List of NBA Career Scoring Leaders

Last Modified Mar 5, 2024 05:00 GMT
NBA Career Scoring Leaders
Jumbotron honoring LeBron James after scoring his 40,000th career point

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, there are several metrics and statistics that 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.

In this article, we are going to who the all-time leading scorers are in the NBA. This article will present the list of the top 50 NBA career-scoring leaders to give you an idea of where your favorite players rank on the all-time list.

NBA Career Scoring Leaders List

RankPlayerPosTeamsPointsGP
1LeBron James SFCleveland Cavaliers (2003–2010, 2014–2018)40,0171423
Miami Heat (2010–2014)
Los Angeles Lakers (2018–present)
2Kareem Abdul-Jabbar CMilwaukee Bucks (1969–1975)383871560
Los Angeles Lakers (1975–1989)
3Karl Malone PFUtah Jazz (1985–2003)369281476
Los Angeles Lakers (2003–2004)
4Kobe Bryant SGLos Angeles Lakers (1996–2016)336431346
5Michael Jordan SGChicago Bulls (1984–1993, 1995–1998)322921072
Washington Wizards (2001–2003)
6Dirk Nowitzki PF/CDallas Mavericks (1998–2019)315601522
7Wilt Chamberlain CPhiladelphia/San Francisco Warriors (1959–1965)314191045
Philadelphia 76ers (1965–1968)
Los Angeles Lakers (1968–1973)
8Shaquille O'Neal COrlando Magic (1992–1996)285961207
Los Angeles Lakers (1996–2004)
Miami Heat (2004–2008)
Phoenix Suns (2008–2009)
Cleveland Cavaliers (2009–2010)
Boston Celtics (2010–2011)
9Kevin Durant SF/PFSeattle SuperSonics/Oklahoma City Thunder (2007–2016)283921040
Golden State Warriors (2016–2019)
Brooklyn Nets (2019–2023)
Phoenix Suns (2023–present)
10Carmelo Anthony SFDenver Nuggets (2003–2011)282891260
New York Knicks (2011–2017)
Oklahoma City Thunder (2017–2018)
Houston Rockets (2018–2019)
Portland Trail Blazers (2019–2021)
Los Angeles Lakers (2021–2022)
11Moses Malone CBuffalo Braves (1976)274091329
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)
12Elvin Hayes PF/CSan Diego/Houston Rockets (1968–1972, 1981–1984)273131303
Baltimore/Capital/Washington Bullets (1972–1981)
13Hakeem Olajuwon CHouston Rockets (1984–2001)269461238
Toronto Raptors (2001–2002)
14Oscar Robertson PGCincinnati Royals (1960–1970)267101040
Milwaukee Bucks (1970–1974)
15Dominique Wilkins SFAtlanta Hawks (1982–1994)266681074
Los Angeles Clippers (1994)
Boston Celtics (1994–1995)
San Antonio Spurs (1996–1997)
Orlando Magic (1999)
16Tim Duncan PF/CSan Antonio Spurs (1997–2016)264961392
17Paul Pierce SF/SGBoston Celtics (1998–2013)263971343
Brooklyn Nets (2013–2014)
Washington Wizards (2014–2015)
Los Angeles Clippers (2015–2017)
18John Havlicek SF/SGBoston Celtics (1962–1978)263951270
19Kevin Garnett PF/CMinnesota Timberwolves (1995–2007, 2015–2016)260711462
Boston Celtics (2007–2013)
Brooklyn Nets (2013–2015)
20Vince CarterSG/SFToronto Raptors (1998–2004)257281541
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)
21James Harden SG/PGOklahoma City Thunder (2009–2012)256321054
Houston Rockets (2012–2021)
Brooklyn Nets (2021–2022)
Philadelphia 76ers (2022–2023)
Los Angeles Clippers (2023-present)
22Alex English SFMilwaukee Bucks (1976–1978)256131193
Indiana Pacers (1978–1980)
Denver Nuggets (1980–1990)
Dallas Mavericks (1990–1991)
23Reggie Miller SGIndiana Pacers (1987–2005)252791389
24Jerry West PG/SGLos Angeles Lakers (1960–1974)25192932
25Russell Westbrook PGOklahoma City Thunder (2008–2019)250981152
Houston Rockets (2019–2020)
Washington Wizards (2020–2021)
Los Angeles Lakers (2021–2023)
Los Angeles Clippers (2023–present)
26Patrick Ewing CNew York Knicks (1985–2000)248151183
Seattle SuperSonics (2000–2001)
Orlando Magic (2001–2002)
27Ray Allen SGMilwaukee Bucks (1996–2003)245051300
