Ranking: Top scorers in NBA history (regular season and playoffs combined) (2024)

Though he passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in regular season points on February 7, 2023, LeBron James actually became the top scorer in NBA games one year earlier if you combine regular season and playoff points.

King James just reached the historical regular season 40,000-point milestone, and he’ll keep running up the score with great advantages over the likes of Kareem, Karl Malone, Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan. The closest active player, Kevin Durant, is almost 15,000 points away from LeBron.

LeBron James: 48,040 points

Mar 2, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James drives past Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. to score his 40,000th career point at Crypto.com Arena. Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Overall stats: 27.3 ppg on 50.3 FG%, 34.4 3P% and 73.6 FT%
Regular season stats: 27.1 ppg on 50.5 FG%, 34.7 3P% and 73.5 FT%
Playoff stats: 28.5 ppg on 49.5 FG%, 33.1 3P% and 74.1 FT%
Points per shot: 1.37

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: 44,149 points

Overall stats: 24.6 ppg on 55.6 FG% and 72.4 FT%
Regular season stats: 24.6 ppg on 55.9 FG% and 72.1 FT%
Playoff stats: 24.3 ppg on 53.3 FG% and 74.0 FT%
Points per shot: 1.35

Karl Malone: 41,689 points

Overall stats: 25.0 ppg on 50.9 FG% and 74.1 FT%
Regular season stats: 25.0 ppg on 51.6 FG% and 74.2 FT%
Playoff stats: 24.7 ppg on 46.3 FG% and 73.6 FT%
Points per shot: 1.39

Kobe Bryant: 39,283 points

Overall stats: 25.1 ppg on 44.7 FG%, 33.0 3P% and 83.4 FT%
Regular season stats: 25.0 ppg on 44.7 FG%, 32.9 3P% and 83.7 FT%
Playoff stats: 25.6 ppg on 44.8 FG%, 33.1 3P% and 81.6 FT%
Points per shot: 1.28

Michael Jordan: 38,279 points

Overall stats: 30.6 ppg on 49.5 FG%, 32.8 3P% and 83.4 FT%
Regular season stats: 30.1 ppg on 49.7 FG%, 32.7 3P% and 83.5 FT%
Playoff stats: 33.4 ppg on 48.7 FG%, 33.2 3P% and 82.8 FT%
Points per shot: 1.32

Dirk Nowitzki: 35,223 points

(Brian Bahr/Getty Images)

Overall stats: 21.1 ppg on 47.0 FG%, 37.9 3P% and 88.0 FT%
Regular season stats: 20.7 ppg on 47.1 FG%, 38.0 3P% and 87.9 FT%
Playoff stats: 25.3 ppg on 46.2 FG%, 36.5 3P% and 89.2 FT%
Points per shot: 1.34

Wilt Chamberlain: 35,026 points

Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Overall stats: 29.1 ppg on 53.8 FG% and 50.5 FT%
Regular season stats: 30.1 ppg on 54.0 FG% and 51.1 FT%
Playoff stats: 22.5 ppg on 52.2 FG% and 46.5 FT%
Points per shot: 1.34

Shaquille O'Neal: 33,846 points

Overall stats: 23.8 ppg on 57.9 FG% and 52.3 FT%
Regular season stats: 23.7 ppg on 58.2 FG% and 52.7 FT%
Playoff stats: 24.3 ppg on 56.3 FG% and 50.4 FT%
Points per shot: 1.47

Kevin Durant: 33,250 points

Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Overall stats: 27.5 ppg on 49.6 FG%, 38.1 3P% and 88.1 FT%
Regular season stats: 27.3 ppg on 50.0 FG%, 38.7 3P% and 88.4 FT%
Playoff stats: 29.4 ppg on 47.6 FG%, 35.5 3P% and 86.9 FT%
Points per shot: 1.45

Tim Duncan: 31,668 points

Overall stats: 19.3 ppg on 50.5 FG% and 69.5 FT%
Regular season stats: 19.0 ppg on 50.6 FG% and 69.6 FT%
Playoff stats: 20.6 ppg on 50.1 FG% and 68.9 FT%
Points per shot: 1.30

Hakeem Olajuwon: 30,701 points

Overall stats: 22.2 ppg on 51.4 FG% and 71.2 FT%
Regular season stats: 21.8 ppg on 51.2 FG% and 71.2 FT%
Playoff stats: 25.9 ppg on 52.8 FG% and 71.9 FT%
Points per shot: 1.29

Carmelo Anthony: 30,203 points

(Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Overall stats: 22.4 ppg on 44.5 FG%, 35.3 3P% and 81.5 FT%
Regular season stats: 22.5 ppg on 44.7 FG%, 35.5 3P% and 81.4 FT%
Playoff stats: 23.1 ppg on 41.4 FG%, 32.4 3P% and 82.6 FT%
Points per shot: 1.25

