How The Top 10 NBA Players On The All-Time Scoring List Scored Their Points: 3-Pointers, 2-Pointers, And Free Throws (Full Breakdown)

There have been many words written and many breakdowns applied to the players with the most career points in NBA history. Analysts and journalists have looked extensively at their efficiency and how much it takes to reach the Top 10 in all-time scoring. What is rarely looked at, if ever, is which shots these players took to reach the levels they have. Are players manipulating scoring by getting to the free-throw line? Are players getting most of their points from beyond the arc? Did these guys control the paint for the majority of their careers?

These questions and more will be answered today. This breakdown will take a look and reveal who were the better scorers at each spot on the court. It will also include the percentage of points scored from the 2-point range, 3-point range, and free-throw line. Every player on this list is a talented scorer, and this aims to take nothing away from any of them. It is, however, meant to add to their greatness and show exactly where they excelled on the offensive side of the ball. Let’s take a look at each Top 10 scorer in NBA history and how they reached that spot.

This is the breakdown of the 10 NBA players with the most career points according to 3-pointers, 2-pointers, and free throws.

10. Moses Malone – 27,404 Points

Points Breakdown:

8,531 Points – Free Throws (31.1% Of Total Points)

18,854 Points – 2 Pointers (68.8% Of Total Points)

24 Points – 3-Pointers (0.1% Of Total Points)

If you know anything about Moses Malone, then you cannot be surprised that most of his points came in the paint and from the free throw line. Malone is one of the NBA’s greatest rebounders, and that applied especially to the offensive end. Malone was a putback master and usually got his points from within 5 feet of the basket. Out of over 20,000 attempts from within the 3-point line, Malone shot 49.7% from the field.

Malone had no reason for most of his career to play from beyond the foul line, let alone beyond the 3-point line. Malone was tough to stop in the low post for any defender, and it showed with the way he finished most of his shots. Malone did attempt 80 3-pointers in his career, knocking down 8 of them for a 9.6% conversion rate. Malone would also hit on 8,531 free throws out of 11,090 attempts giving him a career free throw percentage of 76.9%.

9. Carmelo Anthony – 28,289 Points

Points Breakdown:

6,320 Points – Free Throws (22.3% Of Total Points)

16,776 Points – 2-Pointers (59.3% Of Total Points)

5,193 Points – 3-Pointers (18.4% Of Total Points)

Carmelo Anthony’s career is a tale of two halves. During the first half of his career, Anthony was a true three-level threat on offense. He could knock down outside shots, control the mid-range, and eat opponents up with his back to the bask down low. During his time with Denver, over 85.0% of his shots came from within the 3-point arc. With the Knicks, that dropped below 75.0% and below 70.0% after. As his career went on, Anthony did most of his work from the foul line and 3-point range.

As you can see from the numbers, most of Carmelo Anthony’s points came from his short jump shots and working in the post. I know many fans may remember him for his shooting displays nightly in Madison Square Garden, but the truth is, Anthony got to the foul line more than he shot threes. For his career, Anthony shot 47.2% on all 2-point attempts. Anthony attempted 4,873 3-pointers in his career and connected on 35.5% of them as well as 81.4% of his foul shots.

8. Shaquille O’Neal – 28,596 Points

Points Breakdown:

5,935 Points – Free Throws (20.7% Of Total Points)

22,658 Points – 2-Pointers (79.2% Of Total Points)

3 Points – 3-Pointers (0.1% Of Total Points)

I cannot figure out what is more astonishing to me. Is it the fact that Shaq only made 1 3-pointers during his career? Is it the fact that over 22,000 of his points came from below the foul line? Maybe it’s the fact that he made just 5,935 foul shots in his long and illustrious career. Whatever the case, O’Neal became a Top 10 player of all-time without the assistance of a 3-point shot. The fact is that O’Neal didn’t need that in his arsenal to overpower and dominate opponents.

