Current Phoenix Suns’ power forward Kevin Durrant continues to shine at the highest level, having now registered 28,924 points in a total of 1,061 matches at a rate of 27.3 per game.
However, Durrant is only the eighth-highest NBA points scorer of all-time, and the second-highest active scorer (after the legendary LeBron James).
Of course, you can wager on the NBA’s likely top scorer and MVP in 2024/25 at !xBet betting sites. But who comprise the top three NBA points scorers of all time, and are any of these players still active in the competition?
LeBron James – The NBA’s Top Scorer
We’ll start with LeBron ‘King’ James, who is the NBA’s top points scorer of all-time and continues to ply his trade for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Now 39 years old, James has amassed an incredible 40,474 points in 1,492 appearances. Over the course of a career that has spanned 21 years, he has averaged an incredible 27.1 points per game, while making 14,837 field goals (2,410 of which were three-pointers).
What’s most incredible is that James has scored an astonishing 8,162 points in just 287 NBA playoff games. This means that his points-per-game average in such matches is 28.43, highlighting James as the ultimate player for the big occasion.
It’s widely expected that the 2024/25 campaign will be James’ last in the NBA. Regardless, he may end up setting a point scoring record that won’t be beaten for a considerable period of time.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – The Former Point Scoring King
It was on February 7th, 2023 that James finally surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the leading point scorer in NBA history.
The ‘Tower from Power’, who played for Milwaukee Bucks and the Los Angeles Lakers between 1969 and 1989, scored 38,387 points in 1,560 NBA appearances, at a rate of 24.6 per game.
His appearance tally is also the second-highest in NBA history, behind Robert Parish (1,611). During a stellar 20-year career, Abdul-Jabbar made more field goals than James (15,837), while also completing 6,712 free throws.
He made 237 playoff appearances too, Abdul-Jabbar scored 5,762 points at a competitive average of 24.32 points. Impressively, he’s also a six-time MVP, while the centre won six NBA Championships between 1971 and 1988.
Karl Malone – The NBA’s Best Ever Power Forward
Karl ‘The Mailman’ Malone is arguably the NBA’s best power forward, with James a small forward and Abdul-Jabbar operating as a centre. To this end, he scored 36,928 points in 1,476 appearances, at an impressive and even average of 25.0 points-per-game.
His haul included 13,528 field goals, alongside a record total of 9,787 free throws. Like the other two legends on our list, Malone also played with distinction for the LA Lakers (between 2003 and 2004), spending the remainder of his 19-year career with Utah Jazz.
Having plied his trade for the Jazz for 18 years, Malone has played less playoff games than either of his peers on this list (193). These appearances yielded a total of 4,761 points at a rate of 24.66 per game, making him the eighth highest scorer in this type of match.
Overall, Malone is unlikely to lose his place on this list anytime soon, with only two of the top 10 NBA scorers in history still active in the league.
