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Only 13 NBA Players Have Career Averages Above 25 Points Per Game

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James Foglio
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James Foglio Sports Editor

James is a Basketball Insiders contributor. He earned his bachelor's degree in English and Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University. James enjoys watching sports and helping gamblers win money.

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Sports Editor

Updated28 Sep 2023

Only 13 NBA Players Have Career Averages Above 25 Points Per Game

Only 13 NBA players in league history have career averages above 25 points per game, and the minimum requirements include at least 400 games played or 10,000 points.

Four active players are on the list — Kevin Durant (27.2), Joel Embiid (27.2), LeBron James (27.2), and Damian Lillard (25.2). Of course, Michael Jordan tops the list with 30.1 points per game.

List of 13 NBA players with career averages above 25 points per game

Rank

NBA Player

PPG

1.)

 Michael Jordan 30.1

2.)

Wilt Chamberlain

30.0

3.)

Elgin Baylor

27.3

4.)

Kevin Durant

27.2

5.)

Joel Embiid

27.2

6.)

LeBron James

27.2

7.)

Jerry West

27.0

8.)

Allen Iverson

26.6

9.)

Bob Pettit

26.3

10.)

George Gervin

26.1

11.)

Oscar Robertson

25.6

12.)

Damian Lillard

25.2

13.)

Karl Malone

25.0

Michael Jordan averaged 30.1 points with the Chicago Bulls in 1,072 games over the course of his 15-year career. The NBA Hall of Famer won six NBA championships (1991-93, 1996-98), six Finals MVPs, and five MVP awards (1988, 1991, 1992, 1996, 1998). Will an NBA player ever pass Jordan’s career point average?

Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant has the best odds. Through 986 career games, Durant is averaging 27.3 points per game on 49.9% shooting from the floor and 38.5% beyond the arc. For something else to consider, Jordan logged 30.1 points on 49.7% shooting from the field and 32.7% from deep.

Will NBA players Kevin Durant, LeBron James, Joel Embiid, or Damian Lillard ever enter the career 30 PPG club?

Now, Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid and Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James could still very well reach the 30-point mark. However, James is set to enter his 21st NBA season, and he turns 39 this December. Fans will argue that the four-time MVP is out of his prime at this point of his playing career.

Durant (2009-10, 2013-14), Lillard (2019-20, 2022-23), and Embiid (2021-22, 2022-23) have averaged 30 points per game in a season twice in their careers. James has done it three times (2005-06, 2007-08, 2021-22).

M.J. logged 30 points per game eight times (1986-87, 1987-88, 1988-89, 1989-90, 1990-91, 1991-92, 1992-93, 1995-96)! The Bulls legend accomplished this feat in seven straight seasons before playing Minor League Baseball.

Furthermore, Embiid won his first MVP award last season after averaging a career-high 33.1 points in 66 appearances with the Philadelphia 76ers. Durant averaged a career-high 32 points in 2013-14.

Above all else, Durant and Embiid have to stay healthy if they want to join the 30-point club. Each of the aforementioned NBA players have dealt with injuries in their careers.

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