- Wilt Chamberlain scored an NBA record 100 points in a game in 1962.
- Kobe Bryant exploded for 81 points in 2006.
- Luka Dončić dropped 73 points in 2024.
The basketball odds of making the list of most points scored in an NBA game is rare, though there have been four 70-plus point performances since 2023.
Let’s check out the top 10 point-scoring performances in league history.
Top 10 Most Points in a Game in NBA History
| Rank | Player | Points | Year |
| 1 | Wilt Chamberlain | 100 | 1962 |
| 2 | Kobe Bryant | 81 | 2006 |
| 3 | Wilt Chamberlain | 78 | 1961 |
| T-4 | Wilt Chamberlain | 73 | 1962 |
| T-4 | Wilt Chamberlain | 73 | 1962 |
| T-4 | David Thompson | 73 | 1978 |
| T-4 | Luka Dončić | 73 | 2024 |
| 8 | Wilt Chamberlain | 72 | 1960 |
| T-9 | Elgin Baylor | 71 | 1960 |
| T-9 | David Robinson | 71 | 1994 |
| T-9 | Donovan Mitchell | 71 | 2023 |
| T-9 | Damian Lillard | 71 | 2023 |
Who Has Scored the Most Points in a Single Game in NBA History?
Wilt Chamberlain scored the most points in a single game in NBA history with 100 when his Philadelphia Warriors defeated the New York Knicks 169-147 on March 2, 1962, in Hershey, Pennsylvania.
Chamberlain shot 36-of-63 from the field and went 28-for-32 at the free-throw line, a remarkable feat for the man who shot just 51.1% at the charity stripe throughout his career. His 28 made free throws still stand as a record at the time of this writing, tied with Adrian Dantley.
The four-time MVP was up to 69 points by the end of the third quarter, prompting fans to chant to give him the ball.
The Knicks would foul other Warriors players to prevent Chamberlain from getting the ball, but Philadelphia countered by committing their own fouls to regain possession.
Chamberlain’s milestone bucket came with 46 seconds left in the game when he took a pass from Joe Ruklick and converted the close shot.
The NBA odds of replicating Chamberlain’s scoring outputs are incredibly long, but the fact that Luka Dončić, Donovan Mitchell, Damian Lillard, and Joel Embiid have dropped at least 70 points since the start of 2023 suggests someone could come close.