Who’s The Greatest Scorer Ever?
Image via clutchpoints.com
The debate of who is the greatest scorer in NBA history has been a huge question. The Problem is a lack of clear consensus on what we are actually measuring. Some people care about efficiency.They enjoy the player that only misses a couple shots a game. Others care only about pure scoring numbers. Either way, unless you use statistics, there is no clear way to find an answer.
The way we solved this question is by using a simple system. First, we created a list of the top 6 consensus greatest scorers ever. This included LeBron James, James Harden, Kevin Durant, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. Each of these players were tested on 4 different scoring categories:efficency, points per game, free throws and the amount of team points they scored. The best player based on that category got 6 points, and the worst player only got 1. The winner had the most points across all categories.
Efficiency
Statistic Measure = True shooting percentage
Results:
Durant - 61.9%
Harden - 60.9%
Lebron - 59%
Jordan - 56.9%
Bird - 56.4%
Kobe - 55%
Efficiency is an interesting stat to investigate first as most people find it to be incredibly important in regards to scoring. Kevin Durant is dominant in this category mostly because of his frame. At close to 7 feet, KD is taking very few shots with a hand in his face. His ability to rise up over his defender makes every shot an open one, and therefore gives him insane efficiency stats. Then we get to James Harden and here we have to explain how true shooting percentage works. True shooting percentage evaluates how many points players score per each attempt, greatly helping players that shoot from behind the arc. This is why players such as James Harden scored so high, and players like Bird and Jordan scored lower. Then there’s Kobe Bryant. For all his great scoring prowess, Kobe took a lot of shots and a lot of tough ones, absolutely limiting his efficiency. His highly contested shots late in the shot clock along with his lack of willingness to pass found him on the very bottom of this statistic.
Points Per Game
Statistic Measure - Points Per Game (Career High Season)
Results:
Jordan 37.1
Harden - 36.1
Kobe - 35.4
Durant - 32
Lebron - 31.4
Bird - 29.1
This statistic needs no clear explanation, all of these guys can score the basketball. Even Bird who bottoms out this list at close to 30 points per game, is a crazy number. All of these statistics are from each player’s highest scoring season. What immediately stands out is three high volume scorers all at the top of the list(Jordan in 1986, Kobe in 2005, and Harden in 2018) are all great examples of being able to score at three levels. From the paint, to the midrange, to the three point shot, these three were unstopabble from these regions. They also had weaker players around them. Jordan was in his second season, Kobe was playing without Shaq for the first time, and Harden’s team was just bad. All in all, the combinations of having a variety of scoring options along with a bad team bolstered Jordan to the top of the list.
Percentage of team points scored
Statistic Measure:(Career High Season)/(amount of points team scored that season)
Results:
Jordan: (3041/8596)=35.38%
Kobe: (2832/8154)=34.73%
Lebron: (2478/8002)=30.97%
Harden: (2818/9341)=30.17%
Durant: (2593/8705)=29.79%
Bird: (2295/9412)=24.38%
In this statistic we understand who the most valuable scorers are. Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant lead the pack by a wide margin for one main reasons.They both played the same position in Hall of Fame Coach Phil Jackson’s Triangle Offense. The shooting guard role, a role they both were appointed to, often gets a lot of shots in the post and in isolation on the perimeter.This points them in the best chance to score as these areas make use of their elite foot work and athleticism. Because they’re in this primary scoring role, the amount of points their teams score is a burden they are forced to bear. A heavy burden for players less talented.
Free Throws
Statistic Measure: (Most Made Free Throws In A Season)X(Free throw percentage for that season)
Results:
Jordan (833 × 85.7%) = 713.881
Durant (756 × 90%) = 680.4
Harden (754 × 87.9%) = 622.766
Kobe (696 × 85%) = 591.6
Lebron (601 × 73.8%) = 443.538
Bird (441 × 89.6%) = 395.136
Free Throws are vital for any scorer. True dominance means getting fouled as you are harder to stop, but converting on these opportunities are vital. At the bottom of the list, Lebron and Bird both rest here for different reasons. For Lebron it’s simple, he wasn’t a great free throw shooter, especially earlier in his career. For Bird, playing in the 80’s severely hinders him in this category. Compared to Durant and Harden, Bird just got less chances at the line. Yes, his percentage is an amazing 90%, but compared to Harden and Durant who both shot close to 90% with an additional 300 more shots, it’s unfair. Then there’s Jordan. His mix of both efficiency from the line, and amount of attempts truly defines greatness in this category.
Winner: Michael Jordan - 21 points
Results:
Michael Jordan - 21 points
James Harden - 17 points
Kevin Durant - 16 points
Kobe Bryant - 13 points
Lebron James - 12 points
Larry Bird - 5 points
At last we have the answer to our question, Michael Jordan is the greatest NBA scorer of all time. The difference between Jordan and anyone else on this list; he was the best at almost every category. Durant might have been efficient, but wasn’t as valuable a scorer for his team. Harden had insane pure scoring numbers,yet wasn’t dominant in any category. Kobe lacked efficiency, LeBron lacked in points per game, and Larry Bird lacked in, well pretty much everything. Jordan’s overall offense game is so greatly ahead of everyone else’s because of his pure talent. His impeccable ability to hit shots at all three levels. His scoring at the free throw line. His knack for smart cuts and screens that help him receive easy buckets. His athleticism near the rim as well as great footwork. Overall, when you zoom out, it’s silly to compare anyone to Jordan scoring wise when you account for every scoring metric. He’s incomparable and our greatest scorer ever.