Since its inception, many greats and legends have graced the court of National Basketball Association (NBA). But only some have truly reached the potential and etched their name on the history of the sport. Be it a thrilling last-minute buzzer-beater or a flying slam dunk, there are numerous ways a fan can classify to rank these greats.
But we are taking a straight-forward approach. A statistical method to list the top 10 All-time leading scorers in NBA history. If you want to know the GOATs of basketball, you might want to give this article a read.
Top 10 All-time goats of sports history
But for the purposes of this blog, we will be only looking at the career stats of some of these great NBA players and rank them in order of the points they scored during their playing career. Who makes it to the top? Read to find out.
Three-time NBA MVP Moses Malone scored over 27,000 points during his playing career.
10. Moses Malone
Known as “The Moses” for leading his team to glory and fame, Moses Malone played a powerful central player who had an excellent rebounding ability, supreme post-up moves and was an invincible scorer. He is known for his incomparable physicality and stamina.
Moses Malone featured in over 1,300 regular-season games, and 134 play-off games. He has played for the likes Utah Stars, Spirits of St. Louis, Buffalo Braves, Houston Rockets, Washington Bullets, Atlanta Hawks, Milwaukee Bucks, and San Antonio Spurs.
However, his greatest ever appearance was for the Philadelphia 76ers, helping them secure a championship in 1983. In the finals against the Los Angeles Lakers, Moses Malone scored 38 points and grabbed 24 rebounds, single-handedly guiding the 76ers to their first-ever championship victory.
Apart from these, Moses Malone has been awarded NBA MVP 3 times, secured NBA All-Star finish for 12 times, and holds 8 All NBA selection.
Games Played: 1,329
Points Scored: 27,409
9. Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Anthony Ranked 9th in the All time Leading Scorer in the history of NBA.
(Source: Marca)
Nicknamed Melo, Carmelo Anthony is a powerful scoring forward with a versatile offensive game and an ability to score from anywhere on the court. Influential both on and off the court, Anthony scored a career-high 62 points in a game against Charlotte Bobcats in 2014. He has also featured 10 times in the NBA All-Star teams and 6 times in All NBA selection. Over his long illustrious career, Anthony has played for Denver Nuggets, New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, Portland Trail Blazers, and Los Angeles Lakers.
Games Played: 1,260
Points Scored: 28,289
8. Shaquille O’Neal
NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal amassed over 28596 points over his long career.
(Source: The Indian Express)
AKA Shaq, he was a dominant center player with exceptional size, strength & athleticism. Known for his ability to overpower his opponents in the post, Shaq remains a legend of NBA. The greatest match he ever played was against the Los Angeles Clippers in 2000 where he scored 61 points and grabbed 23 rebounds in the game. He has played for Orlando Magic, Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics, and most prominently for Los Angeles Lakers.
Over the years, he has won 4 NBA Championship, won 3 times NBA Finals MVP, features in 15 NBA All-Star teams, and 8 times in All-NBA selection.
Games Played: 1,207
Points Scored: 28,596
7. Wilt Chamberlain
Popularly known as Wilt the Stilt and the Big Dipper, Wilt Chamberlain holds the record of scoring maximum points in a game that still stands today. On 2nd March 1962, Chamberlain scored 100 points against the New York Knicks and went on to become one of the all-time leading scorers in the history of NBA. As a central player, Chamberlain’s playing style involved strength & agility which allowed him to dominate the court.
Chamberlain has secured 2 NBA Championship trophies, made it into 4 All-Star Game MVPs, 2 NBA MVP finals, 7 scoring titles, 11 rebounding titles, and 4 regular season MVPs. He has played for Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers, & Los Angeles Lakers.
Games Played: 1,045
Points Scored: 31,419
6. Dirk Nowitzki
Mostly played as a power forward, Nowitzki is known for his shooting ability and one-legged fadeaway jump shot. His scoring, rebounding and leadership abilities earned him the much-needed fame and glory in the NBA history. A one franchise man, Nowitzki spent his playing career with Dallas Mavericks and led them to their first NBA Championship, scoring 21 points in the game 6 of the NBA finals against the Miami Heat.
Nicknamed the Dunking Deutschman, Dirk has won 1 NBA championship, 1 regular season MVP, 15 All-Star Game appearances, 12 All-NBA Team selections and 1 Finals MVP.
Games Played: 1,522
Points Scored: 31,560
5. Michael Jordan
Known for his competitiveness and all-round defensive and offensive playing style, Michael Jordan is a legend of the sport. A pop-culture icon, Jordan’s dunking style and mid-acrobatics earned him the name, “Air Jordan.” One of the greatest games he ever played was against Utah Jazz despite battling a stomach virus. This performance has become known as the “Flu Game” and is considered one of the greatest individual performances in NBA history. He went on to score 38 points, grabbed 7 rebounds and dished out 5 assists in the game.
Michael Jordan has amassed 6 NBA championships during his playing career with 5 regular season MVPs, 6 NBA Finals MVPs, 10 scoring titles, 14 All-Star game appearances, and 11 All-NBA team selections. He played for the Chicago Bulls & Washington Wizards.
Games Played: 1,072
Points Scored: 32,292
4. Kobe Bryant
Known for his shooting ability, footwork, competitiveness, Kobe played as a shooting guard for Los Angeles Lakers. Also known as the Black Mamba, he was a driving force to bring back Lakers into prominence in early 2000s. On 22nd Jan’06, Kobe scored his career-high 81 points in a single game against Toronto Raptors.
Kobe Bryant has won 5 NBA championships, 1 regular season MVP, 2 NBA Finals MVPs, 18 All-Star game appearances, and 15 All-NBA team selections.
Games Played: 1,346
Points Scored: 33,643
3. Karl Malone
A power forward and jazz icon, Karl Malone helped Utah Jazz qualify for the second NBA finals in consecutive years. Malone single-handedly defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in game 5 of the Western Conference Finals securing his name in the legends of the sport. Popularly called as “The Mailman,” Karl Malone went on to win 2 NBA championships, 2 Olympic Gold Medals, 14 All-Star game appearances, and 14 All-NBA team selections. Malone played for Utah Jazz and Los Angeles Lakers.
Games Played: 1,476
Points Scored: 36,928
2. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Known for his signature skyhook, Kareem is known as the captain. Abdul-Jabbar’s scoring ability, shot-blocking, and leadership helped him win multiple championships & MVP awards. His signature skyhook shot is the single most iconic move in NBA history. He features for Milwaukee Bucks but gained immense popularity during his time at Los Angeles Lakers.
He helped the Lakers claim the championship against the 76ers where he scored 40 points, grabbed 15 rebounds, and blocked 3 shots. went on to win 6 NBA Championships, 6 regular season MVPs, 2 NBA Finals MVPs, 19 All-star game appearances and 15 All-NBA team selections.
Games Played: 1,560
Points Scored: 38,387
1. LeBron James
Wrapping up the list with yet another player from LA Lakers, LeBron James is the Greatest NBA Player of All Times. His impeccable court vision and his power-forward playing style earned him the nickname King James. A true maestro, he has already won 4 NBA Championships, 4 regular season MVPs, 4 NBA Finals MVPs, 17 All-Star game appearances, and 16 All-NBA team selections.
He has played for the Lakers & Miami Heat and also featured for Cleveland Cavaliers. His 41-pointer game against the Golden State Warriors along with 8 rebounds grab, and 11 assists, helped Cavaliers win their first championship in the history of the franchise.
Games Played: 1,421
Points Scored: 38,652
Who is your favorite? Would you like to see us curate more such top 10 lists? Do let us know.
