List of NBA annual scoring leaders

In basketball, points are accumulated through field goals or free throws. The National Basketball Association's (NBA) scoring title is awarded to the player with the highest points per game average in a given season. The scoring title was originally determined by total points scored through the 1968–69 season, after which points per game was used to determine the leader instead. The three-point field goal was introduced in the NBA at the start of the 1979–80 season. To qualify for the scoring title, a player must appear in at least 70% of his team's games (58 games in a standard 82-game season). A player who appears in fewer games may still qualify if his point total would give him the highest scoring average when divided by the minimum number of games required. Since the 2013–14 season, the standard qualification threshold has been 58 games in an 82-game season, with special adjustments applied in shortened seasons; qualification requirements varied in earlier seasons.

Wilt Chamberlain holds the all-time records for total points scored (4,029) and points per game (50.36) in a season; both records were achieved in the 1961–62 season. He also holds the rookie record for points per game, averaging 37.60 points in the 1959–60 season. Among active players, James Harden has the highest point total (2,818) and the highest scoring average (36.13) in a season; both were achieved in the 2018–19 season.

Michael Jordan has won the most scoring titles, with 10. Jordan and Chamberlain are the only players to have won seven consecutive scoring titles (this was also Chamberlain's career total). George Gervin, Allen Iverson and Kevin Durant have each won four scoring titles in their careers, while George Mikan, Neil Johnston, Bob McAdoo and Harden have each won three. Eleven players have won the scoring title twice. Since the 1946–47 season, six players have won both the scoring title and the NBA championship in the same season: Joe Fulks in 1947 with the Philadelphia Warriors, Mikan from 1949 to 1950 with the Minneapolis Lakers, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (then Lew Alcindor) in 1971 with the Milwaukee Bucks, Jordan from 1991 to 1993 and from 1996 to 1998 with the Chicago Bulls, Shaquille O'Neal in 2000 with the Los Angeles Lakers, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in 2025 with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Since the introduction of the three-point field goal, O'Neal is the only scoring leader to not have made a three-pointer during the season.

At , Durant is the youngest scoring leader in NBA history, averaging 30.15 points in the 2009–10 season, while at , Jordan is the oldest scoring leader, averaging 28.74 points in the 1997–98 season. Stephen Curry led the league with an average of 30.06 points in the 2015–16 season and became the first player to win the title shooting 50–40–90 in a season. Russell Westbrook led the league with an average of 31.58 points in the 2016–17 season, when he also became the second NBA player to average a triple-double in a season. In the 2021–22 season, Joel Embiid became the first international player to win the NBA scoring title, averaging 30.57 points per game. The most recent scoring leader is Luka Dončić.

Annual leaders

^Denotes player who is still active in the NBA*Inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame†Not yet eligible for Hall of Fame consideration‡Denotes player who won the NBA Most Valuable Player award that yearPlayer (X)Denotes the number of times the player had been the scoring leader up to and including that seasonGGuardFForwardCCenter

