The following is a list of basketball players by total professional career points scored. It includes points scored in national league and cup games, national team games, international club games, All-Star basketball games, and any other games played for professional or national teams. (High school/college games are not counted due to being amateur leagues).
American LeBron James is basketball's all-time top scorer with over 50,000 points scored over his 22-year active career. He is also the NBA's all-time leading scorer and the only player to have surpassed 40,000 regular-season points in the league. Oscar Schmidt held a record with 49,737 points. James broke Schmidt's record on April 2, 2024.
Other players who did not make the list but have achieved the highest all-time scoring records in domestic leagues - other than NBA - are: Hervé Dubuisson with 19,013 points in the French league, Andrew Gaze with 18,908 points in the NBL, Ramon Fernandez with 18,996 points in the PBA, Wilfredo Ruiz with 18,512 in the Uruguayan Championship, Héctor Campana with 17,359 points in Argentina's league, George Torres with 15,863 pts in Puerto Rico's league, Louie Dampier with 13,276 points in the ABA, Antonello Riva with 14,397 in the Serie A, Vinko Jelovac with 7,351 points in the Yugoslav First Federal League, Alberto Herreros with 9,759 points in the Liga ACB, Edward Jurkiewicz, with 23,726 points in the Polish Premier Championship (1947–present), Eugeniusz Kijewski with 10,185 points in the Polish Premier League (1976–present), Jiří Zídek Sr. with 10,838 points in the Czechoslovak Championship, Zhu Fangyu with 11,165 points in the Chinese Basketball Association, Willy Steveniers with 11,870 points in the Belgian league, Mike Jackel with 10,873 points in Germany's league, Doron Jamchi with 9,611 points in Israel's league, and Nick Galis with 12,864 points in the HBF Greek Championship (1963–1992).
Players ^Active player*Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame†Not yet eligible for Hall of Fame consideration§1st time eligible for Hall of Fame in 2023
RankPlayerPosTeams played for Total points (Regular Season, Playoffs, National Team)Regular season League pointsPlayoff League pointsNational team pointsAll-Star game pointsInternational club games pointsOther cups pointsNBA draftReferences1 ^*SFCleveland Cavaliers (–, –)Miami Heat (–)Los Angeles Lakers (–)53,74643,4408,5211,137 502 (449 ; 53 (NBA Rising Stars Challenge))47 75 (NBA Play-In) ; 24 (NBA Cup Final 2023)2003, round: 1 / pick: 1st overall. Selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers2 *SG / SFPalmeiras (1974–1978,Sírio (1978–1982),América do Rio (1982), Caserta (1982–1990),Pavia (1990–1993),Forum Valladolid (1995–1997),Corinthians (1995–1997),Bandeirantes / Mackenzie (1997–1999),C.R. Flamengo (1999–2003)49,73742,044 (Combined Regular Season and Playoffs)7,693 236 1984, round: 6 / pick: 131st overall.Selected by the New Jersey Nets3 *CMilwaukee Bucks (–),Los Angeles Lakers (–)44,14938,3875,762 -251 - -1969, round: 1 / pick: 1st overall.Selected by the Milwaukee Bucks4 *PFUtah Jazz (–),Los Angeles Lakers (–)41,86036,9284,761171145 - -1985, round: 1 / pick: 13th overall.Selected by the Utah Jazz 5 *SGLos Angeles Lakers (–)39,78733,6435,640504321 (All-Star: 290; Rising Stars: 31) 64 -1996, round: 1 / pick: 13th overall. Selected by the Charlotte Hornets6 *SGNorth Carolina Tar Heels (1981–1984),Chicago Bulls (–, –),Washington Wizards (–)38,77032,2925,987491299 (NBA: 262; Liga ACB Presentation Games: 37) 129 -1984, round: 1 / pick: 3rd overall. Selected by the Chicago Bulls7 *PF/CDallas Mavericks (–)36,35731,5603,6631,134 