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List of NBA annual scoring leaders

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In basketball, points are accumulated through free throws or field goals. The National Basketball Association's (NBA) scoring title is awarded to the player with the highest points per game average in a given season. The scoring title was originally determined by total points scored through the 1968–69 season, after which points per game was used to determine the leader instead. The three-point field goal was introduced in the NBA at the start of the 1979–80 season. To qualify for the scoring title, a player must appear in at least 58 games (out of 82). However, a player who appears in fewer than 58 games may qualify as annual scoring leader if his point total would have given him the greatest average, had he appeared in 58 games. For the scoring title, this has been the requirement since the 2013–14 season, with requirements changing several times previously throughout history.

Wilt Chamberlain holds the all-time records for total points scored (4,029) and points per game (50.4) in a season; both records were achieved in the 1961–62 season. He also holds the rookie records for points per game when he averaged 37.6 points in the 1959–60 season. Among active players, James Harden has the highest point total (2,818) and the highest scoring average (36.1) in a season; both were achieved in the 2018–19 season.

Michael Jordan has won the most scoring titles, with 10. Jordan and Chamberlain are the only players to have won seven consecutive scoring titles (this was also Chamberlain's career total). George Gervin, Allen Iverson and Kevin Durant have won four scoring titles in their career, and James Harden, George Mikan, Neil Johnston and Bob McAdoo have achieved it three times. Paul Arizin, Bob Pettit, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O'Neal, Tracy McGrady, Kobe Bryant, Russell Westbrook, Stephen Curry and Joel Embiid have each won the scoring title twice. Since the 1946–47 season, six players have won both the scoring title and the NBA championship in the same season: Joe Fulks in 1947 with the Philadelphia Warriors, Mikan from 1949 to 1950 with the Minneapolis Lakers, Abdul-Jabbar (then Lew Alcindor) in 1971 with the Milwaukee Bucks, Jordan from 1991 to 1993 and from 1996 to 1998 with the Chicago Bulls, O'Neal in 2000 with the Los Angeles Lakers, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in 2025 with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Since the introduction of the three-point field goal, O'Neal is the only scoring leader to not have made a three-pointer during the season.

At 21 years and 197 days, Durant is the youngest scoring leader in NBA history, averaging 30.1 points in the 2009–10 season, while at 35 years and 72 days, Jordan is the oldest scoring leader, averaging 28.7 points in the 1997–98 season. Stephen Curry led the league with an average of 30.1 points in the 2015–16 season and became the first player to win the title shooting 50–40–90 in a season. Russell Westbrook led the league with an average of 31.6 points in the 2016–17 season, when he also became the second NBA player to average a triple-double in a season. The most recent champion is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Annual leaders

