Amanda Knapp
Basketball is a sport that has gained immense popularity worldwide, with leagues and tournaments taking place at national and international levels. One of the most prestigious basketball leagues is the NBA, where players showcase their skills and compete to be the best. When it comes to scoring, several players have left their mark, but one name that stands out is LeBron James, who has accumulated over 50,000 points throughout his illustrious 22-year career. James broke Oscar Schmidt's record of 49,737 points on April 2, 2024, and continues to extend his lead as the top scorer.
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What You'll Learn
LeBron James: the NBA's all-time top scorer
LeBron James is the NBA's all-time top scorer, with over 50,000 points scored during his 22-year career. He is the only player to have surpassed 40,000 regular-season points in the league. On April 2, 2024, James broke Oscar Schmidt's record of 49,737 points.
James also holds the record for playoff points. In the 2023/24 season, he became the first player to appear in the NBA's new Play-In Tournament, scoring 23 points in his sole play-in appearance and pushing him past the 48,500-point mark overall in the NBA.
James' incredible scoring record is a testament to his skill, endurance, and longevity in the game. With his career still ongoing, James continues to add to his already impressive tally and further solidify his place as the NBA's all-time leading scorer.
James' scoring achievements extend beyond his NBA career. His total professional career points, including those scored in national league and cup games, national team games, international club games, and All-Star basketball games, exceed 50,000. This makes him not just the NBA's top scorer but also basketball's all-time leading scorer across various competitions.
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Oscar Schmidt: held the record before LeBron James
Oscar Schmidt, nicknamed "Mão Santa" (Holy Hand), is a retired Brazilian professional basketball player. He is considered a pioneer of modern basketball and one of its finest proponents. He played the power forward and small forward positions, standing at 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in) and weighing 109 kg (240 lbs).
Schmidt began his professional club career in 1974, at the age of 16, with the Brazilian Championship club S.E. Palmeiras. He won the São Paulo State Championship in 1974 and the Brazilian Championship in 1977. In 1978, he moved to the Brazilian club E.C. Sírio, winning the São Paulo State Championship in 1978 and 1979, as well as the Brazilian Championship in 1979. With Sírio, he also won the South American Club Championship and the FIBA Intercontinental Cup title in 1979. He played in Italy for JuveCaserta and Pavia, and in Spain for Fórum Valladolid.
Schmidt was an incredibly durable and prolific player, enjoying a 29-year career—the longest span of any professional basketball player. He is the top scorer in the history of the Summer Olympic Games, with 1,093 points in 38 career Olympic basketball games, and the FIBA World Cup, with 843 points in 33 games. He also led the Italian Serie A league in scoring seven times, a record that still stands. In total, he scored 49,737 points during his career, making him the leading scorer in basketball history until LeBron James broke his record on April 2, 2024.
Schmidt is a national hero in Brazil and highly regarded across Europe. He was inducted into the Italian Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017 and the Spanish Basketball Hall of Fame in 2022. Despite never playing in the NBA, he is also part of the NBA Hall of Fame, a testament to his incredible career.
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Michael Jordan: second on the playoff points list
Michael Jordan is a former American professional basketball player. He played 15 seasons in the NBA for the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards and is often regarded as the greatest basketball player of all time. Nicknamed "Air Jordan," "His Airness," and "G.O.A.T.," Jordan's scoring ability and defensive prowess have been instrumental in his teams' success.
Jordan is second on the playoff points list, with 262 points in the NBA All-Star Games and 37 in the Liga ACB Presentation Games. He also scored 34 points on October 21, 1,983, in an international club game, and 14 points on October 23 of the same year. Jordan's career total of over 32,000 points places him second only to LeBron James, the NBA's all-time leading scorer.
Jordan's accolades include being a 14-time NBA All-Star, a 10-time scoring champion, and a 3-time Steals Champion. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009, honouring his remarkable career.
