
In basketball, points are the sum of scores accumulated through free throws and field goals. Reaching the 1,000-point threshold is considered a notable achievement in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I. Even fewer players have reached the 2,000- and 3,000-point milestones. Only ten players in NCAA history have scored 3,000 points, with Chris Clemons and Mike Daum being the ninth and tenth players to do so.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of players who have scored 3,000 points in men's basketball | 10 |
| Names of players who have scored 3,000 points in men's basketball | Chris Clemons, Mike Daum, Pete Maravich, Oscar Robertson, Elvin Hayes, Larry Bird, Hank Gathers, Wilt Chamberlain, Tom Gola, Joe Holup |
| Difficulty of achieving 3,000 points | Very rare |
| Player with the highest career total | Pete Maravich (3,667 points) |
| Player with the oldest school record | Jim Lacy at Loyola of Maryland (2,199 points) |
| Player with the newest record | Zach Edey of Purdue (set on March 16, 2024) |
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What You'll Learn

Who are the top scorers?
In the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I basketball, it is considered a notable achievement to score 1,000 points, with 2,000 points being a rare occurrence, and 3,000 points being a feat that is unrealistic for most players. Only ten players have ever scored 3,000 points in Division I men's basketball history.
The first player to score 3,000 points in Division I men's basketball was Pete Maravich, who scored a total of 3,667 points in 83 games. Maravich, a guard from LSU, also owns the three highest single-season averages in Division I history. The other players to score 3,000 points in Division I men's basketball are Oscar Robertson, Elvin Hayes, Larry Bird, Chris Clemons, Mike Daum, Hank Gathers, Zach Edey, Jim Lacy, and Lipscomb's John Pierce, who holds college basketball's all-time, all-divisions scoring mark of 4,230 points.
Chris Clemons, a 5-foot-9 senior from Campbell, became the ninth player to score 3,000 points in Division I men's basketball history on February 16, 2019, with a 28-point effort against Presbyterian. Clemons averaged 29.8 points per game that year, with his 4.3 made threes per game ranking third in the country.
Mike Daum became the tenth player to score 3,000 points in Division I men's basketball history, reaching the milestone on February 25, 2020, with a late floater against rival South Dakota that gave the Jackrabbits the lead and eventually a 94-89 win.
Outside of the NCAA, Wilt Chamberlain scored 3,033 points in the 1960-61 NBA season.
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How scoring has changed over time
The game of basketball has evolved significantly since its inception, with changes to the rules, equipment, and style of play that have had a direct impact on scoring.
Originally, the game was played with peach baskets or 18-inch square boxes hung from balconies, which slowed down the pace as the ball had to be retrieved after every goal. The adoption of woven wire rims in 1892 and cast iron rims in 1893 sped up the game, and the introduction of open-ended nylon nets in 1912 further increased the tempo and scoring.
In the early days of basketball, the entire court was available to the offensive team, leading to dull, low-scoring games as teams focused on keeping possession rather than actively trying to score. The establishment of the midcourt line in 1932 changed this dynamic, giving the defensive team an advantage by reducing the area they had to defend. This rule change encouraged more aggressive play and increased scoring opportunities.
The introduction of the 24-second shot clock in the NBA in 1954 was a significant milestone, as it discouraged stalling tactics and encouraged faster, more dynamic play. This was followed by the three-point shot, first introduced in 1961 by the short-lived American Basketball League. The three-point shot was later adopted by FIBA in international basketball in 1967 and by the NBA in 1977, adding a new dimension to scoring and encouraging long-range shooting.
Over time, the rules regarding player substitutions and re-entries have also evolved. Initially, players could only re-enter the game twice, but this restriction was lifted in 1945, allowing unlimited re-entries and facilitating fresher players on the court, which could potentially increase scoring output.
In terms of scoring milestones, reaching 1,000 points is considered a notable achievement in NCAA Division I basketball, with 2,000 and 3,000 points being even rarer feats. Wilt Chamberlain scored an impressive 3,033 points in the 1960-61 season, while Larry Bird achieved his 3,000-point total in just three seasons due to redshirting his freshman year.