GGuardFForwardCCenter
SeasonPlayerAgePosTeamGPField goals
made3-point
field goals
madeFree throws
madeTotal
pointsPoints per
gameRef*** (2)* (3)*** (2)* (3)‡** (2)*‡* (2)‡** (2)* (3)* (4)* (5)* (6)‡* (7)****‡*‡* (2)**‡* (2)* (3)*** (2)* (3)** (4)** (2)***‡* (2)* (3)* (4)‡* (5)‡* (6)* (7)**‡* (8)* (9)‡* (10)*‡* (2)‡* (2)* (3)** (2)* (4)** (2)^*^^ (2)^ (3)*‡^ (4)^‡^‡^ (2)‡^^ (2)^ (3)^ (2)^^ (2)^^
25F/CPhiladelphia Warriors60475—4391,38923.2
22G/FChicago Stags483732611,00721.0
24CMinneapolis Lakers605835321,69828.3
25CMinneapolis Lakers686495671,86527.4
26CMinneapolis Lakers686785761,93228.4
23F/GPhiladelphia Warriors665485781,67425.4
23CPhiladelphia Warriors705045561,56422.3
24CPhiladelphia Warriors725915771,75924.5
25CPhiladelphia Warriors725215891,63122.7
23F/CSt. Louis Hawks726465571,84925.7
28F/GPhiladelphia Warriors716135911,81725.6
29F/GDetroit Pistons726736552,00127.8
26F/CSt. Louis Hawks727196672,10529.2
23CPhiladelphia Warriors721,0655772,70737.6
24CPhiladelphia Warriors791,2515313,03338.4
25CPhiladelphia Warriors801,5978354,02950.4
26CSan Francisco Warriors801,4636603,58644.8
27CSan Francisco Warriors801,2045402,94836.9
28CSan Francisco Warriors
Philadelphia 76ers731,0634082,53434.7
29CPhiladelphia 76ers791,0745012,64933.5
22FSan Francisco Warriors781,0117532,77535.6
24GDetroit Pistons798354722,14227.1
23F/CSan Diego Rockets829304672,32728.4
31GLos Angeles Lakers748316472,30931.2
23CMilwaukee Bucks821,0634702,59631.7
24CMilwaukee Bucks811,1595042,82234.8
24GKansas City-Omaha Kings801,0286632,71934.0
22C/FBuffalo Braves749014592,26130.6
23C/FBuffalo Braves821,0956412,83134.5
24C/FBuffalo Braves789345592,42731.1
29GNew Orleans Jazz738865012,27331.1
25G/FSan Antonio Spurs828645042,23227.2
26G/FSan Antonio Spurs809474712,36529.6
27G/FSan Antonio Spurs781,024325052,58533.1
24F/GUtah Jazz8090926322,45230.7
29G/FSan Antonio Spurs79993105552,55132.3
29FDenver Nuggets8295924062,32628.4
27F/GUtah Jazz7980218132,41830.6
28FNew York Knicks5569114261,80932.9
26FAtlanta Hawks78888135772,36630.3
23GChicago Bulls821,098128333,04137.1
24GChicago Bulls821,06977232,86835.0
25GChicago Bulls81966276742,63332.5
26GChicago Bulls821,034925932,75333.6
27GChicago Bulls82990295712,58031.5
28GChicago Bulls80943274912,40430.1
29GChicago Bulls78992814762,54132.6
28CSan Antonio Spurs80840106932,38329.8
22COrlando Magic7993004552,31529.3
32GChicago Bulls829161115482,49130.4
33GChicago Bulls829201114802,43129.6
34GChicago Bulls82881305652,35728.7
23GPhiladelphia 76ers48435583561,28426.8
27CLos Angeles Lakers7995604322,34429.7
25GPhiladelphia 76ers71762985852,20731.1
26GPhiladelphia 76ers60665784751,88331.4
23G/FOrlando Magic758291735762,40732.1
24G/FOrlando Magic676531743981,87828.0
29GPhiladelphia 76ers757711046562,30230.7
27GLos Angeles Lakers809781806962,83235.4
28GLos Angeles Lakers778131376672,43031.6
23FCleveland Cavaliers757941135492,25030.0
27GMiami Heat79854885902,38630.2
21FOklahoma City Thunder827941287562,47230.1
22FOklahoma City Thunder787111455942,16127.7
23FOklahoma City Thunder666431334311,85028.0
28FNew York Knicks676691574251,92028.7
25FOklahoma City Thunder818491927032,59332.0
26GOklahoma City Thunder67627865461,88628.1
28GGolden State Warriors798054023632,37530.1
28GOklahoma City Thunder818242007102,55831.6
28GHouston Rockets726512656242,19130.4
29GHouston Rockets788433787542,81836.1
30GHouston Rockets686722996922,33534.3
32GGolden State Warriors636583373622,01532.0
27CPhiladelphia 76ers68666936542,07930.6
‡28CPhiladelphia 76ers66728666612,18333.1
25GDallas Mavericks708042844782,37033.9
‡26GOklahoma City Thunder768601636012,48432.7

Multiple-time leaders

RankPlayerTeamTimes leaderYears
1Michael JordanChicago Bulls10, , , , , , , , ,
2Wilt ChamberlainPhiladelphia Warriors/San Francisco Warriors (5) / Philadelphia 76ers (2)7, , , , , ,
3Kevin DurantOklahoma City Thunder4, , ,
George GervinSan Antonio Spurs, , ,
Allen IversonPhiladelphia 76ers, , ,
6James HardenHouston Rockets3, ,
Neil JohnstonPhiladelphia Warriors, ,
Bob McAdooBuffalo Braves, ,
George MikanMinneapolis Lakers, ,
10Kareem Abdul-JabbarMilwaukee Bucks2,
Paul ArizinPhiladelphia Warriors,
Kobe BryantLos Angeles Lakers,
Stephen CurryGolden State Warriors,
Adrian DantleyUtah Jazz,
Joel EmbiidPhiladelphia 76ers,
Tracy McGradyOrlando Magic,
Shaquille O'NealOrlando Magic (1) / Los Angeles Lakers (1),
Bob PettitSt. Louis Hawks,
Russell WestbrookOklahoma City Thunder,

Notes

References

;General

;Specific

References

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