Who has the most clutch points in NBA history? Breaking down Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Michael Jordan’s place on the ladder

Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James are widely regarded as some of the greatest to have played basketball. Their greatness is only exemplified by their ability to perform in clutch situations.

All three have secured their places in NBA history for their offensive prowess. MJ is widely considered one of the most dominant offensive players of all time, as he racked up ten scoring titles. Meanwhile, James established his position at the peak of offensive achievements by becoming the NBA's leading scorer last season.

However, that has very little to do with what it means to be "clutch". When looking at such a criteria, it's very important to define what qualifies as a "clutch situation".

A game-winner is considered a clutch shot, and a go-ahead play in the final minute of a game is also considered clutch. Hauling a team back from a deficit heading into the final minute or two of games also qualifies.

On that note, performances in must-win games may also need to be considered to define a player as "clutch". Consideirng all these factors, let's take a look at where LeBron James, MJ and Kobe rank on the ladder of clutch points.

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#3 Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant, as mentioned earlier, made a career out of making scoring when the situation called on him to do so. With over 33,600 points, the LA Lakers legend was a bonafide scoring machine.

Some of Bryant's best plays came in late-clock situations. Taken it upon himself to ensure the best possible outcome during offensive plays, Bryant often found himself in position to take the last shot. That often resulted in some of the most spectacular results in the unlikeliest of situations.

Bryant's performances in the playoffs were also a thing of beauty. Although he didn't notch up as many game-winners as the others, as per ESPN, Bryant racked up an impressive 2,369 points in the clutch.

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#2 LeBron James

LeBron James often doesn't get enough credit for being clutch. Although he's the NBA's all-time leader in points, "King" James still doesn't even get enough love for being an absolute offensive force.

James is one of the most successful players in clutch situations. As recently as the 2023 playoffs, LeBron James notched yet another clutch performance against the Memphis Grizzlies to see LA through to a win at home.

It's also important to note that as per Basketball-Reference.com's data, James also leads the NBA in most playoff game-winning baskets. With five in the playoffs alone, James makes up for almost 10% of game-winners in the playoffs.

Unfortunately, his losses in the NBA Finals despite his individual brilliance sees him take a backseat in this list. LeBron James has a rough total of 2,439 points in clutch time.

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#1 Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan is one of the most clutch performers of all time. Having built a legacy on performing under pressure, Jordan was quite possibly at his best in the clutch.

Although James has more playoff game-winners, Jordan has had a significant amount of more success in the playoffs overall. Additionally, ESPN only started tracking clutch points after the 1996-97 season, leaving much of Jordan's brilliance in the dark.

It's also important to note that some of the most influential and iconic basketball plays in NBA history have been credited to MJ. With the double-pump jumper over Ehlo and "The Shot" over Russell, to name a few, Jordan truly racked up a long list of clutch plays and performances.