LeBron James has now passed Kobe Bryant for third on the NBA's all-time scoring list.
With that in mind, here's a look at the top 10 scorers in NBA history along with their highest-scoring games and career scoring averages.
10. Elvin Hayes
Career points: 27,313
Career scoring average: 21.0
Highest scoring game: 54 (November 13, 1968)
Hayes burst onto the scene from Day 1, leading the NBA in scoring as a rookie with the San Diego Rockets in 1968-69. At the time of his retirement following the 1983-84 season, Hayes ranked third in NBA history in scoring.
9. Moses Malone
Career points: 27,409
Career scoring average: 20.6
Highest scoring game: 53 (February 2, 1982)
A three-time NBA MVP, Malone's highest-scoring season came in 1981-82 when he averaged 31.1 points per game, which ranked second behind only George Gervin. At the time of his retirement following the 1994-95 season, Malone ranked third on the all-time scoring list.
8. Shaquille O'Neal
Career points: 28,596
Career scoring average: 23.7
Highest scoring game: 61 (March 6, 2000)
O'Neal won two scoring titles, the first coming in his age-22 season with the Orlando Magic in 1994-95. At the time, O'Neal was tied for the youngest player in NBA history to win the scoring title, a mark since bested by Kevin Durant. When O'Neal retired following the 2010-11 season, he ranked fifth on the all-time scoring list.
7. Wilt Chamberlain
Career points: 31,419
Career scoring average: 30.1
Highest scoring game: 100 (March 2, 1962)
He once averaged over 50 points per game for an entire season. He has almost as many 60-point games (32) as every other player in NBA history combined (34). He won the scoring title in each of his first seven seasons. Chamberlain became the NBA's all-time leading scorer midway through his seventh season. He would go on to play seven more seasons and retired with over 5,000 more points than any other player in league history.
6. Dirk Nowitzki
Career points: 31,420
Career scoring average: 20.8
Highest scoring game: 53 (December 2, 2004)
Who would have thought after a rookie season in which Nowitzki scored just 8.2 points per game while shooting 40.5 from the field and 20.6 percent from the three-point line that he would someday become one of the greatest scorers in league history and perhaps the best shooting big man ever?
Nowitzki is now in his 21st season, all with the Dallas Mavericks.
5. Michael Jordan
Career points: 32,292
Career scoring average: 30.1
Highest scoring game: 69 (March 28, 1990)
A record 10-time NBA scoring champion, Jordan's career scoring average of 30.12 is the highest in NBA history, just barely eding out Chamberlain, who finished at 30.07. The four players ahead of Jordan in total points combined for five scoring titles and on average, played in nearly 400 more games each.
4. Kobe Bryant
Career points: 33,643
Career scoring average: 25.0
Highest scoring game: 81 (January 22, 2006)
Four straight 50-point games in March 2007. Outscoring the Mavericks 62-61 by himself in three quarters. Dropping 81 points on the Raptors, the 2nd-most in a game in NBA history. Finishing with 60 points in the final game of his storybook career. The list of legendary moments for the Mamba runs deep and is a big reason why he's one of the most revered players in league history.
3. LeBron James
Career points: 33,644
Career scoring average: 27.1
Highest scoring game: 61 (March 3, 2014)
James averaged 30 points per game twice by the age of 23, a feat matched only by Oscar Robertson and Bob McAdoo. Should he play for a few more seasons, James stands a good shot at retiring as the all-time leading scorer.
2. Karl Malone
Career points: 36,928
Career scoring average: 25.0
Highest scoring game: 61 (January 27, 1990)
One of the most consistent superstars in NBA history, Karl Malone became the first player in NBA history to be named 1st-team All-NBA in 11 straight seasons. Although he never won a scoring title, Malone averaged over 25 points per game in 11 straight seasons and 12 times overall. The only player in NBA history to average 25 points per game in more seasons is LeBron James (15).
1. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Career points: 38,387
Career scoring average: 24.6
Highest scoring game: 55 (December 10, 1971)
Abdul-Jabbar became the NBA's all-time leading scorer on April 5, 1984 when he passed Wilt Chamberlain with one of his patented sky hooks on a pass from Magic Johnson. Although he became the top scorer in purple and gold and spent the majority of his career with the Los Angeles Lakers, Abdul-Jabbar was at his best as a scorer with the Milwaukee Bucks. Both of his scoring titles came with the Bucks as did all 10 of his 50-point games.
