In the NBA, buckets build legacies, and these five legends piled them up like nobody else.
From gravity-defying dunks to fadeaway daggers, they turned the scoreboard into their personal canvas.
Highest NBA Points Carerer Averages
Only five players in history average over 27 points per game for their careers. Two of them even cracked the 30 mark.
1. Michael Jordan – 30.1 PPG
Games Played: 1,072 | PPG: 30.1 | RPG: 6.2 | APG: 5.3 | SPG: 2.3
Michael Jordan stands alone atop the all-time scoring average list with an unmatched 30.1 points per game across his storied NBA career.
Widely regarded as the greatest basketball player of all time, Jordan’s scoring prowess was a blend of elegance, explosiveness, and cold-blooded efficiency.
Jordan led the league in scoring a record 10 times and topped 3,000 points in a single season – something no one has done since Wilt Chamberlain. Jordan’s midrange jumper, clutch game, and attacking style made him an unstoppable offensive force.
2. Wilt Chamberlain – 30.1 PPG
Games Played: 1,045 | PPG: 30.1 | RPG: 22.9 | APG: 4.4
Tied with Michael Jordan in career scoring average, Wilt Chamberlain’s game in the early decades of the NBA was unprecedented.
Standing over 7 feet tall with the agility of a guard, Chamberlain’s physical gifts allowed him to overpower opponents at will. His 1961-62 season, in which he averaged an astounding 50.4 points per game – including his legendary 100-point game – is still the most prolific scoring season in league history.
While critics often point to the era’s pace and competition level, Wilt’s dominance, including multiple scoring titles and rebounds records, highlights a unique blend of volume, efficiency, and durability that may never be replicated.
3. Elgin Baylor – 27.4 PPG
Games Played: 846 | PPG: 27.4 | RPG: 13.5 | APG: 4.3
Elgin Baylor is one of the NBA’s most overlooked icons, but his 27.4 points per game career average ranks among the elite scorers in league history.
Playing most of his career during the 1960s, Baylor brought a revolutionary flair to the game with his aerial acrobatics and fluid scoring ability. He was a prototype for the modern wing scorer – capable of getting buckets in transition, midrange, or driving to the hoop.
Baylor once scored 71 points in a game and averaged 38.3 PPG in a season, all while serving in the military part-time. Injuries limited the length of his career, but at his peak, few could match his combination of power, finesse, and scoring touch.
4. Kevin Durant – 27.2 PPG
Games Played: 1,032 | PPG: 27.2 | RPG: 7.0 | APG: 4.4 | SPG: 1.1
Kevin Durant is the most efficient high-volume scorer the game has ever seen.
With a career average of 27.2 points per game and counting, Durant blends length, skill, and shooting touch in a way that has redefined what a 7-footer can do on the court. A 4-time scoring champion and 2-time NBA champion, Durant can score at all three levels with ease – whether it’s pulling up from deep, gliding through traffic, or getting to his sweet midrange spot.
His fluid offensive game and ability to score without dominating the ball make him one of the most dangerous offensive players in any era.
5. LeBron James – 27.0 PPG
Games Played: 1,492 | PPG: 27.0 | RPG: 7.5 | APG: 7.4 | SPG: 1.5
LeBron James has mixed longevity, consistency, and scoring over two decades to average 27.0 points per game in his career.
What makes his scoring feats even better is that James is a pass-first player by nature. The NBA’s all-time leading scorer in total points, LeBron has never needed to dominate possessions to put up huge numbers.
He’s scored 10+ points in more than 1,100 consecutive games and has evolved his offensive game – from explosive drives in his early years to a refined outside shot in his 30s and 40s. LeBron’s ability to adapt, stay efficient, and deliver in clutch moments underscores why he’s more than just a high-volume scorer. LeBron is one of the most complete offensive threats in NBA history.
NBA POINTS PER GAME AVERAGES
| PLAYER | GAMES PLAYED | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG |
| Michael Jordan | 1,072 | 30.1 | 6.2 | 5.3 | 2.3 |
| Wilt Chamberlain | 1,045 | 30.1 | 22.9 | 4.4 | N/A |
| Elgin Baylor | 846 | 27.4 | 13.5 | 4.3 | N/A |
| Kevin Durant | 1,032 | 27.2 | 7.0 | 4.4 | 1.1 |
| LeBron James | 1,492 | 27.0 | 7.5 | 7.4 | 1.5 |
These five legends changed NBA scoring, mixing up skill, consistency, and crowd pleasn moves.
From Jordan’s GOAT stat line to LeBron’s all-around brilliance, their stats tell a story of greatness.
Each player not only scored prolifically but influenced generations, proving that true legends don’t just play the game, they change it forever.
