If you asked a casual fan ten years ago if anyone would ever touch Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s record, they’d have laughed. It felt like one of those untouchable sports myths. Like Joe DiMaggio’s hitting streak or Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point game. But here we are in 2026, and the conversation about nba leading scorers all time has completely shifted from "if" to "how much further can they go?"
Numbers in basketball used to be static. Now, they're basically moving targets. LeBron James didn't just break the ceiling; he took the whole roof off.
The King and the New Standard
Right now, LeBron James sits at the absolute peak with 42,683 regular-season points. Honestly, it’s a bit hard to wrap your head around that number. He’s 41 years old. He’s in his 23rd season. Most guys are lucky to be walking comfortably at that age, let alone dropping 25 points on a random Tuesday night in January.
What's wilder is the "total" tally. If you count playoffs and play-ins, he’s actually sailed past 50,000 career points. That happened back in March 2025. It makes the old record of 38,387 look... well, almost modest.
Kareem held that top spot for nearly 40 years. He did it with the skyhook—the most unguardable shot in the history of the game. People forget how durable Kareem was. He played until he was 42. But LeBron has combined that same longevity with a modern training regimen that’s basically turned him into a biological anomaly.
Moving Up the Ladder: Durant and Harden
While everyone watches LeBron, the rest of the list is shuffling like a deck of cards.
Take Kevin Durant. Just a few days ago, on January 9, 2026, KD passed Wilt Chamberlain for 7th on the all-time list. He did it in a Rockets jersey, by the way—which still feels a little weird to see, doesn’t it? He hit a three-pointer against Portland to reach 31,422 points.
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KD is 37. He’s still one of the most efficient scorers we’ve ever seen. He’s currently chasing Dirk Nowitzki (31,560) for the 6th spot. At the rate he’s going, he’ll probably catch him before the All-Star break.
Then there’s James Harden. On January 12, 2026, he officially passed Shaquille O’Neal to take over the 9th spot. It’s funny because people love to criticize Harden’s style, but you can’t argue with 28,636 points. He’s passed Carmelo Anthony and Shaq in the last two months alone.
The Top 10 as of January 2026
- LeBron James: 42,683
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: 38,387
- Karl Malone: 36,928
- Kobe Bryant: 33,643
- Michael Jordan: 32,292
- Dirk Nowitzki: 31,560
- Kevin Durant: 31,505 (and climbing)
- Wilt Chamberlain: 31,419
- James Harden: 28,636
- Shaquille O'Neal: 28,596
Why the Records are Falling Faster
You’ve probably noticed the scores lately. 130-125 is a normal Tuesday night score now. Back in the 90s, that was an All-Star Game score.
The three-pointer changed everything.
Look at Stephen Curry. He’s currently 24th all-time with 26,284 points. That might not seem as high as the others, but consider the volume. He didn’t start his career as a high-volume scorer because of ankle injuries. Now, he’s basically a walking gravity well. Every point he scores is a reminder that the geometry of the court has changed.
We also have to talk about pace. Teams are getting more possessions. More possessions mean more shots. More shots mean more points.
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But don't let the "inflated" stats fool you into thinking these guys aren't as good as the legends. Scoring 30 points in the NBA is hard. Period. Doing it for 20 years is nearly impossible.
The "Silent" Killers of the List
There are names on this list that people sort of gloss over. Karl Malone is the big one. "The Mailman" was the model of consistency. He never had a season where he averaged 40, but he had about 17 seasons where he averaged 25+. That's how you get to 36,928.
And then there's Kobe. 33,643.
Kobe’s ranking is fascinating because he spent the first few years of his career coming off the bench. He didn't have the "ready-made" starter status that LeBron or MJ had. He had to claw for every bucket. If he hadn't torn his Achilles in 2013, he probably would have pushed for 40,000 himself.
Who is Next?
Is the record safe once LeBron retires?
Probably not.
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Luka Dončić is the name everyone looks at. As of mid-January 2026, Luka is already at 13,953 points. He’s only 26 years old. He’s currently leading the league in scoring, averaging over 33 points per game for the Lakers. If he stays healthy and plays 15 more seasons, he has a legitimate shot at the title of nba leading scorers all time.
But that's a big "if."
Health is the only thing that stops these guys. Look at Joel Embiid or Kawhi Leonard. Incredible scorers, but their bodies have betrayed them too often to ever climb into that top 10 stratosphere.
What to Watch For This Season
If you're tracking the history of the game, here's what you should keep an eye on over the next few months:
- Kevin Durant’s climb: He’s less than 100 points away from Dirk.
- DeMar DeRozan: He’s quietly sitting at 26,077. He’s about to pass Kevin Garnett for 26th all-time. He’s one of the last masters of the mid-range.
- Russell Westbrook: He’s at 26,812. He’s chasing Oscar Robertson. It’s poetic, given how their careers are so linked by the triple-double.
The best way to stay on top of this is to check the live-updated leaderboards every few weeks. The pace of the modern game means these milestones happen almost every month now.
Go watch a Rockets game to see KD make his move, or catch a Clippers game to see Harden distance himself from Shaq. We're living in an era where the record books are being rewritten in real-time. Don't take it for granted.