Helena Frye
As of March 30, 2025, LeBron James is the NBA's leading scorer in history, with over 40,000 points. Prior to breaking the all-time points record, James already held the record for most points scored in NBA playoffs, which stood at 8,023 points as of 2024. Wilt Chamberlain held the record for the most points from 1966 to 1984 and was the first player to eclipse 25,000 and 30,000 career points.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Player with the most points in the NBA | LeBron James |
| Previous record holder | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar |
| Longest-serving record holder | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (38 years, 10 months, and 2 days) |
| First player to eclipse 5,000 career points | Joe Fulks |
| First player to eclipse 10,000 career points | George Mikan |
| First player to eclipse 25,000 and 30,000 career points | Wilt Chamberlain |
| First player to eclipse 35,000 career points | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar |
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What You'll Learn
LeBron James is the NBA's all-time leading scorer
James has been a dominant player on and off the court. As of the 2024/25 season, he was the highest-paid player in the NBA, with total earnings of nearly 130 million US dollars.
James is not the first player to set a scoring record in the NBA. Joe Fulks held the career scoring record from the league's inaugural season in 1946 to 1952 and was the first player to score over 5,000 points. George Mikan took the record from Fulks and held it from 1952 to 1958, becoming the first player to score 10,000 points. Wilt Chamberlain held the record from 1966 to 1984 and was the first player to score over 25,000 and 30,000 points. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar took the record from Chamberlain and held it for 38 years, 10 months, and 2 days (14,187 days) from 1984 to 2023, the longest in NBA history. He was also the first player to score over 35,000 points.
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Wilt Chamberlain was the first to eclipse 25,000 and 30,000 points
Wilt Chamberlain, an American professional basketball player, is known for his impressive scoring feats in the NBA. Standing at an imposing 7 feet 1 inch tall, Chamberlain dominated the league and established numerous scoring records that have etched his name in basketball history.
One of Chamberlain's most remarkable achievements was being the first NBA player to surpass 25,000 and 30,000 career points. On February 23, 1968, Chamberlain reached the 25,000-point milestone in just 691 games, the fewest in NBA history. This achievement highlighted his incredible scoring prowess and consistency over his career.
Chamberlain's journey to 30,000 points further solidified his legacy. On February 16, 1972, he became the first player to reach this monumental milestone, doing so in 941 games, which was also the fewest in NBA annals. This feat demonstrated his sustained excellence and longevity in the league.
Chamberlain's scoring prowess extended beyond these milestones. He holds the record for the most points scored in a single game, an astonishing 100 points, which he achieved on March 2, 1962, against the New York Knicks. Additionally, Chamberlain averaged an incredible 50.4 points per game during the 1961-62 season, further showcasing his ability to consistently put up high point totals.
Chamberlain's impact on the NBA extended beyond his scoring prowess. He was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1978 and holds a remarkable 72 NBA records, including achievements in rebounding, durability, and blocks. Chamberlain's all-around excellence and groundbreaking career have solidified his place as one of the greatest players in the history of the NBA.
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Kareem Abdul-Jabbar held the record for 39 years
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is widely regarded as one of the greatest NBA players of all time. He played professionally for 20 seasons for the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Abdul-Jabbar won a record six MVP awards and was a 19-time NBA All-Star. He was a member of six NBA championship teams as a player and two more as an assistant coach. He was twice voted the NBA Finals MVP.
Abdul-Jabbar's 38,387 career points remained the NBA's career scoring record for 39 years until 7 February 2023, when he was surpassed by LeBron James of the Lakers in Los Angeles. Abdul-Jabbar attended the game and passed the game ball to James during the in-game ceremony after the record was broken.
Abdul-Jabbar's trademark skyhook shot is considered one of the most unstoppable shots in the history of the game. He averaged 24.6 points, 11.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 2.6 blocks per game in his career, including three straight seasons where he averaged at least 30 points and 16 rebounds. He was named to the NBA's 35th, 50th, and 75th anniversary teams.
Abdul-Jabbar was known as Lew Alcindor when he played at Power Memorial, a private Catholic high school in New York City, where he led his team to 71 consecutive wins. He played college basketball for the UCLA Bruins, winning three consecutive national championships under head coach John Wooden. Alcindor was a record three-time most outstanding player of the NCAA tournament.
