Ayrton Oneill
The NBA has seen many greats over the years, but who are the top scorers? As of March 2025, the top scorer in NBA history is none other than LeBron James, who became the first player to surpass 50,000 career points. James, a four-time Olympic medallist, has broken numerous records during his career, including holding the record for the most points scored in NBA playoffs.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Player | LeBron James |
| Points | 50,000+ |
| Team | Los Angeles Lakers |
| Previous Record Holder | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar |
| Points by Previous Holder | 38,387 |
| Record Held From | 1984 to 2023 |
| Record Broken On | 7 February 2023 |
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What You'll Learn
LeBron James: the NBA's all-time top scorer
LeBron James is the NBA's leading scorer of all time. As of 26 October 2024, he had scored over 50,000 career points. James, who turned 40 on 30 December 2024, overtook previous record holder Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on 7 February 2023, scoring 38 points to give himself a total of 38,390 regular-season points. Abdul-Jabbar had held the record with 38,387 points in regular season games.
James, a four-time Team USA Olympian and three-time Olympic champion, continued to extend his record. He moved on to 38,652 regular-season points at the end of the 2022/23 season, surpassed the 39,000 mark early in the 2023/24 campaign, and went beyond 40,000 on 2 March 2024 in a defeat to the reigning champion Denver Nuggets. This took his total tally beyond 48,000 career points between the regular season and playoffs.
James also holds the record for playoff points. He surpassed 8,000 in the 2022/23 season and has 8,162 points from playoff games after the 2023/24 campaign. Retired basketball great Michael Jordan is second on the playoff points list with 5,987. James also holds four Olympic medals, three of them gold, from his four Games appearances. He was part of the Team USA rosters that won the men's basketball title at Beijing 2008, London 2012, and Paris 2024, and took bronze at Athens 2004.
Before Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain held the record from 1966 to 1984 and was the first player to eclipse 25,000 and 30,000 career points. He played the fewest games to reach every point milestone from 1,000 to 31,000 in NBA history.
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Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: held the record for 38 years
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is one of the greatest basketball players of all time. He was born Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr. in 1947 in New York City and changed his name in 1971 after converting to Islam. Before his name change, he led UCLA to three NCAA championships in 1967, 1968, and 1969. He was then selected by the Milwaukee Bucks as the first overall pick in the 1969 NBA draft and was named the NBA Rookie of the Year in 1970. The following season, he led the Bucks to their first NBA championship.
Abdul-Jabbar dominated the NBA with his trademark skyhook shot. In 1975, he was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, with whom he played the final 14 seasons of his career. During this time, the Lakers won five NBA championships. Over his 20-year career, his teams reached the NBA Finals ten times. Abdul-Jabbar was also a key component of the Lakers' "Showtime" era.
Abdul-Jabbar's career achievements are remarkable. At the time of his retirement in 1989, he held the NBA records for most career games played, most minutes played, most field goals made, and most points scored. His 38,387 career points stood as the NBA's all-time scoring record for 38 years, from April 5, 1984, when he surpassed Wilt Chamberlain's previous record, until February 7, 2023, when he was surpassed by LeBron James. Abdul-Jabbar's longevity as the NBA's all-time leading scorer is a testament to his consistency and impact on the game.
Abdul-Jabbar's impact extended beyond his playing career. He was a six-time MVP winner and a record 19-time NBA All-Star. His teams reached the playoffs in 18 of his 20 seasons, advancing past the first round 14 times. Abdul-Jabbar's contributions solidified his legacy as one of the greatest players in NBA history, and his records stood for decades after his retirement.
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Joe Fulks: held the record from 1946 to 1952
Joseph Franklin "Jumping Joe" Fulks was an American professional basketball player. He was the NBA's first scoring champion, earning the nickname "the first of the high-scoring forwards". Fulks held the NBA career scoring record from the league's inaugural season in 1946 to 1952 and was the first player to surpass 5,000 career points.
