Indiana Pacers (1977) | |||||
| Los Angeles Lakers (1977–1979) | |||||
| Utah Jazz (1979–1986) | |||||
| Detroit Pistons (1986–1989) | |||||
| Dallas Mavericks (1989–1990) | |||||
| Milwaukee Bucks (1991) | |||||
| 34 | Dwyane Wade | SG | Miami Heat (2003–2016, 2018–2019) | 23165 | 1054 |
| Chicago Bulls (2016–2017) | |||||
| Cleveland Cavaliers (2017–2018) | |||||
| 35 | Elgin Baylor | SF | Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers (1958–1971) | 23149 | 846 |
| 36 | Chris Paul | PG | New Orleans Hornets (2005–2011) | 23011 | 1354 |
| Los Angeles Clippers (2011–2017) | |||||
| Houston Rockets (2017–2019) | |||||
| Oklahoma City Thunder (2019–2020) | |||||
| Phoenix Suns (2020–2023) | |||||
| Golden State Warriors (2023–present) | |||||
| 37 | Damian Lillard | PG | Portland Trail Blazers (2012–2023) Milwaukee Bucks (2023–present) | 22598 | 900 |
| 38 | Clyde Drexler | SG | Portland Trail Blazers (1983–1995) Houston Rockets (1995–1998) | 22195 | 1086 |
| 39 | Gary Payton | PG | Seattle SuperSonics (1990–2003) | 21813 | 1335 |
| Milwaukee Bucks (2003) | |||||
| Los Angeles Lakers (2003–2004) | |||||
| Boston Celtics (2004–2005) | |||||
| Miami Heat (2005–2007) | |||||
| 40 | Larry Bird | SF/PF | Boston Celtics (1979–1992) | 21791 | 897 |
| 41 | Hal Greer | SG/PG | Syracuse Nationals/Philadelphia 76ers (1958–1973) | 21586 | 1122 |
| 42 | Walt Bellamy | C | Chicago Packers/Zephyrs/Baltimore Bullets (1961–1965) | 20941 | 1043 |
| New York Knicks (1965–1968) | |||||
| Detroit Pistons (1968–1970) | |||||
| Atlanta Hawks (1970–1974) | |||||
| New Orleans Jazz (1974) | |||||
| 43 | Pau Gasol | PF/C | Memphis Grizzlies (2001–2008) | 20894 | 1226 |
| Los Angeles Lakers (2008–2014) | |||||
| Chicago Bulls (2014–2016) | |||||
| San Antonio Spurs (2016–2019) | |||||
| Milwaukee Bucks (2019) | |||||
| 44 | Bob Pettit | PF/C | Milwaukee/St. Louis Hawks (1954–1965) | 20880 | 792 |
| 45 | David Robinson | C | San Antonio Spurs (1989–2003) | 20790 | 987 |
| 46 | George Gervin | SG/SF | San Antonio Spurs (1976–1985) | 20708 | 791 |
| Chicago Bulls (1985–1986) | |||||
| 47 | LaMarcus Aldridge | PF/C | Portland Trail Blazers (2006–2015) | 20558 | 1076 |
| San Antonio Spurs (2015–2021) | |||||
| Brooklyn Nets (2021–2022) | |||||
| 48 | Giannis Antetokounmpo | PF/C | Milwaukee Bucks - present | 20538 | 859 |
| 49 | Mitch Richmond | SG | Golden State Warriors (1988–1991) | 20497 | 976 |
| Sacramento Kings (1991–1998) | |||||
| Washington Wizards (1998–2001) | |||||
| Los Angeles Lakers (2001–2002) | |||||
| 50 | Joe Johnson | SG/SF | Boston Celtics (2001–2002, 2021–2022) | 20407 | 1277 |
| Phoenix Suns (2002–2005) | |||||
| Atlanta Hawks (2005–2012) | |||||
| Brooklyn Nets (2012–2016) | |||||
| Miami Heat (2016) | |||||
| Utah Jazz (2016–2018) | |||||
| Houston Rockets (2018) | |||||
| 51 | Tom Chambers | PF | San Diego Clippers (1981–1983) | 20049 | 1107 |
| Seattle SuperSonics (1983–1988) | |||||
| Phoenix Suns (1988–1993) | |||||
| Utah Jazz (1993–1995) | |||||
| Charlotte Hornets (1997) | |||||
| Philadelphia 76ers (1997) |
This list was last updated on 5th May 2025.
FAQs on NBA Career Scoring Leaders
A. LeBron James broke Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s record and is now at the top of the NBA career scoring list.
A. Michael Jordan ranks number four on the all-time career scoring list.
A. 9 NBA active players has surpassed the 20000 points as of May 2025.
A. LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and James Harden are the top three active players on the list of career scoring leaders as of May 2025.