John Havlicek: 30,171 points

Overall stats: 20.9 ppg on 43.9 FG% and 81.8 FT%
Regular season stats: 20.8 ppg on 43.9 FG% and 81.5 FT%
Playoff stats: 22.0 ppg on 43.6 FG% and 83.6 FT%
Points per shot: 1.11

Jerry West: 29,649 points

Overall stats: 27.3 ppg on 47.3 FG% and 81.2 FT%
Regular season stats: 27.0 ppg on 47.4 FG% and 81.4 FT%
Playoff stats: 29.1 ppg on 46.9 FG% and 80.5 FT%
Points per shot: 1.32

Paul Pierce: 29,577 points

Overall stats: 19.5 ppg on 44.3 FG%, 36.7 3P% and 80.9 FT%
Regular season stats: 19.7 ppg on 44.5 FG%, 36.8 3P% and 80.6 FT%
Playoff stats: 18.7 ppg on 42.3 FG%, 35.5 3P% and 83.0 FT%
Points per shot: 1.35

Elvin Hayes: 29,507 points

Overall stats: 21.1 ppg on 45.3 FG% and 66.8 FT%
Regular season stats: 21.0 ppg on 45.2 FG% and 67.0 FT%
Playoff stats: 22.9 ppg on 46.4 FG% and 65.2 FT%
Points per shot: 1.13

Moses Malone: 29,486 points

Overall stats: 20.7 ppg on 49.0 FG% and 76.9 FT%
Regular season stats: 20.6 ppg on 49.1 FG% and 76.9 FT%
Playoff stats: 22.1 ppg on 47.9 FG% and 76.2 FT%
Points per shot: 1.42

James Harden: 29,265 points

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Overall stats: 24.1 ppg on 43.9 FG%, 36.1 3P% and 86.1 FT%
Regular season stats: 24.3 ppg on 44.2 FG%, 36.5 3P% and 86.1 FT%
Playoff stats: 22.7 ppg on 42.4 FG%, 33.8 3P% and 86.9 FT%
Points per shot: 1.48

Kevin Garnett: 28,672 points

Overall stats: 17.9 ppg on 49.5 FG% and 78.9 FT%
Regular season stats: 17.8 ppg on 49.7 FG% and 78.9 FT%
Playoff stats: 18.2 ppg on 47.8 FG% and 78.9 FT%
Points per shot: 1.23

Oscar Robertson: 28,620 points

Overall stats: 25.4 ppg on 48.3 FG% and 83.9 FT%
Regular season stats: 25.7 ppg on 48.5 FG% and 83.8 FT%
Playoff stats: 22.2 ppg on 46.0 FG% and 85.5 FT%
Points per shot: 1.36

Reggie Miller: 28,251 points

Overall stats: 18.4 ppg on 46.9 FG%, 39.4 3P% and 88.8 FT%
Regular season stats: 18.2 ppg on 47.1 FG%, 39.5 3P% and 88.8 FT%
Playoff stats: 20.6 ppg on 44.9 FG%, 39.0 3P% and 89.3 FT%
Points per shot: 1.44

Dominique Wilkins: 28,091 points

Overall stats: 24.9 ppg on 46.0 FG%, 31.7 3P% and 81.2 FT%
Regular season stats: 24.8 ppg on 46.1 FG%, 31.9 3P% and 81.1 FT%
Playoff stats: 25.4 ppg on 42.9 FG%, 28.1 3P% and 82.4 FT%
Points per shot: 1.23

Russell Westbrook: 27,943 points

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Overall stats: 22.0 ppg on 43.5 FG%, 30.3 3P% and 78.1 FT%
Regular season stats: 21.8 ppg on 43.8 FG%, 30.4 3P% and 77.6 FT%
Playoff stats: 24.5 ppg on 40.8 FG%, 29.9 3P% and 82.8 FT%
Points per shot: 1.21

Patrick Ewing: 27,628 points

Overall stats: 20.9 ppg on 50.0 FG% and 73.8 FT%
Regular season stats: 21.0 ppg on 50.4 FG% and 74.0 FT%
Playoff stats: 20.2 ppg on 46.9 FG% and 71.8 FT%
Points per shot: 1.28

Vince Carter: 27,321 points

Overall stats: 16.8 ppg on 43.4 FG%, 36.9 3P% and 79.8 FT%
Regular season stats: 16.7 ppg on 43.5 FG%, 37.1 3P% and 79.8 FT%
Playoff stats: 18.1 ppg on 41.6 FG%, 33.8 3P% and 79.6 FT%
Points per shot: 1.20