Seattle SuperSonics (2003–2007)
Boston Celtics (2007–2012)
Miami Heat (2012–2014)
28Allen Iverson SG/PGPhiladelphia 76ers (1996–2006, 2009–2010)24368914
Denver Nuggets (2006–2008)
Detroit Pistons (2008–2009)
Memphis Grizzlies (2009)
29Charles Barkley PFPhiladelphia 76ers (1984–1992)237571073
Phoenix Suns (1992–1996)
Houston Rockets (1996–2000)
30Robert Parish CGolden State Warriors (1976–1980)233341611
Boston Celtics (1980–1994)
Charlotte Hornets (1994–1996)
Chicago Bulls (1996–1997)
31Stephen Curry PGGolden State Warriors (2009–present)23258939
32Adrian Dantley SFBuffalo Braves (1976–1977)23177955
Indiana Pacers (1977)
Los Angeles Lakers (1977–1979)
Utah Jazz (1979–1986)
Detroit Pistons (1986–1989)
Dallas Mavericks (1989–1990)
Milwaukee Bucks (1991)
33Dwyane Wade SGMiami Heat (2003–2016, 2018–2019)231651054
Chicago Bulls (2016–2017)
Cleveland Cavaliers (2017–2018)
34Elgin Baylor SFMinneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers (1958–1971)23149846
35DeMar DeRozan SG/SFToronto Raptors (2009–2018)230021089
San Antonio Spurs (2018–2021)
Chicago Bulls (2021–present)
36Clyde Drexler SGPortland Trail Blazers (1983–1995)221951086
Houston Rockets (1995–1998)
37Chris Paul PGNew Orleans Hornets (2005–2011)220761250
Los Angeles Clippers (2011–2017)
Houston Rockets (2017–2019)
Oklahoma City Thunder (2019–2020)
Phoenix Suns (2020–2023)
Golden State Warriors (2023–present)
38Gary Payton PGSeattle SuperSonics (1990–2003)218131335
Milwaukee Bucks (2003)
Los Angeles Lakers (2003–2004)
Boston Celtics (2004–2005)
Miami Heat (2005–2007)
39Larry Bird SF/PFBoston Celtics (1979–1992)21791897
40Hal Greer SG/PGSyracuse Nationals/Philadelphia 76ers (1958–1973)215861122
41Walt Bellamy CChicago Packers/Zephyrs/Baltimore Bullets (1961–1965)209411043
New York Knicks (1965–1968)
Detroit Pistons (1968–1970)
Atlanta Hawks (1970–1974)
New Orleans Jazz (1974)
42Pau Gasol PF/CMemphis Grizzlies (2001–2008)208941226
Los Angeles Lakers (2008–2014)
Chicago Bulls (2014–2016)
San Antonio Spurs (2016–2019)
Milwaukee Bucks (2019)
43Bob Pettit PF/CMilwaukee/St. Louis Hawks (1954–1965)20880792
44David Robinson CSan Antonio Spurs (1989–2003)20790987
45Damian LillardPGPortland Trail Blazers (2012–2023)20733825
Milwaukee Bucks (2023–present)
46George Gervin SG/SFSan Antonio Spurs (1976–1985)20708791
Chicago Bulls (1985–1986)
47LaMarcus Aldridge PF/CPortland Trail Blazers (2006–2015)205581076
San Antonio Spurs (2015–2021)
Brooklyn Nets (2021–2022)
48Mitch Richmond SGGolden State Warriors (1988–1991)20497976
Sacramento Kings (1991–1998)
Washington Wizards (1998–2001)
Los Angeles Lakers (2001–2002)
49Joe Johnson SG/SFBoston Celtics (2001–2002, 2021–2022)204071277
Phoenix Suns (2002–2005)
Atlanta Hawks (2005–2012)
Brooklyn Nets (2012–2016)
Miami Heat (2016)
Utah Jazz (2016–2018)
Houston Rockets (2018)
50Tom ChambersPFSan Diego Clippers (1981–1983)200491107
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 March 2024.

FAQs

A. LeBron James recently broke Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s record and is now at the top of the NBA career scoring list. 

A. Michael Jordan ranks number five on the all-time career scoring list.

A. There are four centers in the top 10 of the all time scoring list, followed by two shooting guards, two small forwards, and two power forwards.

A. LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and James Harden are the top three active players on the list of career scoring leaders as of March 2024. 

A. Karl Malone and Dirk Nowitzki are the only two power forwards currently in the top 10 of the NBA career scoring leaders list. 

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