Scoring thousands of points in the NBA stands as an impressive feat, emblematic of a player's skill, endurance, and influence on the sport. Across the league's rich history, many athletes have achieved this esteemed milestone, leaving an enduring mark on basketball history.
Attaining the milestone of scoring thousands of points in the NBA underscores a player's talent, steadiness, and resilience. It not only highlights their capability to score but also their sustained brilliance over numerous seasons. Whether through sheer scoring ability, exceptional shooting accuracy, or a blend of both, reaching this milestone represents a noteworthy accomplishment attained by only a select few.
With that in mind, let's take a look at the five fastest players who've reached at least 28,000 career points.
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Wilt Chamberlain and four other fastest players to reach 28,000 NBA career points
#1 Wilt Chamberlain
Back in Wilt Chamberlain's era in the NBA, it was significantly easier to score points given how he was among the tallest men to compete in the league. Chamberlain at one point made history by easily scoring 100 points in a single game, a record yet to be broken. Then there's also the fact that he averaged 50.4 points per game during the 1961-62 season.
Having that in mind, it's no wonder it only took Wilt Chamberlain 825 games to accomplish 28,000 career points.
#2 Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan is arguably the greatest to ever play basketball for a lot of reasons. He's undefeated in the NBA Finals (6-0), achieved many individual accolades, and was named an All-Star in all but one of his seasons. However, what caught the attention of many fans and critics was his ability to score.
Michael Jordan was the type of player to did everything that he could to get the ball to sink into the basket. He didn't care if he missed his shots or was on a cold streak, what mattered to him most was that he made the winning plays for his team. As a result, he ranked as the second-fastest player to reach 28,000 career points.
#3 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Wilt Chamberlain and Michael Jordan may be two of the fastest players to reach 28,000 career points in only 800 plus games, however, one can argue that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the greatest scorer of all time. Before LeBron James beat his scoring record last season, Kareem was the player with the highest career points in NBA history, scoring a total of 38,387 career points.
Having that said, it wasn't difficult for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to secure the third spot as the fastest to reach 28,000 career points. He did it in 1,0008 games.
#4 Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant recently made history when he became the fourth-fastest player to reach 28,000 career points in 1,025 games. Durant achieved this feat against the Orlando Magic on Sunday night. Not only did KD rank fourth among the fastest players to reach 28,000 points, but he's also now in 10th place among the scoring leaders in NBA history.
Throughout his career, Kevin Durant was known for his lethal offense on the hardwood. Durant's deadeye shooting is what helped him win his two rings in his career.
#5 LeBron James
Some may not agree that LeBron James is an effective scorer, however, his numbers speak for themselves. He's currently that all-time leader in scoring with a total of 39,704 career points and counting. Before breaking Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's record, he was once the fourth-fastest player to reach 28,000 points with 1,033 games. James now ranks fifth after Kevin Durant surpassed him.
Say what you want about LeBron James, but no one can deny the greatness he has displayed throughout his entire career.
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