Alex English: 27,274 points

Overall stats: 21.6 ppg on 50.6 FG% and 83.4 FT%
Regular season stats: 21.5 ppg on 50.7 FG% and 83.2 FT%
Playoff stats: 24.4 ppg on 50.3 FG% and 86.2 FT%
Points per shot: 1.22

Ray Allen: 27,254 points

Overall stats: 18.5 ppg on 45.1 FG%, 40.0 3P% and 89.3 FT%
Regular season stats: 18.9 ppg on 45.2 FG%, 40.0 3P% and 89.4 FT%
Playoff stats: 16.1 ppg on 44.3 FG%, 40.1 3P% and 88.3 FT%
Points per shot: 1.29

Stephen Curry: 27,220 points

Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

Overall stats: 25.0 ppg on 47.0 FG%, 42.1 3P% and 90.6 FT%
Regular season stats: 24.8 ppg on 47.4 FG%, 42.6 3P% and 91.0 FT%
Playoff stats: 27.0 ppg on 45.3 FG%, 39.7 3P% and 88.9 FT%
Points per shot: 1.38

Dwyane Wade: 27,119 points

Overall stats: 22.0 ppg on 47.9 FG%, 29.9 3P% and 76.7 FT%
Regular season stats: 22.0 ppg on 48.0 FG%, 29.3 3P% and 76.5 FT%
Playoff stats: 22.3 ppg on 47.4 FG%, 33.8 3P% and 78.0 FT%
Points per shot: 1.31

Elgin Baylor: 26,772 points

Overall stats: 27.3 ppg on 43.2 FG% and 77.8 FT%
Regular season stats: 27.4 ppg on 43.1 FG% and 78.0 FT%
Playoff stats: 27.0 ppg on 43.9 FG% and 76.9 FT%
Points per shot: 1.15

Charles Barkley: 26,590 points

Overall stats: 22.2 ppg on 53.8 FG%, 26.5 3P% and 73.3 FT%
Regular season stats: 22.1 ppg on 54.1 FG%, 26.6 3P% and 73.5 FT%
Playoff stats: 23.0 ppg on 51.3 FG%, 25.5 3P% and 71.7 FT%
Points per shot: 1.51

Allen Iverson: 26,479 points

Overall stats: 26.9 ppg on 42.3 FG%, 31.4 3P% and 77.9 FT%
Regular season stats: 26.7 ppg on 42.5 FG%, 31.3 3P% and 78.0 FT%
Playoff stats: 29.7 ppg on 40.1 FG%, 32.7 3P% and 76.4 FT%
Points per shot: 1.22

Robert Parish: 26,154 points

Overall stats: 14.6 ppg on 53.3 FG% and 72.1 FT%
Regular season stats: 14.5 ppg on 53.7 FG% and 72.1 FT%
Playoff stats: 15.3 ppg on 50.6 FG% and 72.2 FT%
Points per shot: 1.30

Larry Bird: 25,688 points

Overall stats: 24.2 ppg on 49.2 FG%, 36.9 3P% and 88.7 FT%
Regular season stats: 24.3 ppg on 49.6 FG%, 37.6 3P% and 88.6 FT%
Playoff stats: 23.8 ppg on 47.2 FG%, 32.1 3P% and 89.0 FT%
Points per shot: 1.26

Clyde Drexler: 25,158 points

Overall stats: 20.9 ppg on 46.9 FG%, 31.3 3P% and 78.8 FT%
Regular season stats: 20.4 ppg on 47.2 FG%, 31.8 3P% and 78.8 FT%
Playoff stats: 20.4 ppg on 44.7 FG%, 28.8 3P% and 78.7 FT%
Points per shot: 1.25

Chris Paul: 25,055 points

Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

Overall stats: 17.9 ppg on 47.2 FG%, 36.9 3P% and 86.8 FT%
Regular season stats: 17.7 ppg on 47.1 FG%, 36.9 3P% and 87.0 FT%
Playoff stats: 20.0 ppg on 48.4 FG%, 37.3 3P% and 85.4 FT%
Points per shot: 1.32

Adrian Dantley: 24,735 points

Overall stats: 24.1 ppg on 53.9 FG% and 81.7 FT%
Regular season stats: 24.3 ppg on 54.0 FG% and 81.8 FT%
Playoff stats: 21.3 ppg on 52.5 FG% and 79.6 FT%
Points per shot: 1.53

DeMar DeRozan: 24,377 points

Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports

Overall stats: 21.1 ppg on 46.4 FG%, 29.0 3P% and 84.1 FT%
Regular season stats: 21.1 ppg on 46.6 FG%, 33.5 3P% and 84.1 FT%
Playoff stats: 21.8 ppg on 41.8 FG%, 21.4 3P% and 85.2 FT%
Points per shot: 1.29

