Honestly, if you told a basketball fan twenty years ago that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s "unbreakable" scoring record would not only be broken but absolutely shattered, they’d have laughed you out of the gym. Yet, here we are in January 2026, and the list of all time leading nba scorers looks nothing like it did at the turn of the century. The numbers are getting weird. We're seeing 41-year-olds averaging 20-plus points and guards hitting step-back threes from the logo like they're layups.
LeBron James isn't just sitting at the top; he’s basically built a penthouse on a mountain that nobody else can even climb yet. As of this week, LeBron has officially cleared the 42,654-point mark in the regular season. If you count his playoff buckets—which, let's be real, are the hardest points to get—he blew past 50,000 total career points back in March of 2025. It’s a level of longevity that feels less like "pro athlete" and more like "scientific anomaly."
The Top 10: A Mix of Legends and Active Anomalies
The top of the pyramid used to be a static museum. You had Kareem, the Mailman, and MJ. Now, it’s a living, breathing race. Kevin Durant just passed Wilt Chamberlain for 7th place earlier this month, and James Harden literally just leapfrogged Shaquille O'Neal for 9th place on January 12, 2026.
Think about that for a second.
Harden, a guy who spent years being criticized for his "ISO" ball in Houston, has now technically put more balls in the hoop than the Big Aristotle himself. Shaq finished his career with 28,596 points. Harden just ticked over to 28,614. He did it with a signature three-pointer against the Hornets, proving that the modern era's obsession with the deep ball is the ultimate cheat code for climbing this specific ladder.
Here is how the elite tier looks right now:
LeBron James is the undisputed king at over 42,600. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar remains firm in second with 38,387. Then you have Karl "The Mailman" Malone at 36,928. Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan round out the top five with 33,643 and 32,292 respectively.
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Dirk Nowitzki holds the six spot at 31,560, but Kevin Durant is breathing down his neck. KD currently sits at 31,486. At his current 2026 scoring pace, he’ll pass Dirk in about two weeks and then he’s got Michael Jordan’s 5th place spot in his sights. Wilt Chamberlain is 8th (31,419), followed by the newest addition to the top 10, James Harden, and finally Shaq at 10th.
Why the Records Are Falling So Fast
It isn't just that players are "better." That’s a barbershop debate that never ends. The reality is the environment of the NBA has shifted. Back in the 90s, if you drove into the paint, you got a forearm to the chest and a trip to the hardwood. Today, the spacing is wide open.
Current stars like Luka Dončić (who is currently putting up 33.4 points per game in 2026) are benefiting from a league that prioritizes three-pointers and pace. Luka's already over 13,900 points. He’s only 26. If he stays healthy, he’s the only human being on the planet with a realistic shot at chasing LeBron’s final number, but that's a massive "if."
The science of recovery matters too. LeBron is spending millions a year on his body, and it shows. He’s playing with his son, Bronny, while still being a top-tier scoring threat. Most players from the 80s were limping into retirement by age 34. LeBron is 41 and still looks like he could go another three seasons.
The Kevin Durant Factor
KD is the purest scorer we've ever seen. At nearly seven feet tall with a guard's handle, his climb up the all time leading nba scorers list was inevitable. After joining the Rockets, he hasn't slowed down. Averaging 26.1 points this season, he’s basically a walking bucket.
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What’s interesting is that Durant has done this despite missing significant time with an Achilles tear earlier in his career. If he hadn't lost those years, we might be talking about him hitting 40,000 right now. He’s currently 7th, but most experts expect him to finish his career comfortably in the top 3, likely passing Karl Malone if he plays until he’s 40.
The "Invisible" Points: Playoff Scoring
One thing people often overlook when discussing the all time leading nba scorers is that the official NBA record only counts regular-season games. This is kinda weird when you think about it. The most important games—the ones with the most pressure—don't count toward the "official" total.
If we included playoff points, the gap between LeBron and everyone else becomes a literal canyon.
- LeBron: 8,289 playoff points
- Michael Jordan: 5,987 playoff points
- Kareem: 5,762 playoff points
LeBron has over 2,300 more playoff points than MJ. That’s like adding another three full seasons of elite scoring on top of his already record-breaking regular season. It’s why the "GOAT" debate has shifted so heavily toward longevity and cumulative dominance in recent years.
Who is the Next Big Threat?
Looking down the list, you have to find the guys who started young and score in bunches.
Stephen Curry is currently 24th all-time with 26,257 points. While he’s the greatest shooter ever, he didn't start his career with the same high-volume scoring as LeBron or KD. He’ll likely finish in the top 15, but his late start (relatively speaking) means he won't touch the top 3.
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Giannis Antetokounmpo is sitting at 21,294. He’s 31 years old. To get to LeBron’s 42k, he’d need to average 25 points a game for another 10 seasons without missing many games. It's a tall order.
The dark horse is Jayson Tatum. He's hovering around 13,784 points at age 27. He’s consistent, he’s rarely injured, and he plays for a team that's always in the mix. But even for a superstar like Tatum, the sheer math of catching LeBron is depressing. You basically have to be perfect for two decades.
Practical Insights for Fans and Historians
If you're tracking these milestones, keep an eye on the schedule for the Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Clippers this month.
- Watch Kevin Durant's next 5 games: He is less than 100 points away from passing Dirk Nowitzki. That happens before the end of January 2026.
- Monitor James Harden's volume: Now that he's 9th, the gap to 8th (Wilt) is massive—over 2,800 points. Harden won't pass Wilt this season. He’ll need to maintain his 25 PPG pace deep into the 2026-27 season to move up again.
- LeBron's 43k March: At his current pace, LeBron James is on track to hit 43,000 career points late this season or early next.
The record for all time leading nba scorers isn't just a number; it's a testament to the evolution of sports medicine, the three-point revolution, and the sheer will of a few players who refused to grow old. We are living in the golden age of the "stat-stuffer," and honestly, it's pretty fun to watch.
For those wanting to dive deeper into the daily fluctuations, the NBA's official "All-Time Leaders" page and Basketball-Reference are the gold standards. Just remember that the numbers change every single night. One hot streak from a guy like KD or Harden can rewrite a decade of history in a single week.
To stay ahead of the curve on NBA history, track "Points Per 48 Minutes" for younger stars like Victor Wembanyama or Anthony Edwards. While they aren't on the all-time list yet, their scoring trajectories suggest that by the 2030s, we might be having this exact same conversation about a whole new generation of giants.