Joel Embiid wins scoring title: 76ers center joins exclusive company with second consecutive feat

Gilbert McGregor

Joel Embiid wins scoring title: 76ers center joins exclusive company with second consecutive feat image

Last year, Joel Embiid became the first center to win a scoring title since Shaquille O'Neal. This year, Embiid has placed his name in even more exclusive company among centers.

When Embiid was ruled out for Philadelphia's season finale in Brooklyn, he officially finished with his second consecutive scoring title with an average of 33.1 points over 66 games.

Embiid is the first player to take home consecutive scoring titles since now-teammate James Harden won three straight during his time in Houston. He's the first center to win consecutive scoring titles since Bob McAdoo won three straight in the 1970s.

Of the last 10 players to capture the NBA's scoring title, four have gone on to be named MVP.

Embiid's scoring title puts a bow on an MVP-caliber season, but will it be the resume booster he needs to take home the award for the first time in his career? Let's put his latest achievement into perspective.

76ERS VS NETS PLAYOFF SERIES PREVIEW: Is this the start of a special Joel Embiid run?

Joel Embiid wins 2022-23 scoring title: 76ers center joins exclusive company

Let's start by looking at the competition. Embiid was one of six players to average over 30 points per game this season, edging out guards Luka Doncic and Damian Lillard, among others.

As a reminder, a player must play in 70 percent of their team's games (58) to be considered a statistical champion at the end of the season.

NBA scoring leaders 2022-23
  Player PPG Games
1. Joel Embiid 33.1 66
2. Luka Doncic 32.4 66
3. Damian Lillard 32.1 58
4. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 31.4 68
5. Giannis Antetokounmpo 31.1 63
6. Jayson Tatum 30.1 74

This season, Embiid improved upon his scoring average from last year by 2.5 points per game — despite playing in two fewer games, Embiid scored over 100 more points in 2022-23 than he did in 2021-22.

Among Embiid's best performances of the season were 13 games of 40 or more points, including three 50-point performances. Embiid scored a career-high 59 points in a win over the Jazz on Nov. 13.

MORE: Doc Rivers says 'MVP race is over' after Joel Embiid's latest 50-point game

History of NBA scoring leaders

In winning his second consecutive scoring title, Embiid has done something that legendary centers like Shaquille O'Neal and David Robinson never did during their Hall of Fame careers.

Here's a look back at all of the scoring leaders in NBA history:

Season Player PPG
2022-23 Joel Embiid 33.1
2021-22 Joel Embiid 30.6
2020-21 Stephen Curry 32.0
2019-20 James Harden 34.3
2018-19 James Harden 36.1
2017-18 James Harden 30.4
2016-17 Russell Westbrook 31.6
2015-16 Stephen Curry 30.1
2014-15 Russell Westbrook 28.1
2013-14 Kevin Durant 32.0
2012-13 Carmelo Anthony 28.7
2011-12 Kevin Durant 28.0
2010-11 Kevin Durant 27.7
2009-10 Kevin Durant 30.1
2008-09 Dwyane Wade 30.2
2007-08 LeBron James 30.0
2006-07 Kobe Bryant 31.6
2005-06 Kobe Bryant 35.4
2004-05 Allen Iverson 30.7
2003-04 Tracy McGrady 28.0
2002-03 Tracy McGrady 32.1
2001-02 Allen Iverson 31.4
2000-01 Allen Iverson 31.1
1999-00 Shaquille O'Neal 29.7
1998-99 Allen Iverson 26.8
1997-98 Michael Jordan 28.7
1996-97 Michael Jordan 29.6
1995-96 Michael Jordan 30.4
1994-95 Shaquille O'Neal 29.3
1993-94 David Robinson 29.8
1992-93 Michael Jordan 32.6
1991-92 Michael Jordan 30.1
1990-91 Michael Jordan 31.5
1989-90 Michael Jordan 33.6
1988-89 Michael Jordan 32.5
1987-88 Michael Jordan 35.0
1986-87 Michael Jordan 37.1
1985-86 Dominique Wilkins 30.3
1984-85 Bernard King 32.9
1983-84 Adrian Dantley 30.6
1982-83 Alex English 28.4
1981-82 George Gervin 32.3
1980-81 Adrian Dantley 30.7
1979-80 George Gervin 33.1
1978-79 George Gervin 29.6
1977-78 George Gervin 27.2
1976-77 Pete Maravich 31.1
1975-76 Bob McAdoo 31.1
1974-75 Bob McAdoo 34.5
1973-74 Bob McAdoo 30.6
1972-73 Nate Archibald 34.0
1971-72 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 34.8
1970-71 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 31.7
1969-70 Jerry West 31.2
1968-69 Elvin Hayes 28.4
1967-68 Dave Bing 27.1
1966-67 Rick Barry 35.6
1965-66 Wilt Chamberlain 33.5
1964-65 Wilt Chamberlain 34.7
1963-64 Wilt Chamberlain 36.9
1962-63 Wilt Chamberlain 44.8
1961-62 Wilt Chamberlain 50.4
1960-61 Wilt Chamberlain 38.4
1959-60 Wilt Chamberlain 37.6
1958-59 Bob Pettit 29.2
1957-58 George Yardley 27.8
1956-57 Paul Arizin 25.6
1955-56 Bob Pettit 25.7
1954-55 Neil Johnston 22.7
1953-54 Neil Johnston 24.5
1952-53 Neil Johnston 22.3
1951-52 Paul Arizin 25.4
1950-51 George Mikan 28.4
1949-50 George Mikan 27.4
1948-49 George Mikan 28.3
1947-48 Max Zaslofsky 21.0
1946-47 Joe Fulks 23.2

Gilbert McGregor

Gilbert McGregor Photo

Gilbert McGregor first joined The Sporting News in 2018 as a content producer for Global editions of NBA.com. Before covering the game, McGregor played basketball collegiately at Wake Forest, graduating with a Communication degree in 2016. McGregor began covering the NBA during the 2017-18 season and has been on hand for a number of league events.