1228 133 1998, round: 1 / pick: 9th overall. Selected by the Dallas Mavericks 8 ^PF/SFSeattle Supersonics (2007–08), Oklahoma City Thunder (2008-2016), Golden State Warriors (2016-2019), Brooklyn Nets (2020–23), Phoenix Suns (2023–present)35,74330,2404,985518 337 (All-Star: 268; Rising Stars Challenge: 69)120 (57; International exhibitions: 63)NBA Summer League: 512007, round: 1 / pick: 2nd Selected by the Seattle Supersonics9 *CPhiladelphia/San Francisco Warriors (–),Philadelphia 76ers (–),Los Angeles Lakers (–)35,02631,4193,607 -191 - -1959, pick: Territorial.Selected by the Philadelphia Warriors10 *SFVirginia Squires (–),Brooklyn Nets (–),Philadelphia 76ers (–)34,606 30,026 (ABA: 11,662; NBA: 18,364)4,580 (ABA: 1,492; NBA; 3,088) -321 (ABA: 100; NBA: 221) - -1972, round: 1 / pick: 12th overall. Selected by the Milwaukee Bucks11 *COrlando Magic (–)Los Angeles Lakers (–)Miami Heat (–)Phoenix Suns (–)Cleveland Cavaliers ()Boston Celtics ()34,06428,5965,250218 20212 -1992, round: 1 / pick: 1st overall. Selected by the Orlando Magic12 *SFDenver Nuggets (–)New York Knicks (–)Oklahoma City Thunder ()Houston Rockets ()Portland Trail Blazers (–)Los Angeles Lakers (–)32,43429,141 (Regular: 28,289; Preseason: 852)1,9141,068233 (All-Star: 185; Rising Stars: 48)57 2003, round: 1 / pick: 3d overall. Selected by the Denver Nuggets13 *CUtah Stars (–),Spirits of St. Louis (–),Buffalo Braves (–),Houston Rockets (–),Philadelphia 76ers (–),Washington Bullets (–),Atlanta Hawks (–),Milwaukee Bucks (–),Philadelphia 76ers (–),San Antonio Spurs (–)31,793 29,580 (ABA: 2,171; NBA: 27,409)2,213 (ABA: 136; NBA: 2,077) -134 (ABA: 6; NBA: 128) - -1974, round: 3. Selected by the Utah Stars14 *PF/CSan Antonio Spurs (–)31,77126,4965,172103140 - -1997, round: 1 / pick: 1st overall. Selected by the San Antonio Spurs15James Harden^SGOklahoma City Thunder (2009-2012), Houston Rockets (2012-2021), Brooklyn Nets (2020-2022), Philadelphia 76ers (2021-2023), Los Angeles Clippers (2023-present)31,12227,1863,764172 195 (All-Star: 143; Rising Stars: 52)NBA International games: 78 NBA Summer League: 2022009, round 1 / 3rd overall. Selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder16 *CHouston Rockets (–), Toronto Raptors (–)30,736 26,9463,75535117 - -1984, round: 1 / pick: 1st overall. Selected by the Houston Rockets17 *PF/CKentucky Colonels (ABA), (1970-1975), Denver Nuggets (NBA) 1975-198530,41627,482 (ABA: 12,823; NBA: 14,659)2,934 (ABA: 1,029; NBA: 1,905) -103 (ABA: 103; NBA: 0) - -1970: NBA, round 8, pick 3 / 122 overall (Detroit Pistons) + 1970: ABA: round 1 (Kentucky Colonels)18John Havlicek*SF/SGBoston Celtics (1962-1978)30,17126,3953,776 -1791962: NBA, round 1 / 9th overall (Boston Celtics) + 1962 NFL: round 7 / 95th overall (Cleveland Browns)19Paul Pierce*SF/SGBoston Celtics (1998-2013), Brooklyn Nets (2013-2014), Washington Wizards (2014-2015), Los Angeles Clippers (2015-2017)29,75526,3973,180178114 (All-Star: 96; Rising Stars: 18)1998: round 1 / 10th overall. Selected by the Boston Celtics.20 Stephen Curry^PGGolden State Warriors (2009-present)29,06624,9453,966 155216 -2009, round: 1 / pick: 7th overall. Selected by the Golden State Warriors
See also List of basketball players who have scored 100 points in a single game FIBA Basketball World Cup records List of games played between NBA and international teams EuroLeague career statistical leaders List of National Basketball Association career scoring leaders
Notes
References
External links Basketball-Reference.com enumeration of NBA career leaders in points scored National Basketball Association official website enumeration of NBA career leaders in points scored