O’Neal was about as good as anyone has ever been within 4 feet of the basket. He led the NBA in field goal percentage 10 times in his career and shot 58.3% for his career on 2-point attempts. Shaq went 1-22 in his career from three for a career percentage of 4.5%. We are all aware of his highly publicized struggles from the foul line as well. O’Neal made 5,935 free throws in his career out of 11,252 attempts. This gives him a career free throw percentage of 52.7%, which is among the lowest out of the Top 10 scorers.

7. Wilt Chamberlain – 31,419 Points

Points Breakdown:

6,057 Points – Free Throws (19.3% Of Total Points)

25,362 Points – 2-Pointers (80.7% Of Total Points)

0 Points – 3-Pointers (0.0% Of Total Points)

Wilt Chamberlain is the most statistically dominant player in NBA history. Chamberlain operated from the post and, every once in a while, stepped beyond the paint and attempted a jump shot or 2. Wilt dominated his competition from an individual standpoint from the moment he made his NBA debut. Over the first 7 seasons of his career, he won 7 scoring titles and 4 rebounding titles and averaged 40.6 PPG and 24.9 RPG. He also led the NBA in made shots 6 times and shot attempts 6 times.

As much as Wilt stood above the competition in regular field goals, he did the same at the foul line. Chamberlain led the NBA in free throw attempts 9 times in his career and made free throws just once. He shot 51.1% from the line, giving him the worst free-throw percentage out of anyone in the Top 10. Wilt accomplished a ton during his NBA career, and one of his more impressive feats is over 31,000 points without the existence of a 3-pointer.

6. Dirk Nowitzki – 31,560 Points

Points Breakdown:

7,240 Points – Free Throws (22.9% Of Total Points)

18,374 Points – 2-Pointers (58.2% Of Total Points)

5,946 Points – 3-Pointers (18.9% Of Total Points)

Dirk Nowitzki is one of the best scoring power forwards in NBA history. At 7’0’’ tall, Dirk is known as the best big man shooter ever and made a career of killing opponents with his jumper. With his back to the basket, Nowitzki was lethal especially armed with his famous one-legged fadeaway jumper that seemed like it took forever to come down off the release. He was also an avid 3-point shooter with over 1,900 made threes in his 20 seasons.

Nowitzki was one of the more accurate free-throw shooters of his time as well. Nowitzki connected on 7,240 free throws in his career on 8,239 attempts for an 87.9% rate for his career. Dirk was also a 49.6% shooter from within the 3-point line and a 38.0% shooter from beyond it. Although he never won a scoring title, Nowitzki’s consistency and accuracy made for an accomplished career in that department. When it is all said and done, Nowitzki is one of the better 7’0’’ footers to play the game.

5. Michael Jordan – 32,292 Points

Points Breakdown:

7,327 Points – Free Throws (22.7% Of Total Points)

23,222 Points – 2-Pointers (71.9% Of Total Points)

1,743 Points – 3-Pointers (5.4% Of Total Points)

Michael Jordan is the greatest scorer in NBA history. He may not have had much success as a three-pointer shooter, but truthfully, he didn’t need to be. As fans in the 80s and 90s watched on in awe, Jordan defied the laws of gravity as he soared to the basket on many tough and acrobatic finishes. Jordan attacked the rim with a purpose and finished through contact efficiently while taking a beating in the process. He mastered the mid-range shot to the point where it was seen as a form of art with how smoothly and prolific he did his work from there.

In his 15 seasons in the NBA, Michael Jordan led the NBA in 2-point field goals made 9 times including 7 straight years from 1987 through 1993. He shot the ball at 51.0% on 2-point attempts and 32.7% on 3-point attempts. As far as free throws go, Jordan earned his way to the line for 8,772 attempts in 15 seasons and connected on 7,327 of them, or 83.5% of the time. He led the NBA twice in attempted free throws and once in made free throws during his career.

4. Kobe Bryant – 33,643 Points

Points Breakdown:

8,378 Points – Free Throws (24.9% Of Total Points)

19,784 Points – 2-Pointers (58.8% Of Total Points)

5,481 Points – 3-Pointers (16.3% Of Total Points)

Kobe Bryant is also one of the better scorers that fans have seen throughout NBA history. Bryant mirrored almost everything about Michael Jordan on the court, and it shows in his scoring throughout his career. Like Jordan, Kobe also mastered the art of the mid-range shot and going to work on his man with his back to the basket. Bryant showed no fear attacking the rim as well, leading to many attempts at the free-throw line. Bryant was wrongfully accused of being selfish as time went on, grossly mistaken for his unwavering desire to win.

