Look, the game has changed. Honestly, if you grew up watching the grit-and-grind era of the 90s or the iso-heavy mid-2000s, today's scoreboard looks like a glitch in the Matrix. We are living through a scoring explosion that makes the record books look like they’re being rewritten in permanent marker every single Tuesday. When people talk about top scorers in the NBA, they usually default to the all-time list, but there is so much more to the story than just the total number next to a name.
LeBron James is the king of the mountain now. 42,683 points and counting as of mid-January 2026. Think about that. He surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s "unbreakable" 38,387 back in 2023 and hasn’t looked back. It’s wild because Kareem held that record for nearly 39 years. LeBron didn't just break it; he’s basically building a second penthouse on top of it. He’s currently the only player in history to clear 40,000 career points, and even at age 41, he’s still putting up 30-point nights like it's a casual Sunday at the park.
The All-Time Hierarchy is Shifting
Behind LeBron, the list is a graveyard of legends. Kareem is second, Karl Malone is third with 36,928, and Kobe Bryant sits at fourth with 33,643. Michael Jordan rounds out the top five at 32,292. But you’ve gotta look at the active guys who are climbing fast. Kevin Durant is a total cheat code. He’s already passed Wilt Chamberlain and is knocking on the door of 32,000 points. If his Achilles and knees hold up, he could realistically end up top three.
Then there’s James Harden. He just cracked the top 10 in late 2025, passing Carmelo Anthony, and then jumped over Shaquille O’Neal in early 2026. He’s at roughly 28,636 points. It’s kinda crazy to think that a guy often criticized for his playstyle is statistically one of the ten greatest buckets to ever walk the earth.
Why the Modern Era is Different
You can't talk about scoring without talking about the "Three-Point Revolution." Steph Curry basically broke the sport. He’s sitting around 26,284 points, which doesn't seem high compared to LeBron, but when you realize how much of that is from 30 feet away, it changes the math.
Efficiency is the name of the game now. In the old days, you’d see a guy take 30 shots to get 30 points. Now? Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or Luka Dončić can get you 35 on 18 shots because they’ve mastered the art of the free-throw line and the step-back three.
The Single-Game Legends
Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point game is the ghost everyone chases. It happened in 1962, and for a long time, it felt like a myth. Kobe Bryant got the closest with 81 in 2006. But look at the last couple of years. We’ve seen a massive surge in 70-point games.
Luka Dončić dropped 73 on the Hawks in 2024. Joel Embiid put up 70. Donovan Mitchell and Damian Lillard both hit 71 in 2023. Scoring 60 used to be a once-in-a-decade event for a franchise; now it happens multiple times a season across the league. This isn't just because "defense is bad"—it's because the skill level is through the roof. Players are bigger, faster, and they can shoot from the logo.
Top Scorers in the NBA: Regular Season 2025-26 Leaders
If you’re looking at who is dominating right now in the 2025-26 season, the leaderboard is stacked with young blood. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is currently leading the league in total points, hovering around 1,265 midway through the season.
Luka Dončić is leading in points per game (PPG) at a staggering 33.6. It’s essentially a two-man race for the scoring title between Shai and Luka, with Tyrese Maxey and Donovan Mitchell lingering just behind.
- Luka Dončić: 33.6 PPG (Leads the league in scoring average)
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: 31.6 PPG (Leads in total points)
- Tyrese Maxey: 30.5 PPG (The breakout star of the 76ers)
- Nikola Jokić: 29.6 PPG (Proving centers can still dominate the scoreboard)
The variety is what's cool. You have a 7-foot Serbian genius in Jokić who scores via touch shots and "Sombor Shuffles," and then you have Tyrese Maxey who is essentially a human lightning bolt.
Misconceptions About High Volume
A lot of old-school fans claim today's top scorers in the NBA only have high numbers because of the pace of play. While it’s true that teams take more shots now than they did in the 90s, the pace is actually slower than it was in the 1960s when Wilt was averaging 50 points a game.
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The real difference is the floor spacing. Back in the day, the paint was clogged with four big men who looked like they were auditioning for a wrestling match. Today, the floor is wide open. If you don't guard the three-point line, you lose by 40. This gives elite drivers like Anthony Edwards or Giannis Antetokounmpo a highway to the rim.
Giannis is a great example of a non-traditional scorer. He doesn't have a reliable jump shot, yet he’s already over 21,300 career points. He does it through sheer force and transition dunks. It’s a different kind of dominance than Michael Jordan’s mid-range mastery, but the results are just as terrifying for defenders.
What’s Next for the Record Books?
People always ask: will anyone catch LeBron? Honestly, it seems impossible. You need to average 25 points a game for 20 years without getting hurt. That’s not a basketball career; that’s a miracle.
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However, Luka Dončić is on a trajectory that makes you wonder. He reached 10,000 points faster than almost anyone in history. If he plays until he’s 38, he might give LeBron a run for his money. But that’s a big "if."
The current landscape of the NBA is a scorer's paradise. Whether it's the 3-point barrage or the evolution of the "Point Forward," the numbers are only going up.
How to track these stats effectively:
- Use Live Trackers: Websites like Basketball-Reference update career totals daily. LeBron's numbers change every 48 hours.
- Monitor PPG vs. Totals: Toward the end of the season, the scoring title is awarded based on PPG (minimum games required), not total points.
- Watch the "Age-35+" Records: LeBron is currently rewriting what's possible for older players, making him a statistical outlier worth watching separately from the younger stars.
To stay ahead of the curve, keep a close eye on the weekly injury reports and "rest" days, as these are the biggest hurdles for modern players chasing all-time scoring milestones. The talent is there, but availability remains the ultimate ability in the race for the record books.