Even in a rough season team-wise, there’s a silver lining for LeBron James when it comes to individual accolades. The last one is a pretty big deal: during the game vs. the Warriors, he just became the NBA’s all-time leading scorer when combining points in the regular season and playoffs. (If you include play-in tournament scoring, he actually became the top NBA scorer in the Lakers’ loss to Portland).
King James still trails Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in regular-season scoring, though he’s on track to pass him there as well next season.
Below, we present the top scorers in NBA history using their regular season and playoff total points combined.
Updated: March 22, 2022
1
LeBron James: 44,616 points
Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Overall stats: 27.3 ppg on 50.2 FG%, 34.3 3P% and 73.5 FT%
Regular season stats: 27.1 ppg on 50.5 FG%, 34.5 3P% and 73.4 FT%
Playoff stats: 28.7 ppg on 49.5 FG%, 33.7 3P% and 74.0 FT%
Points per shot: 1.38
2
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: 44,149 points
Overall stats: 24.6 ppg on 55.6 FG% and 72.4 FT%
Regular season stats: 24.6 ppg on 55.9 FG% and 72.1 FT%
Playoff stats: 24.3 ppg on 53.3 FG% and 74.0 FT%
Points per shot: 1.35
3
Karl Malone: 41,689 points
Overall stats: 25.0 ppg on 50.9 FG% and 74.1 FT%
Regular season stats: 25.0 ppg on 51.6 FG% and 74.2 FT%
Playoff stats: 24.7 ppg on 46.3 FG% and 73.6 FT%
Points per shot: 1.39
4
Kobe Bryant: 39,283 points
Overall stats: 25.1 ppg on 44.7 FG%, 33.0 3P% and 83.4 FT%
Regular season stats: 25.0 ppg on 44.7 FG%, 32.9 3P% and 83.7 FT%
Playoff stats: 25.6 ppg on 44.8 FG%, 33.1 3P% and 81.6 FT%
Points per shot: 1.28
5
Michael Jordan: 38,279 points
Overall stats: 30.6 ppg on 49.5 FG%, 32.8 3P% and 83.4 FT%
Regular season stats: 30.1 ppg on 49.7 FG%, 32.7 3P% and 83.5 FT%
Playoff stats: 33.4 ppg on 48.7 FG%, 33.2 3P% and 82.8 FT%
Points per shot: 1.32
6
Dirk Nowitzki: 35,223 points
(Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
Overall stats: 21.1 ppg on 47.0 FG%, 37.9 3P% and 88.0 FT%
Regular season stats: 20.7 ppg on 47.1 FG%, 38.0 3P% and 87.9 FT%
Playoff stats: 25.3 ppg on 46.2 FG%, 36.5 3P% and 89.2 FT%
Points per shot: 1.34
7
Wilt Chamberlain: 35,026 points
Overall stats: 29.1 ppg on 53.8 FG% and 50.5 FT%
Regular season stats: 30.1 ppg on 54.0 FG% and 51.1 FT%
Playoff stats: 22.5 ppg on 52.2 FG% and 46.5 FT%
Points per shot: 1.34
8
Shaquille O'Neal: 33,846 points
Overall stats: 23.8 ppg on 57.9 FG% and 52.3 FT%
Regular season stats: 23.7 ppg on 58.2 FG% and 52.7 FT%
Playoff stats: 24.3 ppg on 56.3 FG% and 50.4 FT%
Points per shot: 1.47
9
Tim Duncan: 31,668 points
Overall stats: 19.3 ppg on 50.5 FG% and 69.5 FT%
Regular season stats: 19.0 ppg on 50.6 FG% and 69.6 FT%
Playoff stats: 20.6 ppg on 50.1 FG% and 68.9 FT%
Points per shot: 1.30
10
Hakeem Olajuwon: 30,701 points
Overall stats: 22.2 ppg on 51.4 FG% and 71.2 FT%
Regular season stats: 21.8 ppg on 51.2 FG% and 71.2 FT%
Playoff stats: 25.9 ppg on 52.8 FG% and 71.9 FT%
Points per shot: 1.29
11
John Havlicek: 30,171 points
Overall stats: 20.9 ppg on 43.9 FG% and 81.8 FT%
Regular season stats: 20.8 ppg on 43.9 FG% and 81.5 FT%
Playoff stats: 22.0 ppg on 43.6 FG% and 83.6 FT%
Points per shot: 1.11
12
Carmelo Anthony: 30,137 points
(Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Overall stats: 22.6 ppg on 44.4 FG%, 36.9 3P% and 81.4 FT%