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Players with 3,000 points and 1,000 rebounds
In basketball, points are the sum of the scores accumulated through free throws and field goals. While reaching the 1,000-point threshold is already considered a notable achievement in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I basketball, there are players who have reached the 2,000- and 3,000-point milestones.
One of the players who scored more than 3,000 points is Wilt Chamberlain, who had 3,033 points in the 1960-61 season. Another notable player is Pete Maravich, who scored a total of 3,667 points in 83 games. Maravich, a guard from LSU, owns not only the three highest single-season averages in Division I history but also the highest career total.
In the NCAA Division I, there are also two players who have amassed both 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds. Tom Gola, whose career at La Salle was between 1951 and 1955, grabbed an NCAA-record 2,201 rebounds in addition to his 2,462 points. Joe Holup, whose career at George Washington was between 1952 and 1956, grabbed 2,030 rebounds and scored 2,226 points.
The oldest school record in NCAA Division I is held by Jim Lacy of Loyola of Maryland, with 2,199 points last scored in 1949. The newest record holder is Zach Edey of Purdue, who set his record during his senior season on March 16, 2024.
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The shortest players to score 3,000 points
While I can find information on the tallest and shortest players in the NBA, I cannot find information on the shortest players to have scored 3000 points. However, I can provide a list of the shortest players to have scored over 1000 points.
In the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I basketball, it is considered a notable achievement to reach the 1000-point threshold. Even more impressive is reaching the 2000- and 3000-point plateaus, with no player ever scoring 4000 or more points at the Division I level.
Some of the shortest players to score over 1000 points include:
- Muggsy Bogues: At 5'3", Bogues is the shortest player ever to play in the NBA. He scored 6855 points over his 14-season career.
- Spud Webb: At 5'7", Webb is another short player who had a successful NBA career. He scored 8072 points over his 12 seasons in the league.
- Allen Iverson: At 5'11", Iverson scored 24,368 points over his 17-season NBA career.
In NCAA Division I, some of the shortest players to score over 1000 points include:
- Kay Felder: Standing at 5'9", Felder played for Oakland University and scored 2579 points during his college career.
- Johnny Dawkins: At 5'11", Dawkins played for Duke University and scored 2556 points during his college career.
- Kevin Johnson: Also 5'11", Johnson played for the University of California and scored 1760 points during his college career.
These players showcase that height is not a limitation when it comes to scoring points and achieving success in basketball.
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Players who scored 3,000 points in a single season
In the world of basketball, points are the sum of scores accumulated through free throws and field goals. Reaching the 1,000-point threshold is considered a notable achievement in NCAA Division I basketball. Even rarer are the players who have reached the 2,000- and 3,000-point plateaus. In fact, no player has ever scored 4,000 or more points at the Division I level.
Wilt Chamberlain scored 3,033 points in the 1960-61 season, making him the only player to have scored 3,000 points in a single season.
In NCAA Division I men's basketball, only nine players have scored 3,000 points in their careers. In February 2019, Chris Clemons became the ninth player to join this exclusive club. The Campbell basketball star reached the milestone during a game against Presbyterian, scoring 28 points to bring his career total to 3,000. Clemons, who stands at only 5 feet 9 inches tall, averaged an impressive 29.8 points per game that year.
Mike Daum became the tenth player to score 3,000 points in NCAA Division I men's basketball history. The South Dakota State forward hit the 3,000-point mark in a close game against rival South Dakota, giving his team the lead with just over a minute left to play.
Pete Maravich, Oscar Robertson, and Elvin Hayes are also notable players who scored over 3,000 points in their NCAA careers. However, their totals were achieved in only three seasons, as freshman and junior varsity statistics did not count towards official NCAA records during their time. Maravich, a guard from LSU, holds the highest career total of 3,667 points in just 83 games.
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Frequently asked questions
As of 2020, only 10 players have scored 3000 points in NCAA Division I men's basketball history.
Pete Maravich, a guard from LSU, scored the highest number of points in Division I men's basketball history with 3,667 points in 83 games.
Other players who have scored 3000 points include Chris Clemons, Mike Daum, Oscar Robertson, Elvin Hayes, Hank Gathers, and Wilt Chamberlain.











