Season Player Age Pos Nationality Team Field goalsmade 3-pointfield goalsmade Free throwsmade Totalpoints Points pergameRef *25F/C United StatesPhiladelphia Warriors60475—4391,38923.15 22G/F United StatesChicago Stags483732611,00720.98 *24C United StatesMinneapolis Lakers605835321,69828.30 * (2)25C United StatesMinneapolis Lakers686495671,86527.43 * (3)26C United StatesMinneapolis Lakers686785761,93228.41 *23F/G United StatesPhiladelphia Warriors665485781,67425.36 *23C United StatesPhiladelphia Warriors705045561,56422.34 * (2)24C United StatesPhiladelphia Warriors725915771,75924.43 * (3)25C United StatesPhiladelphia Warriors725215891,63122.65 ‡ *23F/C United StatesSt. Louis Hawks726465571,84925.68 * (2)28F/G United StatesPhiladelphia Warriors716135911,81725.59 *29F/G United StatesDetroit Pistons726736552,00127.79 ‡ * (2)26F/C United StatesSt. Louis Hawks727196672,10529.24 ‡ *23C United StatesPhiladelphia Warriors721,0655772,70737.60 * (2)24C United StatesPhiladelphia Warriors791,2515313,03338.39 * (3)25C United StatesPhiladelphia Warriors801,5978354,02950.36 * (4)26C United StatesSan Francisco Warriors801,4636603,58644.83 * (5)27C United StatesSan Francisco Warriors801,2045402,94836.85 * (6)28C United StatesSan Francisco WarriorsPhiladelphia 76ers731,0634082,53434.71 ‡ * (7)29C United StatesPhiladelphia 76ers791,0745012,64933.53 *22F United StatesSan Francisco Warriors781,0117532,77535.58 *24G United StatesDetroit Pistons798354722,14227.11 *23F/C United StatesSan Diego Rockets829304672,32728.38 *31G United StatesLos Angeles Lakers748316472,30931.20 ‡ *23C United StatesMilwaukee Bucks821,0634702,59631.66 ‡ * (2)24C United StatesMilwaukee Bucks811,1595042,82234.84 *24G United StatesKansas City–Omaha Kings801,0286632,71933.99 *22C/F United StatesBuffalo Braves749014592,26130.55 ‡ * (2)23C/F United StatesBuffalo Braves821,0956412,83134.52 * (3)24C/F United StatesBuffalo Braves789345592,42731.12 *29G United StatesNew Orleans Jazz738865012,27331.14 *25G/F United StatesSan Antonio Spurs828645042,23227.22 * (2)26G/F United StatesSan Antonio Spurs809474712,36529.56 * (3)27G/F United StatesSan Antonio Spurs781,024325052,58533.14 *25F/G United StatesUtah Jazz8090926322,45230.65 * (4)29G/F United StatesSan Antonio Spurs79993105552,55132.29 *29F United StatesDenver Nuggets8295924062,32628.37 * (2)28F/G United StatesUtah Jazz7980218132,41830.61 *28F United StatesNew York Knicks5569114261,80932.89 *26F United StatesAtlanta Hawks78888135772,36630.33 *23G United StatesChicago Bulls821,098128333,04137.09 ‡ * (2)24G United StatesChicago Bulls821,06977232,86834.98 * (3)25G United StatesChicago Bulls81966276742,63332.51 * (4)26G United StatesChicago Bulls821,034925932,75333.57 ‡ * (5)27G United StatesChicago Bulls82990295712,58031.46 ‡ * (6)28G United StatesChicago Bulls80943274912,40430.05 * (7)29G United StatesChicago Bulls78992814762,54132.58 *28C United StatesSan Antonio Spurs80840106932,38329.79 *22C United StatesOrlando Magic7993004552,31529.30 ‡ * (8)32G United StatesChicago Bulls829161115482,49130.38 * (9)33G United StatesChicago Bulls829201114802,43129.65 ‡ * (10)34G United StatesChicago Bulls82881305652,35728.74 *23G United StatesPhiladelphia 76ers48435583561,28426.75 ‡ * (2)27C United StatesLos Angeles Lakers7995604322,34429.67 ‡ * (2)25G United StatesPhiladelphia 76ers71762985852,20731.08 * (3)26G United StatesPhiladelphia 76ers60665784751,88331.38 *23G/F United StatesOrlando Magic758291735762,40732.09 * (2)24G/F United StatesOrlando Magic676531743981,87828.03 * (4)29G United StatesPhiladelphia 76ers757711046562,30230.69 *27G United StatesLos Angeles Lakers809781806962,83235.40 * (2)28G United StatesLos Angeles Lakers778131376672,43031.56 ^23F United StatesCleveland Cavaliers757941135492,25030.00 *27G United StatesMiami Heat79854885902,38630.20 ^21F United StatesOklahoma City Thunder827941287562,47230.15 ^ (2)22F United StatesOklahoma City Thunder787111455942,16127.71 ^ (3)23F United StatesOklahoma City Thunder666431334311,85028.03*28F United StatesNew York Knicks676691574251,92028.66 ‡ ^ (4)25F United StatesOklahoma City Thunder818491927032,59332.01 †26G United StatesOklahoma City Thunder67627865461,88628.15 ‡ ^27G United StatesGolden State Warriors798054023632,37530.06 ‡ † (2)28G United StatesOklahoma City Thunder818242007102,55831.58 ‡ ^28G United StatesHouston Rockets726512656242,19130.43 ^ (2)29G United StatesHouston Rockets788433787542,81836.13 ^ (3)30G United StatesHouston Rockets686722996922,33534.34 ^ (2)32G United StatesGolden State Warriors636583373622,01531.98 ^27C CameroonPhiladelphia 76ers68666936542,07930.57 ‡ ^ (2)28C CameroonPhiladelphia 76ers66728666612,18333.08 ^24G SloveniaDallas Mavericks708042844782,37033.86 ‡ ^26G CanadaOklahoma City Thunder768601636012,48432.68 ^ (2)26G SloveniaLos Angeles Lakers646932545032,14333.48

Multiple-time leaders

RankPlayerTeamScoring titlesYears1Michael JordanChicago Bulls10, , , , , , , , , 2Wilt ChamberlainPhiladelphia Warriors / San Francisco Warriors (5) / Philadelphia 76ers (2)7, , , , , , 3George GervinSan Antonio Spurs4, , , Allen IversonPhiladelphia 76ers, , , Kevin DurantOklahoma City Thunder, , , 6George MikanMinneapolis Lakers3, , Neil JohnstonPhiladelphia Warriors, , Bob McAdooBuffalo Braves, , James HardenHouston Rockets, , 10Paul ArizinPhiladelphia Warriors2, Bob PettitSt. Louis Hawks, Kareem Abdul-JabbarMilwaukee Bucks, Adrian DantleyUtah Jazz, Shaquille O'NealOrlando Magic (1) / Los Angeles Lakers (1), Tracy McGradyOrlando Magic, Kobe BryantLos Angeles Lakers, Russell WestbrookOklahoma City Thunder, Stephen CurryGolden State Warriors, Joel EmbiidPhiladelphia 76ers, Luka DončićDallas Mavericks (1) / Los Angeles Lakers (1),

By team

†Denotes a defunct NBA franchise

TitlesTeamYears14Philadelphia Warriors / San Francisco Warriors / Golden State Warriors, , , , , , , , , , , , , 10Chicago Bulls, , , , , , , , , 8Philadelphia 76ers, , , , , , , Minneapolis Lakers / Los Angeles Lakers, , , , , , , 7Oklahoma City Thunder, , , , , , 5San Antonio Spurs, , , , 4San Diego Rockets / Houston Rockets, , , 3Buffalo Braves / Los Angeles Clippers, , New Orleans Jazz / Utah Jazz, , St. Louis Hawks / Atlanta Hawks, , Orlando Magic, , 2Detroit Pistons, Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks, 1Chicago Stags†Kansas City–Omaha Kings / Sacramento KingsDenver NuggetsCleveland CavaliersMiami HeatDallas Mavericks0Boston CelticsNoneBrooklyn NetsCharlotte HornetsIndiana PacersMemphis GrizzliesMinnesota TimberwolvesNew Orleans PelicansPhoenix SunsPortland Trail BlazersToronto RaptorsWashington Wizards

By country

TitlesCountryYears75 United States1947–2 Cameroon, Slovenia, 1 Canada

List of NBA annual scoring leaders

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