Gary Payton: 23,968 points

Overall stats: 16.1 ppg on 46.3 FG%, 31.7 3P% and 72.7 FT%
Regular season stats: 16.3 ppg on 46.6 FG%, 31.7 3P% and 72.9 FT%
Playoff stats: 14.0 ppg on 44.1 FG%, 31.5 3P% and 70.6 FT%
Points per shot: 1.16

Tony Parker: 23,518 points

Overall stats: 15.9 ppg on 48.6 FG%, 32.1 3P% and 74.8 FT%
Regular season stats: 15.5 ppg on 49.1 FG%, 32.4 3P% and 75.1 FT%
Playoff stats: 17.9 ppg on 46.1 FG%, 30.9 3P% and 73.1 FT%
Points per shot: 1.22

Hal Greer: 23,462 points

(Focus on Sport/Getty Images)

Overall stats: 19.3 ppg on 45.0 FG% and 80.2 FT%
Regular season stats: 19.2 ppg on 45.2 FG% and 80.1 FT%
Playoff stats: 20.4 ppg on 42.5 FG% and 81.2 FT%
Points per shot: 1.15

Bob Pettit: 23,120 points

Overall stats: 26.3 ppg on 43.4 FG% and 76.3 FT%
Regular season stats: 26.4 ppg on 43.6 FG% and 76.1 FT%
Playoff stats: 25.5 ppg on 41.8 FG% and 77.4 FT%
Points per shot: 1.24

David Robinson: 23,011 points

AP Photo/ Joe Holloway Jr.

Overall stats: 20.7 ppg on 51.3 FG% and 73.2 FT%
Regular season stats: 21.1 ppg on 51.8 FG% and 73.6 FT%
Playoff stats: 18.1 ppg on 47.9 FG% and 70.8 FT%
Points per shot: 1.45

Pau Gasol: 22,992 points

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Overall stats: 16.8 ppg on 50.7 FG%, 36.3 3P% and 75.2 FT%
Regular season stats: 17.0 ppg on 50.7 FG%, 36.8 3P% and 75.3 FT%
Playoff stats: 15.4 ppg on 50.7 FG%, 29.7 3P% and 74.1 FT%
Points per shot: 1.32

Scottie Pippen: 22,582 points

Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images

Overall stats: 16.2 ppg on 46.7 FG%, 32.1 3P% and 70.7 FT%
Regular season stats: 16.1 ppg on 47.3 FG%, 32.6 3P% and 70.4 FT%
Playoff stats: 17.5 ppg on 44.4 FG%, 30.3 3P% and 72.4 FT%
Points per shot: 1.20

Damian Lillard: 22,302 points

Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Overall stats: 25.1 ppg on 43.6 FG%, 37.0 3P% and 89.6 FT%
Regular season stats: 25.1 ppg on 43.8 FG%, 37.1 3P% and 89.7 FT%
Playoff stats: 25.7 ppg on 41.2 FG%, 36.9 3P% and 88.7 FT%
Points per shot: 1.35

George Gervin: 22,300 points

Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Overall stats: 26.1 ppg on 51.0 FG%, 28.3 3P% and 84.1 FT%
Regular season stats: 26.2 ppg on 51.1 FG%, 29.7 3P% and 84.4 FT%
Playoff stats: 27.0 ppg on 50.8 FG%, 0-13 3P and 82.1 FT%
Points per shot: 1.31

Joe Johnson: 22,235 points

Overall stats: 15.9 ppg on 44.0 FG%, 36.8 3P% and 80.0 FT%
Regular season stats: 16.0 ppg on 44.1 FG%, 37.1 3P% and 80.2 FT%
Playoff stats: 15.2 ppg on 42.7 FG%, 33.9 3P% and 77.9 FT%
Points per shot: 1.14

John Stockton: 22,147 points

Overall stats: 13.1 ppg on 51.0 FG%, 37.5 3P% and 82.4 FT%
Regular season stats: 13.1 ppg on 51.5 FG%, 38.4 3P% and 82.6 FT%
Playoff stats: 13.4 ppg on 47.3 FG%, 32.6 3P% and 81.0 FT%
Points per shot: 1.43

LaMarcus Aldridge: 22,052 points

Overall stats: 19.2 ppg on 49.0 FG%, 32.0 3P% and 81.3 FT%
Regular season stats: 19.1 ppg on 49.3 FG%, 32.0 3P% and 81.3 FT%
Playoff stats: 20.8 ppg on 45.5 FG%, 32.7 3P% and 82.4 FT%
Points per shot: 1.21

Ranking: Top scorers in NBA history (regular season and playoffs combined) (2024)

References