NBA Top 10 All-Time Scorers of 2025: The Legends Who Ran Up the Scoreboard

 NBA Top 10 All-Time Scorers of 2025: The Legends Who Ran Up the Scoreboard

So, here’s the thing—scoring in the NBA? It’s never just points on a stat sheet. It’s about flexing, about outlasting, about rewriting what everyone thought was possible. These top 10? Straight-up icons.

 Each one changed the game in his own way. We’re talking about guys who were dropping buckets before you were even born and some still torching nets in 2025. Let’s get into it.

1. LeBron James – 42,184 Points

LeBron is still on top, and honestly, at this point, it’s getting ridiculous. Dude’s pushing 40, balding a bit, but somehow still dunking on guys half his age. 42,184 points! And it’s not just chucking shots—he’s dishing dimes, running the show, dragging teams to relevance. People keep waiting for him to slow down, but nah, he’s not done yet. G.O.A.T. debates aside, nobody’s done longevity like this.

NBA Top 10 All-Time Scorers of 2025: The Legends Who Ran Up the Scoreboard

2. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – 38,387 Points

Kareem was the king of the mountain forever. The skyhook? Unblockable. You could put Yao Ming on stilts and he still wouldn’t get a piece of it. Kareem’s era wasn’t just about numbers; he helped turn the NBA global and made being a big man cool as hell.

3. Karl Malone – 36,928 Points

The Mailman delivered, alright. Every single night, dude just racked up points and bruises. Never got that ring (tough luck, man), but Malone was a machine—pick-and-roll with Stockton, midrange J, the whole package. Nobody wanted to see him barreling down the lane.

4. Kobe Bryant – 33,643 Points

Kobe was a whole vibe. Mamba Mentality wasn’t just a catchphrase—it was a lifestyle. 33,643 points, but every bucket felt like a statement. From that 81-point nuke on the Raptors to all those cold-blooded game-winners, he turned basketball into art, and you knew he’d rip your heart out if you gave him even a sliver of daylight.

5. Michael Jordan – 32,292 Points

MJ at five? Wild. Still, 32,292 points and a scoring average that’s never been touched—30.1 per game, just nuts. Ten scoring titles, six rings, more iconic moments than anyone else. He made basketball cool worldwide. Honestly, if he hadn’t taken those baseball breaks? He might be sitting at the top.

6. Dirk Nowitzki – 31,560 Points

Dirk changed the whole concept of a big man. Seven feet tall, shooting rainbows off one leg—how do you even guard that? Scored more than any other international player, and basically opened the NBA’s doors for a whole new wave of global talent. Dallas legend, but his impact goes way beyond Texas.

7. Wilt Chamberlain – 31,419 Points

Wilt’s stats read like some fever dream. 100 points in a game? Averaging 50 a season? Man, that’s video game stuff. People still argue his numbers, but they’re real—he was just that much bigger, stronger, faster than everyone else. The league literally changed the rules because of him.

8. Kevin Durant – 30,571 Points

KD’s still hooping, still climbing the ladder, and honestly—good luck stopping him. That jumper is smoother than jazz, and he can get his shot over anybody. Already past 30K, and he’s not done yet. If his legs hold up, he might sneak a few spots higher before he’s done.

9. Shaquille O’Neal – 28,596 Points

Shaq was a human wrecking ball. Seven-foot, 300+ pounds of pure chaos in the paint. If he got the ball down low, it was basically over. The numbers are crazy, but the personality? Even bigger. Shaq gave us dunks, laughs, and a million nicknames. Can’t teach that kind of presence.

10. Carmelo Anthony – 28,289 Points

Melo rounds out the list with that signature jab step and buttery jumper. Never got the ring, but he was a walking bucket on every team he played for. Pure scorer, plain and simple. If you needed a bucket, you gave Melo the ball, got out the way, and watched him cook.

Why This List Kicks Ass

Look, this list isn’t just tallying numbers. It’s a timeline of how the game’s changed—from Wilt and Kareem dominating in the paint, to MJ and Kobe making it about clutch and swagger, to LeBron and KD showing us the new era of do-it-all superstars. Every name here? They didn’t just score—they rewrote the rules. And honestly, if you’re not hyped reading this, do you even like basketball?