BEST NBA SCORERS OF ALL TIME
We look to answer the common question: Who is the greatest pure scorer of all time?
Counting down the top 10, players are examined from all eras. Scoring volume, efficiency, diversity (all three levels) and overall longevity will all be examined here.
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Honorable Mention
Karl Malone
The legend known as the "Mail Man" dominated the paint throughout the 1980's and 1990's. He spent 18 seasons in Utah, playing every single one beside the great John Stockton. An enormous chunk of Karl's historic point total derives from Stockton setups. Karl could still do it himself of course, a monster on either low block.
Karl was a physical specimen at power forward. This pure strength helped him destroy smaller defenders inside, and score through double teams. Malone was also wildly fast for his weight and could outrun other bigs going end-to-end. The 250-pound Malone also had touch on a midranger to face up with against taller defenders. Additionally, he was an animal with second chance points, finishing his career with 3,562 offensive rebounds.
Malone's 36,938 career points in his 1,476 games logged is second all-time (as of 2021). He did so on a career mark of 51.6% from the field and only hit 85 triples over his days as an NBAer. The exorbitant point count with <100 threes is a testament to how dominant he was on the inside and how durable a player he was. Karl was also a 14-time All Star, 2-time MVP and first ballot Hall of Famer.
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#10 ~ Wilt Chamberlain
Wilt, along with Bill Russell, were the first truly dominant professional basketball players. Chamberlain dominated offensively in a way that has not even come close to being replicated since. While the skill level, athleticism and size of his opponents fall well short of today's standards, what he did is still worthy of immense praise.
Chamberlain was an interior scorer through and through. The style of play, absence of the three-point line and sheer size advantage he held all meant that no jumper was even really required.
A go-to was the one-dribble lay-in out of the post, literally rising and extending his arm over the smaller player to roll it in. Wilt also had hooks, and some nice shoulder fakes with his back to the basket. Wilt could also finish with ample force as more than likely the tallest, strongest and longest player on the floor at any given moment.
His best season came in 1961-1962 at the ripe age of 25. He averaged an unfathomable 50.4 points per night while playing the entire game. Wilt made 20 of his 39.5 shot attempts per night , good for a 50.4% field goal percentage. He rounded out his year with 17 shots at the line/game and 25.7 rebounds a night. Chamberlain led the league in scoring 7 times and secured the MVP 4 times.
#9 ~ Allen Iverson
Allen Iverson is the smallest, slightest player on this list and by a sizeable margin. It makes the career he put together all the more astounding. AI was score-first, with an attacking mindset that allowed for so many historic, team-carrying moments. Listed at just 6 feet and under 170 lbs., it must also be kept in mind that AI played at a highly physical, gruelling time in the NBA.
AI could create something out of nothing on the court. His iso ability was great, and you could trust he'll get a shot off even with seemingly no avenues to explore. While his scoring wasn't the pinnacle of efficiency, the way he got to his lofty point totals was something to behold. The quick as a cat combo guard dazzled with his handles and feats of athleticism given his size. Iverson genuinely catalyzed a seismic shift in hoops culture.
The personal accolades are there as well for Allen. He nabbed the MVP award following a terrific 20-0-2001. He notched 31.1 points per game and averaged over 10 trips to the line a night at 165 lbs. The fearless guard also made 7 All-NBA teams, won 4 scoring crowns and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016.
#8 ~ Shaquille O'Neal
Shaq was a 7-foot-1 behemoth on the court. He tipped the scales at well over 300 pounds at his heaviest, yet had shocking moments of spryness. His calling card as a scorer was brute force however there was more to his game. Hooks, little fading jumpers and deceptive up-and-unders were all baked into his post package in addition to the rim-rattling jams.
O'Neal could not be stopped down low on most nights. Once he obtained his deep position, it was game over for the opposition. The closer he worked himself to the rim, the less possible it got to prevent Shaq paint points. He was also a hellacious offensive rebounder and putback machine. Shaquille's peak offensive rebounding years had him averaging 4-5 of them per contest, an outrageous figure.
