So, tonight let’s look at the NBA’s Fifty Greatest Players and analyze them by scoring, both points per game and career points scored. Remember, this list was released by then NBA Commissioner David Stern in 1996, so none of today’s greats are on this list. Analyzing the NBA greats by scoring provides a different look at the NBA legends. We see some names near the top who are relatively unknown when compared to Michael, Wilt, Russell, Magic, Larry Legend, and LeBron.
Two statistical comments on the list (my call sign is Stats, after all).
- Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain averaged an incredible 30.1 points per game for their NBA careers. These two well-known legends are followed by three lesser known legends: Eligin Baylor (27.4), Jerry West (27.0), and Bob Petitt (26.4).
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (38,387), Karl Malone (36,928), Michael Jordan (32,292), and Wilt Chamberlain (31,419) are the only NBA players to score more than thirty thousand points in their NBA careers. However, another 17 players scored more than twenty thousand points in their careers.
POINTS per GAME AVERAGES (Descending) CAREER POINTS (Descending)
| # | Name | Points | Games | PPG | # | Name | Points | |
| 1 | Michael Jordan | 32,292 | 1072 | 30.1 | 1 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 38,387 | |
| 2 | Wilt Chamberlain | 31,419 | 1045 | 30.1 | 2 | Karl Malone | 36,928 | |
| 3 | Elgin Baylor | 23,149 | 846 | 27.4 | 3 | Michael Jordan | 32,292 | |
| 4 | Jerry West | 25,192 | 932 | 27.0 | 4 | Wilt Chamberlain | 31,419 | |
| 5 | Bob Pettit | 20,880 | 792 | 26.4 | 5 | Shaquille O’Neal | 28,596 | |
| 6 | George Gervin | 20,708 | 791 | 26.2 | 6 | Moses Malone | 27,409 | |
| 7 | Oscar Robertson | 26,710 | 1040 | 25.7 | 7 | Elvin Hayes | 27,313 | |
| 8 | Karl Malone | 36,928 | 1476 | 25.0 | 8 | Hakeem Olajuwon | 26,946 | |
| 9 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 38,387 | 1560 | 24.6 | 9 | Oscar Robertson | 26,710 | |
| 10 | Larry Bird | 21,791 | 897 | 24.3 | 10 | John Havlicek | 26,395 | |
| 11 | Pete Maravich | 15,948 | 658 | 24.2 | 11 | Jerry West | 25,192 | |
| 12 | Hakeem Olajuwon | 26,946 | 1238 | 23.7 | 12 | Patrick Ewing | 24,815 | |
| 13 | Rick Barry | 18,395 | 794 | 23.2 | 13 | Charles Barkley | 23,757 | |
| 14 | George Mikan | 10,156 | 439 | 23.1 | 14 | Robert Parish | 23,334 | |
| 15 | Paul Arizin | 16,266 | 713 | 22.8 | 15 | Elgin Baylor | 23,149 | |
| 16 | Charles Barkley | 23,757 | 1073 | 22.1 | 16 | Clyde Drexler | 22,195 | |
| 17 | Julius Erving | 18,364 | 836 | 22.0 | 17 | Larry Bird | 21,791 | |
| 18 | Shaquille O’Neal | 28,596 | 1207 | 21.8 | 18 | Hal Greer | 21,586 | |
| 19 | David Robinson | 20,790 | 987 | 21.1 | 19 | Bob Pettit | 20,880 | |
| 20 | Elvin Hayes | 27,313 | 1303 | 21.0 | 20 | David Robinson | 20,790 | |
| 21 | Patrick Ewing | 24,815 | 1183 | 21.0 | 21 | George Gervin | 20,708 | |
| 22 | Billy Cunningham | 13,626 | 654 | 20.8 | 22 | John Stockton | 19,711 | |
| 23 | John Havlicek | 26,395 | 1270 | 20.8 | 23 | Scottie Pippen | 18,940 | |
| 24 | Moses Malone | 27,409 | 1329 | 20.6 | 24 | Isiah Thomas | 18,822 | |
| 25 | Clyde Drexler | 22,195 | 1086 | 20.4 | 25 | Dolph Schayes | 18,438 | |
| 26 | Dave Bing | 18,327 | 901 | 20.3 | 26 | Rick Barry | 18,395 | |
| 27 | Magic Johnson | 17,707 | 906 | 19.5 | 27 | Julius Erving | 18,364 | |
| 28 | Hal Greer | 21,586 | 1122 | 19.2 | 28 | Dave Bing | 18,327 | |
| 29 | Isiah Thomas | 18,822 | 979 | 19.2 | 29 | Lenny Wilkens | 17,772 | |
| 30 | Walt Frazier | 15,581 | 825 | 18.9 | 30 | Magic Johnson | 17,707 | |
| 31 | Earl Monroe | 17,454 | 926 | 18.8 | 31 | Earl Monroe | 17,454 | |
| 32 | Nate Archibald | 16,481 | 876 | 18.8 | 32 | Kevin McHale | 17,335 | |
| 33 | Willis Reed | 12,183 | 650 | 18.7 | 33 | Bob Cousy | 16,960 | |
| 34 | Dolph Schayes | 18,438 | 996 | 18.5 | 34 | Nate Archibald | 16,481 | |
| 35 | Bob Cousy | 16,960 | 924 | 18.4 | 35 | James Worthy | 16,320 | |
| 36 | Kevin McHale | 17,335 | 971 | 17.9 | 36 | Paul Arizin | 16,266 | |
| 37 | Bill Sharman | 12,665 | 711 | 17.8 | 37 | Pete Maravich | 15,948 | |
| 38 | Sam Jones | 15,411 | 871 | 17.7 | 38 | Walt Frazier | 15,581 | |
| 39 | Dave Cowens | 13,516 | 766 | 17.6 | 39 | Sam Jones | 15,411 | |
| 40 | James Worthy | 16,320 | 926 | 17.6 | 40 | Bill Russell | 14,522 | |
| 41 | Jerry Lucas | 14,053 | 829 | 17.0 | 41 | Nate Thurmond | 14,437 | |
| 42 | Lenny Wilkens | 17,772 | 1077 | 16.5 | 42 | Dave DeBusschere | 14,053 | |
| 43 | Dave DeBusschere | 14,053 | 875 | 16.1 | 43 | Jerry Lucas | 14,053 | |
| 44 | Scottie Pippen | 18,940 | 1178 | 16.1 | 44 | Billy Cunningham | 13,626 | |
| 45 | Bill Russell | 14,522 | 963 | 15.1 | 45 | Dave Cowens | 13,516 | |
| 46 | Nate Thurmond | 14,437 | 964 | 15.0 | 46 | Bill Sharman | 12,665 | |
| 47 | Robert Parish | 23,334 | 1611 | 14.5 | 47 | Willis Reed | 12,183 | |
| 48 | Bill Walton | 6,215 | 468 | 13.3 | 48 | Wes Unseld | 10,624 | |
| 49 | John Stockton | 19,711 | 1504 | 13.1 | 49 | George Mikan | 10,156 | |
| 50 | Wes Unseld | 10,624 | 984 | 10.8 | 50 | Bill Walton | 6,215 |
BILL HARVEY, Call Sign “Stats”, is the Editor of Hoops Business. He is a former basketball player, basketball referee, Army officer, and college instructor in technical writing with a public relations and journalism background. He is also the Editor of the Net Set blog at http://thenetsetblog.com. BA degree from Xavier University and MA degree in Information Management.