Regular season stats: 22.6 ppg on 44.7 FG%, 35.6 3P% and 81.4 FT%
Playoff stats: 23.1 ppg on 41.4 FG%, 32.4 3P% and 82.6 FT%
Points per shot: 1.25
13
Kevin Durant: 29,667 points
Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
Overall stats: 27.3 ppg on 49.2 FG%, 37.8 3P% and 88.0 FT%
Regular season stats: 27.1 ppg on 49.5 FG%, 38.3 3P% and 88.3 FT%
Playoff stats: 29.5 ppg on 47.8 FG%, 35.7 3P% and 86.4 FT%
Points per shot: 1.44
14
Jerry West: 29,649 points
Overall stats: 27.3 ppg on 47.3 FG% and 81.2 FT%
Regular season stats: 27.0 ppg on 47.4 FG% and 81.4 FT%
Playoff stats: 29.1 ppg on 46.9 FG% and 80.5 FT%
Points per shot: 1.32
15
Paul Pierce: 29,577 points
Overall stats: 19.5 ppg on 44.3 FG%, 36.7 3P% and 80.9 FT%
Regular season stats: 19.7 ppg on 44.5 FG%, 36.8 3P% and 80.6 FT%
Playoff stats: 18.7 ppg on 42.3 FG%, 35.5 3P% and 83.0 FT%
Points per shot: 1.35
16
Elvin Hayes: 29,507 points
Overall stats: 21.1 ppg on 45.3 FG% and 66.8 FT%
Regular season stats: 21.0 ppg on 45.2 FG% and 67.0 FT%
Playoff stats: 22.9 ppg on 46.4 FG% and 65.2 FT%
Points per shot: 1.13
17
Moses Malone: 29,486 points
Overall stats: 20.7 ppg on 49.0 FG% and 76.9 FT%
Regular season stats: 20.6 ppg on 49.1 FG% and 76.9 FT%
Playoff stats: 22.1 ppg on 47.9 FG% and 76.2 FT%
Points per shot: 1.42
18
Kevin Garnett: 28,672 points
Overall stats: 17.9 ppg on 49.5 FG% and 78.9 FT%
Regular season stats: 17.8 ppg on 49.7 FG% and 78.9 FT%
Playoff stats: 18.2 ppg on 47.8 FG% and 78.9 FT%
Points per shot: 1.23
19
Oscar Robertson: 28,620 points
Overall stats: 25.4 ppg on 48.3 FG% and 83.9 FT%
Regular season stats: 25.7 ppg on 48.5 FG% and 83.8 FT%
Playoff stats: 22.2 ppg on 46.0 FG% and 85.5 FT%
Points per shot: 1.36
20
Reggie Miller: 28,251 points
Overall stats: 18.4 ppg on 46.9 FG%, 39.4 3P% and 88.8 FT%
Regular season stats: 18.2 ppg on 47.1 FG%, 39.5 3P% and 88.8 FT%
Playoff stats: 20.6 ppg on 44.9 FG%, 39.0 3P% and 89.3 FT%
Points per shot: 1.44
21
Dominique Wilkins: 28,091 points
Overall stats: 24.9 ppg on 46.0 FG%, 31.7 3P% and 81.2 FT%
Regular season stats: 24.8 ppg on 46.1 FG%, 31.9 3P% and 81.1 FT%
Playoff stats: 25.4 ppg on 42.9 FG%, 28.1 3P% and 82.4 FT%
Points per shot: 1.23
22
Patrick Ewing: 27,628 points
Overall stats: 20.9 ppg on 50.0 FG% and 73.8 FT%
Regular season stats: 21.0 ppg on 50.4 FG% and 74.0 FT%
Playoff stats: 20.2 ppg on 46.9 FG% and 71.8 FT%
Points per shot: 1.28
23
Vince Carter: 27,321 points
Overall stats: 16.8 ppg on 43.4 FG%, 36.9 3P% and 79.8 FT%
Regular season stats: 16.7 ppg on 43.5 FG%, 37.1 3P% and 79.8 FT%
Playoff stats: 18.1 ppg on 41.6 FG%, 33.8 3P% and 79.6 FT%
Points per shot: 1.20
24
Alex English: 27,274 points
Overall stats: 21.6 ppg on 50.6 FG% and 83.4 FT%
Regular season stats: 21.5 ppg on 50.7 FG% and 83.2 FT%
Playoff stats: 24.4 ppg on 50.3 FG% and 86.2 FT%
Points per shot: 1.22
25
Ray Allen: 27,254 points
Overall stats: 18.5 ppg on 45.1 FG%, 40.0 3P% and 89.3 FT%
Regular season stats: 18.9 ppg on 45.2 FG%, 40.0 3P% and 89.4 FT%
Playoff stats: 16.1 ppg on 44.3 FG%, 40.1 3P% and 88.3 FT%
Points per shot: 1.29
26
Dwyane Wade: 27,119 points
Overall stats: 22.0 ppg on 47.9 FG%, 29.9 3P% and 76.7 FT%
Regular season stats: 22.0 ppg on 48.0 FG%, 29.3 3P% and 76.5 FT%
Playoff stats: 22.3 ppg on 47.4 FG%, 33.8 3P% and 78.0 FT%
Points per shot: 1.31
27
Elgin Baylor: 26,772 points
