Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Surpasses Oscar Robertson for No. 2 on NBA All-Time Scoring List
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On Dec. 1, Los Angeles Lakers center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar moved past Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson to claim second place on the NBA’s career scoring chart.
The milestone came during a 117-86 victory over the Utah Jazz that pushed the Lakers to a 13-5 record. Abdul-Jabbar’s bucket pushed him beyond Robertson’s 26,710 points, leaving only Wilt Chamberlain ahead of him at the time.
Abdul-Jabbar eventually finished his 20-year career with 38,387 points, a mark that stood until fellow Laker LeBron James topped it in 2023. The scoring total was built largely on his trademark sky-hook, a shot widely regarded as one of the most unstoppable weapons in league history.
After Abdul-Jabbar leapfrogged Robertson, several other stars later joined him in surpassing the Cincinnati Royals great, including Hakeem Olajuwon, Elvin Hayes, Moses Malone, Shaquille O’Neal, LeBron James, Dirk Nowitzki, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and Karl Malone.
Alongside Magic Johnson, Abdul-Jabbar spearheaded the high-octane “Showtime” Lakers of the 1980s, a fast-paced style that helped reshape the modern NBA.
In addition to six NBA championships, the New York native collected six MVP awards, two scoring titles, two NBA Finals MVPs and was selected to 19 All-Star Games. On the defensive end, he amassed 3,189 career blocks.
Abdul-Jabbar remained in the league for seven more seasons after passing Robertson, retiring as the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. Off the court, the best-selling author and civil-rights advocate received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in recognition of his work beyond basketball.
Source: Lakers Nation