Shaq's forceful, merciless interior scoring served as the engine for multiple highly-functioning NBA offenses. One of these was the late 90's/early 2000's Lakers, a run that included some impressive hardware. LA earned themselves a three-peat with Shaq and Kobe Bryant leading the charge. Moreover, Shaq's personal trophy case includes an MVP, two scoring titles (peaking at 29.7 ppg) and 14 All Star berths.
#7 ~ Stephen Curry
Steph may not be the best on-ball scorer of all time, but he has a great case to be made as the premier off-ball offensive force. His GOAT-level shooting, fuelled by his similarly incredible away-from-the-play movement, combines to wreak havoc on the defense. His mere presence buzzing around off-ball staggered screens and pindowns, and back cutting, is a grave concern to the opposition.
The 6'3" Curry is extremely efficient at all three levels on offense. His three-point percentage understandably gets the most notoriety, but he is prolific in other areas as well. Stephen is very disciplined with his shot selection as he hunts down his high-percentage areas on the floor.
Stephen weaponizes his shooting threat to expose cracks in the defense. For example, he will simply hold the ball for a couple fractions of a second after receiving a pass. This can be enough to send his man clumsily closing out to him. From here, Curry has various options at his disposal from drawing a foul to scooting towards the rim.
Finishing at the cup is also an area of strength for Steph. He keeps his in-air motion simple, allocating the bulk of his focus on simply making the shot. One of his most iconic but equally effective layup types is his high-arching scoop. He ensures that the ball hits the glass at a high point so that the big cannot get a piece of it.
#6 ~ James Harden
James Harden is a generational talent on the offensive end. His approach here is almost completely binary, seeking out threes or interior shots that often lead to free throws. He manages to put up lofty point totals on a nightly basis while heavily neglecting the entire midrange.
The primary pillar of Harden's game is his isolation mastery. He lulls defenders to sleep with hypnotic back-and-forth dribbling. His attention to detail here is also highly impressive. The angle of his man's body and the positioning of their feet are the main factors that James uses to dictate his subsequent moves.
James’ mind-boggling mixture of free throw attempt frequency and accuracy produces an offensive engine in the half-court. The 6'5" guard leaned into the analytics and became an advanced statistical virtuoso . With all of those unassisted threes, boatloads of free throws and layup frequency, Harden became league MVP in 2017-2018.
#5 ~ Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem is the all-time leader in NBA points accrued. The 7'2" big man was a wizard in the post and his combination of touch, height and wingspan could not be contained. The "Sky Hook" was popularized by Abdul-Jabbar, making full use of all his aforementioned advantages. His long and successful two-decade career helped his point total get so gigantic.
Those 38,387 points were bountiful but actually came in primarily the same ways. A teammate would throw it down to Kareem, and he'd go to work with his sharp footwork and feathery touch. The New York City native also had the benefit of playing alongside Oscar Robertson and Magic Johnson, two top-ten passers who knew how to set their big up.
Kareem's personal accomplishments are staggering when looked at. He was an All Star in all but one of his twenty campaigns. He won six rings and as many MVP's. However, bringing it back to his scoring, the awards to look at are his back-to-back scoring crowns in 1970-1971 then 1971-1972. Abdul-Jabbar scored 34.8 points/game on 57.4% shooting in that latter season.
#4 ~ LeBron James
For a laundry list of reasons, LeBron James is an all-time great. Merely one of those is his scoring. It happens to be at a top-5 historic level. James is third all-time in total points (as of 2021) and climbing. His longevity, consistency, scoring efficiency and elongated NBA peak are all truly special.
James’ interior finishing is masterful. His leaping ability and bulky frame work in harmony with his supreme skill level. He can finish with seemingly equal effectiveness on both right-hand and left-hand layups off either foot. LeBron loves to take off from well outside the restricted area and majestically improvise in mid-air. His body control in the air is truly remarkable.