Fulks joined the BAA's Philadelphia Warriors in 1946 at the age of 25. In his rookie season, he won the league's first scoring title, averaging 23.2 points per game as the Warriors won the BAA title. During his first three seasons, Fulks averaged an impressive 23.9 points per game, a remarkable feat considering that teams rarely scored over 70 points in a game at that time. Fulks set a new single-game scoring record when he scored 63 points on February 10, 1949, which remained the most in an NBA game until Elgin Baylor scored 64 points in 1959.
Fulks was known for his athletic drives to the basket and his shooting ability. Standing at 6'5"", he was considered one of the pioneers of the modern jump shot. During his early career, Fulks was regarded as the league's greatest offensive player. He led the NBA in free throw percentage during the 1950–51 season. Fulks set the BAA/NBA single-game scoring record four different times, including on December 3, 1946, when he scored 37 points in just his eighth game as a professional.
Despite his impressive scoring records, Fulks was a low-efficiency shooter. He holds the record for missed shots in a game, both in the regular season and playoffs. Upon his retirement, Fulks returned to Marshall County, Kentucky, where he worked as the prison recreation director at the Kentucky State Penitentiary. Tragically, Fulks was shot and killed in 1976 during an argument over a handgun. He was posthumously inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1978.
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George Mikan: the first player to eclipse 10,000 career points
As of March 28, 2025, LeBron James is the leading scorer in NBA history. However, George Mikan was the first player to eclipse 10,000 career points. Mikan, known as "Mr. Basketball", "Mikan the Magnificent", "The Monster", and "Big Mike", held the record for total points scored in the NBA from 1952 to 1958.
Mikan played for the Minneapolis Lakers, and his career spanned from 1948 to 1954. During this time, he was a scoring leader three times, in 1948-49, 1949-50, and 1950-51. He was also a rebounds leader in 1952-53. Mikan was named MVP four times, in 1951, 1952, 1953, and 1954. In addition, he was selected for the All-NBA First Team six times, from 1948-49 to 1953-54.
Mikan was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a player in 1959, just a year after his retirement. His impact on the game was so significant that he was also named to the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team, celebrating the league's top players throughout its history.
While Mikan was the first to surpass 10,000 points, the record has continued to climb. Following Mikan's record-setting, Joe Fulks held the record from 1958 until 1984, when Kareem Abdul-Jabbar took the top spot. Abdul-Jabbar's record of 35,000 points stood for nearly four decades until LeBron James surpassed him in 2023.
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Kevin Durant: the only other active player in the top 10
As of 28 March 2025, LeBron James is the NBA's leading scorer. James surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who held the record for 38 years, to become the NBA's all-time top point-scorer.
Kevin Durant is the only other active player in the top 10 NBA all-time scoring leaders. Durant, who currently plays for the Phoenix Suns, is a 36-year-old superstar who has been in exceptional form in 2025. In March, he averaged 27.1 points, 6.3 boards, 4.4 assists, 3.4 threes, and 1.1 blocks per game. Durant's performance against the Timberwolves on Friday, 14 March, was a standout moment. He notched 23 points, six rebounds, two assists, two blocks, and two steals in 34 minutes. This was the fifth straight game where he scored over 20 points, and the 12th time he had done so out of 14 March contests.
Durant's career has been illustrious, and he has proven himself to be one of the greatest players of his generation. His scoring ability is well-known, and he has been a consistent performer throughout his career. Durant's scoring prowess has been on full display during his time with the Suns, and he continues to be a dominant force in the NBA. With his impressive statistics and impact on the court, Durant has solidified his place as one of the league's all-time greats.
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Frequently asked questions
As of March 2025, LeBron James is the NBA's all-time top scorer, with over 50,000 career points.
Prior to LeBron James, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar held the record for most points in the NBA. Abdul-Jabbar held the record for 38 years, 10 months, and 2 days (14,187 days) from 1984 to 2023.
Four-time Olympic gold medallist Kevin Durant is the only other active player in the top 10. Durant sits above fellow Olympic gold medallists Carmelo Anthony and Shaquille O'Neal on the all-time list.