Jordan's scoring prowess extended beyond the regular season, as he excelled in the high-pressure environment of the NBA playoffs. His ability to elevate his game when it mattered most solidified his reputation as a clutch performer. Jordan's playoff performances were characterised by his relentless drives to the basket, precision shooting, and tenacious defence, making him an invaluable asset to any team.
Jordan's scoring records in the playoffs further emphasise his impact on the game. His ability to consistently produce points, regardless of the opposition or defensive strategies employed against him, firmly established his legacy as one of the greatest basketball players of all time.
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Julius Erving: scored 221 points in the ABA All-Star Games
In the history of basketball, American player LeBron James is the top scorer with over 50,000 points scored during his 22-year career. Before James, the record was held by Oscar Schmidt, who scored 49,737 points.
Julius Erving, also known as Dr. J, is the eighth-highest scorer in ABA/NBA history with 30,026 points. During his 16 seasons as a player, he played for the ABA's Virginia Squires and New York Nets (now the NBA's Brooklyn Nets), and the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers. Erving won three championships, four Most Valuable Player awards, and three scoring titles. He was also the only player voted Most Valuable Player in both the ABA and the NBA.
Erving was a highly versatile player, known for his ruthless dunking and for being the first player to slam dunk from the free-throw line in Slam Dunk Contests. He was also an excellent defender, guarding the best forwards for over 40 minutes a game while being the best passer, ball handler, and clutch scorer. Many of his highlight-worthy plays went unseen due to the ABA's limited television coverage.
Erving scored a total of 221 points in the ABA All-Star Games and 100 points in the NBA All-Star Games. He is one of the few players in modern basketball to have his number retired by two franchises: the Brooklyn Nets have retired his No. 32 jersey, and the Philadelphia 76ers his No. 6 jersey.
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Kobe Bryant: scored 290 points in the NBA All-Star Games
As of 2025, the player with the most points in basketball history is LeBron James, with over 50,000 points scored over his 22-year career. James is also the NBA's leading scorer, being the only player to surpass 40,000 regular-season points in the league.
Kobe Bryant, who scored 290 points in the NBA All-Star Games and 31 in the Rising Stars Challenge in 1997, is another basketball legend. Bryant was named the Most Valuable Player in the 2011 NBA All-Star Game, an award he shares with fourteen other players who won while playing for the host team, including Michael Jordan (1988, 1996, 1998) and Shaquille O'Neal (2000, 2004, 2009).
Bryant's 290 points in the NBA All-Star Games place him ahead of Michael Jordan, who scored 262 points in the NBA All-Star Games, and Julius Erving, who scored 221 points in the ABA All-Star Games and 100 points in the NBA All-Star Games.
The NBA All-Star Game is an annual basketball exhibition game held between the league's top players, with the starters being selected by a combination of fan, player, and media voting, while the reserves are chosen by the coaches. The game showcases the talents of the league's best players and is a highlight of the NBA season, with players competing not only for personal glory but also for the pride of representing their respective conferences, the Eastern Conference, and the Western Conference.
Kobe Bryant's performance in the NBA All-Star Games, as evidenced by his impressive point total, is a testament to his skill, popularity, and impact on the league, solidifying his place as one of the greatest basketball players of all time.
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Frequently asked questions
LeBron James is the NBA's all-time top scorer, with over 50,000 points scored over his 22-year active career.
Prior to LeBron James, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar held the record for the most points scored in the NBA, with 38,387 points. Michael Jordan is second on the playoff points list with 5,987 points. Other top scorers include Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal, Julius Erving, Carmelo Anthony, and Oscar Schmidt.
Yes, here are some of the players with the highest scoring records in domestic leagues outside of the NBA: Hervé Dubuisson (French league), Andrew Gaze (NBL), Ramon Fernandez (PBA), Wilfredo Ruiz (Uruguayan Championship), and Héctor Campana (Argentina's league).
