Throughout the history of the NBA players have used a myriad of methods to score the basketball. From backboard shattering dunks to majestic skyhooks. From free throws to rainbow threes. NBA players have marveled us with their uncanny ability to find ways over, under, between, around, and sometimes even through defenses designed to stop them and still find a way to score.
The top five scorers in NBA history have put the ball through the basket an amazing 101,179 times while amassing an astonishing 167,281 points between them. As a group these men have 18 Most Valuable Player Awards, 18 NBA Championships, and 21 scoring titles. Four of the five were named Rookie of the Year and four of the five have been elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame.
Here is a list of the five men who have scored the most points in NBA history (as of April 15, 2010):
5. Shaquille O’Neal (Points: 28,255, Field Goals Made: 11,196, Free Throws Made: 5,862)
Teams: Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns, and Cleveland Cavaliers
O’Neal, the only active player on the list, will become eligible for the Basketball Hall of Fame five years after he retires. The Big Aristotle” is one of the biggest, strongest, and most dominant players to ever play the game. For much of his 18-year career O’Neal used his superior athleticism and incredible strength to go over and through his opponents to dunk the basketball. The four-time NBA Champion (2000, 2001, 2002, and 2006) has led the league in scoring twice (1995 and 2000) and has also been named Rookie of the Year (1993) and league Most Valuable Player (2000). Shaquille O’Neal was so dominant in his early years that in 1996 he was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History after only four seasons in the league.
4. Wilt Chamberlain (Points: 31,419, Field Goals Made: 12,681, Free Throws Made: 6,057)
Teams: Philadelphia Warriors, San Francisco Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers, and Los Angeles Lakers
When Chamberlain retired in 1973 he had scored more points than anyone in NBA history. “The Big Dipper” was such a dominant force throughout his 14-year career that you can probably open up the NBA record books to any page and find his name. During his rookie season (1959-1960) Chamberlain made it clear that he would be a force to be reckoned with. That season he led the league in scoring and earned both Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player honors. The two-time NBA Champion (1967 and 1972) led the league in scoring his first seven seasons in the league (1960-1966) and was named the Most Valuable Player four times (1960 and 1966, 1967, and 1968). Chamberlain was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1978 and named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996. In just his third season in the league (1961-1962) Chamberlain set two records that will probably never be broken when he scored 100 points in a single game and averaged an astonishing 50.4 points per game for the season.
3. Michael Jordan (Points: 32,292, Field Goals Made: 12,192, Free Throws Made: 7,327)
Teams: Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards
No matter the obstacle, no matter the defense, Michael “Air” Jordan would find a way to score the basketball. His athleticism, grace, and power enabled him to score in unimaginable ways. Jordan would jump over, slither between, and glide around the opposition to put the ball in the basket. He holds the NBA record for most consecutive games scoring in double-digits with 842. Jordan was awarded the Rookie of the Year Award in 1985, took home five Most Valuable Player Awards (1988, 1991, 1992, 1996, and 1998), and was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996. Inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009 the six-time NBA Champion (1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, and 1998) has more scoring titles than any other player in NBA history with 10 (1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, and 1998). Had it not been for his two retirements “His Airness” would probably sit at the top of this list.
2. Karl Malone (Points: 36,928, Field Goals Made: 13,528, Free Throws Made: 9,787)
Teams: Utah Jazz and Los Angeles Lakers
Malone paired with all-time assists leader John Stockton for the first 18 seasons of his 19-year career to form one of the most formidable duos to ever play the game. Together they executed the pick-and-roll so effectively that each time they stepped on the court together “Stockton to Malone” became a nightly refrain. “The Mailman” not only delivered the ball to the basket whenever he received a pinpoint pass from Stockton, he also delivered by never missing more than two games in a single season for 18 straight years. Although he never won a scoring title, Malone scored 2,000 or more points for an NBA record 11 consecutive seasons (1988-1998) and became the NBA record holder for the most 2,000 point seasons in a career when he added his 12th in 2000. Malone won two Most Valuable Player Awards (1997 and 1999), holds the NBA record with 9,787 free throws made, and was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996. Malone, who retired in 2005, is a member of the 2010 Basketball Hall of Fame Class and will be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in August of 2010.
1. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar formerly Lew Alcindor (Points: 38,387, Field Goals Made: 15,837, Free Throws Made: 6,712)
Teams: Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers
On April 5, 1984, at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (just days before his 37th birthday) became the NBA’s all-time leading scorer when he received a pass from Magic Johnson and sank a baseline skyhook to score his 31,420th point. The skyhook was Abdul-Jabbar’s primary offensive weapon throughout his 20-year career and it is apropos that it was a skyhook that gave him the scoring record. “Cap” would play another five seasons and add nearly 7,000 more points to his career total. The six-time NBA Champion (1971, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, and 1988) was named Rookie of the Year in 1970, led the league in scoring twice (1971 and 1972), and was named Most Valuable Player a record six times (1971, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1977, and 1980); he also holds the NBA record for field goals made with 15,837. Abdul-Jabbar was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1995 and in 1996 he was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History.
Click here for a list of the NBA’s all-time leading scorers.
Information from ESPN.com, NBA.com, and NBAUniverse.com was used for this article.
