For a bit, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar‘s record scoring numbers looked to be under threat from both Karl Malone and Kobe Bryant, but health issues didn’t allow them to surpass the master of the skyhook, and Abdul-Jabbar remains the king when it comes to NBA scoring.
However, LeBron James now is pretty much a mortal lock to pass Kareem in the next season or two when combining regular season and playoffs scoring. It would have been next year if not for seasons cut short by lockouts and pandemics during his time in the league.
Below, we present the top scorers in NBA history using their regular-season and playoff total points combined.
1
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%
2
LeBron James: 41,732 points
Overall stats: 27.4 ppg on 50.2 FG%, 34.2 3P% and 73.6 FT%
Regular season stats: 27.1 ppg on 50.4 FG%, 34.4 3P% and 73.4 FT%
Playoff stats: 28.8 ppg on 49.6 FG%, 33.5 3P% and 74.1 FT%
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%
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%
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%
6
Dirk Nowitzki: 35,223 points
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%
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%
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%
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%
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%
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%
12
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%
13
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%
14
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%
15
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%
16
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%
17
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%
18
Carmelo Anthony: 28,286 points
Overall stats: 23.6 ppg on 44.6 FG%, 34.7 3P% and 81.3 FT%
Regular season stats: 23.6 ppg on 44.8 FG%, 34.9 3P% and 81.2 FT%
Playoff stats: 23.9 ppg on 41.4 FG%, 31.6 3P% and 82.4 FT%
19
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%
20
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%
21
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%
22
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%
23
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%
24
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%
25
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%
26
Kevin Durant: 26,983 points
Overall stats: 27.3 ppg on 49.0 FG%, 37.6 3P% and 88.0 FT%
Regular season stats: 27.0 ppg on 49.3 FG%, 38.1 3P% and 88.3 FT%
Playoff stats: 29.1 ppg on 47.5 FG%, 35.2 3P% and 86.4 FT%
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%
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%
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%
30
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%
31
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%
32
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%
33
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%
34
James Harden: 23,971 points
Overall stats: 24.9 ppg on 44.1 FG%, 35.9 3P% and 85.9 FT%
Regular season stats: 25.2 ppg on 44.3 FG%, 36.3 3P% and 85.8 FT%
Playoff stats: 23.5 ppg on 42.5 FG%, 33.0 3P% and 86.5 FT%
35
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%
36
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%
37
Hal Greer: 23,462 points
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%
38
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%
39
Russell Westbrook: 23,044 points
Overall stats: 23.4 ppg on 43.4 FG%, 30.4 3P% and 80.2 FT%
Regular season stats: 23.2 ppg on 43.7 FG%, 30.5 3P% and 79.9 FT%
Playoff stats: 24.8 ppg on 41.1 FG%, 29.8 3P% and 82.9 FT%
40
David Robinson: 23,011 points
Overall stats: 20.7 ppg on 51.4 FG% and 73.3 FT%
Regular season stats: 21.1 ppg on 51.8 FG% and 73.6 FT%
Playoff stats: 18.1 ppg on 47.9 FG% and 70.8 FT%
