LA Clippers guard James Harden advanced to ninth on the NBA’s all-time scoring list on Monday night, overtaking Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal.
The milestone came on Jan. 12, 2026, as the 36-year-old poured in 32 points during the Clippers’ win over the Charlotte Hornets at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.
“Shaquille O’Neal is someone I grew up watching here in L.A.,” Harden said in a postgame interview shared by the NBA on X. “He and Kobe won multiple championships. He was the most dominant big man ever. Passing him is a true honor and reflects the work I’ve put in.”
Harden, a Los Angeles native who starred at Artesia High School in nearby Lakewood, has built his reputation on elite three-point shooting and an ability to reach the rim with crafty ball-handling. Monday’s performance lifted his career total above O’Neal’s, making Harden the newest member of the scoring list’s top ten.
With continued production, Harden could still catch Wilt Chamberlain and Dirk Nowitzki, though Kevin Durant—currently playing for the Houston Rockets—also remains ahead and is still adding to his own total.
LeBron James retains the No. 1 position on the career scoring chart and continues to widen the gap in his 23rd NBA season. The league and trading-card company Topps recently unveiled a special jersey patch commemorating James’ 23rd season, an honor the Lakers star described as humbling.
Source: Lakers Nation
