NBA legend Michael Jordan is often acclaimed as the greatest player in the history of the sport. Across his 15 seasons in the league, Jordan claimed ten scoring titles and led the Chicago Bulls to six NBA Championships. A player with marvelous scoring prowess and spectacular defensive skills, MJ was the best of both worlds. So where does Michael Jordan stand in the NBA’s all-time scoring list?
Drafted in 1984 by the Chicago Bulls, Jordan won two iconic three-peat of Championship titles for his team. With Jordan, the Bulls became the first ever team in history to win three consecutive titles twice in the same decade. And MJ did so as Finals MVP in all the finals he played.
During his stellar career, Jordan won numerous scoring titles that eventually saw him amass an astounding 32,292 points in 1,072 games. With his incredible tally of points, here’s where the NBA great stands in the all-time scoring list.
Where does Michael Jordan rank on the all-time scoring chart?
With 32,292 points in 1,072 games, Michael Jordan ranks fifth in the NBA all-time scoring list. Behind Lakers legend Kobe Bryant who scored 33,643 points, MJ stands fifth in the list, ahead of Dirk Nowitzki’s tally of 31,560 points.
2023 saw LeBron James break Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s massive tally of 38,387 points, a record that stood for almost four decades. As to whether MJ could have surpassed Abdul-Jabbar’s record if not for his abrupt retirement in 1993 is often speculated.
Michael Jordan (via Sports Illustrated)Nonetheless, Michael Jordan’s incredible scoring tally of 32,292 points saw him average 30.1 points per game in his career. The fact that MJ missed only 7 regular season games without his injury-season in his entire Bulls career, accounts for the massive number of games he played in just 15 years.
During his time with the Bulls, Jordan amassed 29,377 points leading his team to six iconic NBA Championships. He averaged 31.5 points per game during that period, winning five regular season MVPs with the franchise.
Michael Jordan’s Highest-Scoring Season
Jordan reached his career-highest scoring season in 1986-87, where he scored an amazing 3,041 points. In only 3,281 minutes of playtime, MJ managed to score at a league-highest average of 37.1 points per game.
Michael Jordan and Phil Jackson (via SI)Besides his incredible scoring tally, Jordan amassed 377 assists, 430 rebounds, 236 steals, and 125 blocks in the same season. Even amid his career-high scoring spree, such an all-around spectacular performance speaks volumes about MJ’s undeniable greatness.
NBA all-time scoring list Top 5
| Player | Games Played | Points | |
| 1Â | LeBron James* | 1,479* | 40,114* |
| 2 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 1,560 | 38,387 |
| 3 | Karl Malone | 1,476 | 36,928 |
| 4 | Kobe Bryant | 1,346 | 33,643 |
| 5 | Michael Jordan | 1,072 | 32,292 |
*active
732 points ahead of Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki, Michael Jordan still occupies the fifth place in the NBA all-time scoring chart. The fourth place is occupied by Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, while Karl Malone sits third with 36,928 points in 1,476 games.
Having held the first spot on the list for 39 straight years, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is now the second name on the list with his marvelous 38,387 points. And right at the very top, LeBron James trumps the list with his tally of 40,114 points and counting.
NBA legends at the top of the all-time scoring list (via FS)FAQs
Q. How many points did Michael Jordan score in his career?
Michael Jordan scored 32,292 points in his NBA career.
Q. Did Kobe Bryant score more points than Michael Jordan in the NBA?
Yes, Kobe Bryant surpassed Michael Jordan in the NBA all-time scoring list by 1,351 points.
Q. Who is #5 in the NBA all-time scoring chart?
Michael Jordan is #5 in the NBA all-time scoring chart.
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