Most Free Throws Attempted in NBA History

LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers attempting a shot during an NBA game in February 2018.
(Wikimedia Commons/Erik Drost)
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  • Karl Malone is the NBA player who has attempted the most free throws.
  • The two-time MVP attempted 13,188 free throws in his 19-year career.
  • The most free throws The Mailman attempted in a season was 918.

For basketball teams to capitalize on their championship NBA odds at a sportsbook, they better get well acquainted with the free-throw line.

Some of the best players in the world get to the charity stripe at will and make a high percentage of their free-throw attempts.

With that said, who has the most free throw attempts in NBA history? Let’s find out as of Dec. 10, 2024.

Most Free Throws Attempted in NBA History

RankPlayerFree-Throw Attempts
1Karl Malone13,188
2Wilt Chamberlain11,862
3LeBron James11,509
4Shaquille O'Neal11,252
5Moses Malone11,090
6Kobe Bryant10,011
7Dwight Howard9,455
8Kareem Abdul-Jabbar9,304
9Oscar Robertson9,185
10James Harden9,073
11Jerry West8,801
12Michael Jordan8,772
13Charles Barkley8,643
14Paul Pierce8,578
15Tim Duncan8,468

Which NBA Player Has Attempted the Most Free Throws?

Karl Malone is the NBA player who has attempted the most free throws.

The two-time MVP attempted 13,188 free throws in his 19-year career, making them at a 74.2% clip.

The 14-time All-Star attempted his most free throws in a game (28) on Jan. 8, 1996, when his Utah Jazz defeated the Miami Heat 94-92.

The most free throws The Mailman attempted in a season was 918 during the 1988-89 season. 

Malone has the most free throws made in NBA history.

Who Has More Free-Throw Attempts, LeBron or Jordan?

LeBron James has more free-throw attempts than Michael Jordan.

Jordan took 8,772 free throws over his 15-year career, making 83.5% of them. The most he attempted in a single season was 972 during the 1986-87 campaign, his only season with over 900 attempts.

James’s single-season high is 814 attempts during the 2005-06 season, the only time he surpassed 800 free-throw attempts in a season.

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