Overall stats: 27.3 ppg on 43.2 FG% and 77.8 FT%
Regular season stats: 27.4 ppg on 43.1 FG% and 78.0 FT%
Playoff stats: 27.0 ppg on 43.9 FG% and 76.9 FT%
Points per shot: 1.15
28
Charles Barkley: 26,590 points
Overall stats: 22.2 ppg on 53.8 FG%, 26.5 3P% and 73.3 FT%
Regular season stats: 22.1 ppg on 54.1 FG%, 26.6 3P% and 73.5 FT%
Playoff stats: 23.0 ppg on 51.3 FG%, 25.5 3P% and 71.7 FT%
Points per shot: 1.51
29
Allen Iverson: 26,479 points
Overall stats: 26.9 ppg on 42.3 FG%, 31.4 3P% and 77.9 FT%
Regular season stats: 26.7 ppg on 42.5 FG%, 31.3 3P% and 78.0 FT%
Playoff stats: 29.7 ppg on 40.1 FG%, 32.7 3P% and 76.4 FT%
Points per shot: 1.22
30
James Harden: 26,455 points
Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Overall stats: 24.8 ppg on 44.0 FG%, 35.8 3P% and 85.9 FT%
Regular season stats: 25.0 ppg on 44.3 FG%, 36.2 3P% and 85.9 FT%
Playoff stats: 23.3 ppg on 42.8 FG%, 33.2 3P% and 86.8 FT%
Points per shot: 1.49
31
Robert Parish: 26,154 points
Overall stats: 14.6 ppg on 53.3 FG% and 72.1 FT%
Regular season stats: 14.5 ppg on 53.7 FG% and 72.1 FT%
Playoff stats: 15.3 ppg on 50.6 FG% and 72.2 FT%
Points per shot: 1.30
32
Russell Westbrook: 25,867 points
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Overall stats: 23.1 ppg on 43.4 FG%, 30.3 3P% and 78.9 FT%
Regular season stats: 22.9 ppg on 43.7 FG%, 30.5 3P% and 78.5 FT%
Playoff stats: 24.6 ppg on 40.8 FG%, 29.6 3P% and 82.7 FT%
Points per shot: 1.22
33
Larry Bird: 25,688 points
Overall stats: 24.2 ppg on 49.2 FG%, 36.9 3P% and 88.7 FT%
Regular season stats: 24.3 ppg on 49.6 FG%, 37.6 3P% and 88.6 FT%
Playoff stats: 23.8 ppg on 47.2 FG%, 32.1 3P% and 89.0 FT%
Points per shot: 1.26
34
Clyde Drexler: 25,158 points
Overall stats: 20.9 ppg on 46.9 FG%, 31.3 3P% and 78.8 FT%
Regular season stats: 20.4 ppg on 47.2 FG%, 31.8 3P% and 78.8 FT%
Playoff stats: 20.4 ppg on 44.7 FG%, 28.8 3P% and 78.7 FT%
Points per shot: 1.25
35
Adrian Dantley: 24,735 points
Overall stats: 24.1 ppg on 53.9 FG% and 81.7 FT%
Regular season stats: 24.3 ppg on 54.0 FG% and 81.8 FT%
Playoff stats: 21.3 ppg on 52.5 FG% and 79.6 FT%
Points per shot: 1.53
36
Gary Payton: 23,968 points
Overall stats: 16.1 ppg on 46.3 FG%, 31.7 3P% and 72.7 FT%
Regular season stats: 16.3 ppg on 46.6 FG%, 31.7 3P% and 72.9 FT%
Playoff stats: 14.0 ppg on 44.1 FG%, 31.5 3P% and 70.6 FT%
Points per shot: 1.16
37
Tony Parker: 23,518 points
Overall stats: 15.9 ppg on 48.6 FG%, 32.1 3P% and 74.8 FT%
Regular season stats: 15.5 ppg on 49.1 FG%, 32.4 3P% and 75.1 FT%
Playoff stats: 17.9 ppg on 46.1 FG%, 30.9 3P% and 73.1 FT%
Points per shot: 1.22
38
Chris Paul: 23,510 points
Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
Overall stats: 18.4 ppg on 47.3 FG%, 37.0 3P% and 86.9 FT%
Regular season stats: 18.2 ppg on 47.3 FG%, 37.0 3P% and 87.1 FT%
Playoff stats: 20.7 ppg on 48.1 FG%, 37.4 3P% and 85.0 FT%
Points per shot: 1.34
39
Hal Greer: 23,462 points
(Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
Overall stats: 19.3 ppg on 45.0 FG% and 80.2 FT%
Regular season stats: 19.2 ppg on 45.2 FG% and 80.1 FT%
Playoff stats: 20.4 ppg on 42.5 FG% and 81.2 FT%
Points per shot: 1.15
40
Bob Pettit: 23,120 points
Overall stats: 26.3 ppg on 43.4 FG% and 76.3 FT%
Regular season stats: 26.4 ppg on 43.6 FG% and 76.1 FT%
Playoff stats: 25.5 ppg on 41.8 FG% and 77.4 FT%
Points per shot: 1.24