Out of all the players in the Top 10 for career scoring, Kobe ranks 2nd in made free throws and 3rd in made 3-pointers. Kobe led the NBA twice in made free throws during his career and shot 83.7% from the line overall. He shot the ball at 47.9% on 2-pointers and 32.9% on 3-pointers. He led the NBA in made 2-pointers 3 times and made shots overall 3 times despite leading 6 times in shots attempted. Whatever the recipe was for Kobe, it worked, and he went down as one of the greatest to ever do it.

3. Karl Malone – 36, 928 Points

Points Breakdown:

9,787 Points – Free Throws (26.5% Of Total Points)

26,886 Points – 2-Pointers (72.8% Of Total Points)

255 Points – 3-Pointers (0.7% Of Total Points)

For nearly 2 decades, Karl Malone was known as the 2-leading scorer in NBA history. Malone got to this point by being one of the most consistent scorers in NBA history using his physical and efficient game in the paint and on the low blocks, as well as his ability to run the floor and get to the foul line. The threat Malone imposed offensively was only enhanced by the presence of John Stockton as Malone’s elbow jumper began to evolve and drop more often.

Of all the players in the Top 10 for career points, Malone ranks 1st in free throws made and 2nd in points created from 2-pointers. Malone made just 85 3-pointers in his career, which is surprisingly more than 4 other scorers in the Top 10. Malone went 74.2% from the foul line in his career and led the NBA 8 times in made free throws. He led the NBA in made 2-pointers once in and shot 51.9% from that range. Malone’s 85-310 from beyond the 3-point line gave him a 27.4% from there for his career, on top of the main ways he put the ball through the hoop.

2. LeBron James – 37,524 Points

Points Breakdown:

7,896 Points – Free Throws (21.0% Of Total Points)

23,082 Points – 2-Pointers (61.5% Of Total Points)

6,546 Points – 3-Pointers (17.5% Of Total Points)

Somehow, the man that is set to break Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s all-time record in 2022-23 has become underrated as a scorer. James has always been decent at worst at scoring from anywhere on the floor, but perhaps it is the way he does everything else that overshadows his scoring. At his peak, James was someone who played as downhill as an NFL running back, slicing through the lane like a freight train off the tracks. He couldn’t be stopped in the open court and became a decent shooter from 3-point land as his career matured.

To show James’ dominance at the rim, his career finishing rate on shots 3 feet or less from the basket is 73.8%. Of all shots considered to be 2-pointers, James shoots 55.2% showing the accuracy is a bit less but still outstanding as he gets further away from the basket. LeBron jas produced the most points from 3-point range out of anyone in the Top 10 and ranks outside the Top 5 in free throws. As he gets set to become No. 1 on this list, I can only hope he gets more respect as a scorer.

1. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – 38,387 Points

Points Breakdown:

6,712 Points – Free Throws (15.5% Of Total Points

31,672 Points – 2-Pointers (82.5% Of Total Points)

3 Points – 3-Pointers (0.00007% Of Total Points)

As it stands right now, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the king of NBA history when it comes to scoring. Kareem made opponents pay in the pay on a nightly basis with his patented skyhook shot and ability to finish almost anything around the rim. Kareem had no need for a 3-point shot as it wasn’t introduced until he was already a pro and he possessed the ability to take over games without it. Kareem became the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, having made just 1 3-pointer in his career, finishing over 15,000 2-point shots over 20 years.

Kareem has made over 2,000 more 2-point shot attempts than any player in the Top 10 for scoring or in NBA history. He shot exactly 56.0% on 2-point shots and 1-18 (5.6%) on 3-pointers. Abdul-Jabbar was a 72.1% free throw shooter in his career, knocking down 6,712 shots in 9,304 attempts. For 33 years, Kareem has been the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. Just because he is about to be No. 2 does not mean we forget the power he held with the ball in his hands

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