- LeBron James is the only player with over 40,000 career points.
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar held the NBA’s all-time scoring record for nearly 39 years.
- Michael Jordan scored 32,292 points in 1,072 career games.
There is only one player in NBA history who has eclipsed 40,000 points.
Let’s look at the NBA’s all-time points leaders as of Nov. 1, 2024.
NBA All-Time Points Leaders
| Rank | Player | Points |
| 1 | LeBron James | 40,580 |
| 2 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 38,387 |
| 3 | Karl Malone | 36,928 |
| 4 | Kobe Bryant | 33,643 |
| 5 | Michael Jordan | 32,292 |
| 6 | Dirk Nowitzki | 31,560 |
| 7 | Wilt Chamberlain | 31,419 |
| 8 | Kevin Durant | 29,058 |
| 9 | Shaquille O'Neal | 28,596 |
| 10 | Carmelo Anthony | 28,289 |
| 11 | Moses Malone | 27,409 |
| 12 | Elvin Hayes | 27,313 |
| 13 | Hakeem Olajuwon | 26,946 |
| 14 | Oscar Robertson | 26,710 |
| 15 | Dominique Wilkins | 26,668 |
| 16 | Tim Duncan | 26,496 |
| 17 | Paul Pierce | 26,397 |
| 18 | John Havlicek | 26,395 |
| 19 | Kevin Garnett | 26,071 |
| 20 | James Harden | 26,004 |
| 21 | Vince Carter | 25,728 |
| 22 | Alex English | 25,613 |
| 23 | Reggie Miller | 25,279 |
| 24 | Russell Westbrook | 25,250 |
| 25 | Jerry West | 25,192 |
Who Has the Most Points in NBA History?
LeBron James has the most points in NBA history, becoming the NBA’s all-time leading scorer on Feb. 7, 2023.
James converted a turnaround fadeaway jumper near the free-throw line with 10.9 seconds left in the third quarter in a game his Los Angeles Lakers fell to the Oklahoma City Thunder 133-130.
He finished the contest with 38 points on 13-of-20 shooting, seven rebounds, three assists, and three steals.
James is in his 22nd season in the association, tied with Vince Carter for the most seasons played in league history.
James has averaged at least 25 points per game in every season before the 2024-25 season since his rookie year.
The 20-time All-Star has won four championships up to this point, helping each team boast short sports betting odds of hoisting the Larry O’Brien trophy. He won two with the Miami Heat, one with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and one with the Lakers, winning Finals MVP each time.
Any James-led team would rarely, if ever, be underdogs on NBA betting lines.
His greatness has given fans who love to bet on basketball a solid option for the MVP race, prop bets, or parlays.