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Joe Fulks was the first to eclipse 5,000 points
Joseph Franklin "Jumping Joe" Fulks, the NBA's first scoring champion, was the first player to score over 5,000 points in his career, amassing 8,003 points. Fulks, who played for Philadelphia, was a pioneer of the modern jump shot and one of the league's greatest offensive players during his early career. He averaged 23.9 points per game in his first three seasons, a remarkable feat considering that teams rarely scored over 70 points per game at the time.
On January 14, 1947, Fulks set a new single-game scoring record by scoring 41 points, making 15 field goals and 11 free throws. This helped Philadelphia secure a 104-74 victory over the Toronto Huskies. Two seasons later, on December 18, 1948, Fulks tied Carl Braun's single-game scoring record with 47 points, making 18 field goals and 11 free throws. Philadelphia won that game 94-90 against the Providence Steamrollers.
Fulks set a new single-game scoring record for the fourth and final time on February 10, 1949, when he scored 63 points, including 27 field goals and nine free throws. This record stood until Elgin Baylor scored 64 points in a game in 1959. Fulks achieved this feat during a Warriors 108-87 victory over the Indianapolis Jets.
Joe Fulks, who stood at 6'5" (1.96 m), was not just a prolific scorer but also an exceptional rebounder. On January 4, 1951, two seasons after his 63-point game, he grabbed a career-high 16 rebounds while also scoring 20 points in a 92-69 win over the Baltimore Bullets. Fulks' impact on the game was recognised when he was named to the NBA 25th Anniversary Team in 1971. Sadly, Fulks was shot and killed in 1976 during an argument over a handgun. He was posthumously enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1978.
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George Mikan was the first to 10,000 points
George Lawrence Mikan Jr., also known as "Mr. Basketball", was one of the pioneers of professional basketball. Standing at 6 feet 10 inches (2.08 metres) and weighing 245 pounds (111 kilograms), Mikan was a dominant force in the early days of the NBA. He was the first NBA player to score 10,000 points in his career, a remarkable achievement at the time.
Mikan's journey to becoming a basketball legend began in his hometown of Joliet, Illinois. As a boy, he suffered a serious knee injury that kept him bedridden for a year and a half. Despite this setback, Mikan went on to enrol at Chicago's DePaul University in 1942, where he honed his athletic skills under the guidance of Coach Ray Meyer. Mikan's size and talent caught the attention of professional scouts, and he soon signed with the Chicago American Gears of the National Basketball League (NBL) in 1946.
In his first season with the Gears, Mikan made history by becoming the only NBL player to score more than 1,000 points in a season. He led the league in scoring with 1,195 points and was named the league's Most Valuable Player (MVP). The following year, Mikan joined the Minneapolis Lakers (now the Los Angeles Lakers) as they transitioned from the NBL to the fledgling Basketball Association of America (BAA). He continued his scoring dominance, leading the new league in points and setting another single-season scoring record. The Lakers won the BAA Finals in 1949, and the team joined the newly formed NBA for the 1949-50 season.
Mikan's impact on the game extended beyond his scoring prowess. His size and skills redefined basketball, making it a game dominated by "big men" in his era. Mikan was known for his prolific rebounding, shot-blocking abilities, and his signature ambidextrous hook shot, which allowed him to shoot over smaller defenders. He also popularised the underhanded free-throw shooting technique, later adopted by players like Rick Barry. Mikan's success on the court earned him numerous accolades, including being named the greatest player of the first half of the century by The Associated Press in 1950.
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Frequently asked questions
LeBron James has the most points in the history of the NBA, with over 40,000 points.
Prior to LeBron James, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar held the record for the longest time in NBA history — 38 years, 10 months, and 2 days, from 1984 to 2023. Wilt Chamberlain held the record from 1966 to 1984 and was the first player to eclipse 25,000 and 30,000 career points.
Yes, Joe Fulks held the record from the league's inaugural season in 1946 to 1952 and was the first player to eclipse 5,000 career points. George Mikan then held the record from 1952 to 1958 and was the first to reach 10,000 career points.