LeBron’s finishing package within the paint is extremely broad and nuanced. On a given possession, he can powerfully throw down a thunderous slam dunk. Then on the next possession, he can just as easily use a spin move to get his shoulder into his defender followed by a silky-smooth lay-in.
Absurdly productive and efficient transition scoring was always a large component of LeBron's game. King James, with those athletic gifts, bent and broke defenses as they vulnerably scurried back. He may very well be the best open court scorer the game has seen, dominating both when leading the break and when streaking for a hit-ahead.
Statistically, LBJ peaked in terms of PPG as a young Cavalier. He was the scoring champ in 2007-2008 at the age of 23. That even 30 points per contest was never again matched, but that's not to say he stagnated as a scorer. In fact, his efficiency, ability to get to the line and additional offensive skills all grew as he matured as a hooper. Six seasons after that one, his last with the Heat, James provided 27.1 ppg but on an insane 61% eFG%.
#3 ~ Kevin Durant
KD makes scoring the basketball look much easier than it is. The smooth point producer has essentially always been an efficient scorer at the NBA level, surpassing a 50% eFG% (effective field goal percentage) in Year 2 and never looking back. He's got better ball skills, a deeper iso package, and a more remarkable shot-making ability than nearly ever guard or wing to ever play. This all holds true while being nearly seven-feet tall.
Durant blends volume and efficiency at all-time-great levels. The multi-time scoring champ is even more multi-faceted when it comes to his scoring breakdown.
He can kill teams as the pick-and-roll initiator or screen-setter. He is utterly elite at all three levels with the height of a center yet the speed/handles of a star guard. Kevin's uncanny ability to remain active and highly impactful off-ball has also served as a boon to his overall scoring.
The University of Texas product carried his potent mixture of on-ball and off-ball scoring mastery to his days in Golden State. This propelled them to two championships, with Kevin taking home Finals MVP in both. From a pure talent standpoint, KD is the most gifted scorer at his size the league has ever seen.
#2 ~ Kobe Bryant
Kobe played with a fire and passion that inspired everyone who watched him. Whether a fan of him or not, his work ethic was to a level that demanded respect. Bryant put his everything into playing basketball and the accolades quickly followed.
At 6'6", Kobe had great size at the two-guard spot. He was also blessed with jaw-dropping quickness and bounce at the apex of his career. What didn't require such athleticism was his elbow/midrange game. Kobe would be number one ever in this facet of basketball if not for the next player on this list. His isolation package was seemingly endless, having counters upon counters to remain effective no matter the defender.
Kobe peaked as a scorer in 2005-2006, his age-27 campaign. He also got to the line at a career-best rate, and was always an elite shooter there. Though not awarded MVP that year, that eventually came in 2007-2008. All in all, he won 5 championships, made 15 All-NBA squads, and will always be remembered for the intensity he brought to the game.
#1 ~ Michael Jordan
Not much needs to be said that hasn't already been for the 6'6" North Carolina native. Michael Jordan is the greatest scorer to ever lace up his sneakers. He had it all - the mindset, the footwork, the jumper, the bounce, the speed, the strength, the size and the unshakeable will to win.
After beginning his career as a zippier, more athleticism-based scorer, Michael worked tirelessly to become a complete scorer. This allowed him to age extremely well, averaging 20+ ppg all the way up until his final retirement. Jordan did most of his damage in the midrange. His knockdown jumper here was leveraged out of triple threat and post-up settings alike.
Michael continued to be lethal on the interior. His famous change-of-hands in mid-air highlights are just a small window into his supreme finishing prowess. He was perhaps the best at hanging in the air long enough to allow his defender to begin their descent. His big upper body also permitted strong finishes through hefty contact.
Jordan finished his career with 8 seasons north of 30 points per night. He was a scoring champ ten separate times. The next closest is Chamberlain at 7, however the level of competition in Michael's era was vastly superior. MJ rounded out his résumé with 6 rings, 6 finals MVP's and 5 regular season ones. This is the cherry on top of Michael's scoring analysis: he's fifth all-time in scoring despite sitting out nearly five full seasons due to retirement.
