NBA Scoring Crown: 10 Players Who Could Lead the League in Scoring
There are only a select number of players in the league that contain the ability to score at will from nearly any spot on an NBA court.
Some players see most of their production from a lethal jump shot that they have developed over time, other players get their scoring from near the basket where they have developed strong, multi-dimensional post games that continue to fool opposing defenders to this day, and others can do it all from the paint to outside the three-point stripe.
Over the years, some players have stunned us with their scoring. Starting off with Wilt Chamberlain in the 1960s when he dazzled us with 50.4 points per game in the 1961-62 season, a record that will never be broken or even touched. Michael Jordan's amazing 37.1 points per game in only his third season in the league after coming off an injury plagued second season stunned us and gave us all a reason to watch basketball.
No other player had come close to the totals that Jordan put up in his third season until Kobe Bryant dropped 35.4 points per game in the 2005-06 season that was capped off by the 81-point performance in the middle of the season. Bryant needed to take 27 shots per game to reach that total and no player has come close since.
Kevin Durant is the reigning scoring champ after averaging 30 points last season, also becoming the youngest player in NBA history to win the scoring title at 20 years old. Durant is not only expected to lead his team deep into the postseason next year, but to also lead the league in scoring again after a very impressive FIBA championships where he eclipsed the American record for points in a game with 38.
There will be challengers, however, and here are the players that will compete for the coveted title of scoring leader.
Kevin Durant
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Not many people have been able to witness the Kevin Durant experience since his inception into the NBA considering he plays for a small market team like Oklahoma City, but that's all going to change this season after he led his team to a franchise high of 50 wins—not including when the team was in Seattle—and a strong six game series with the eventual champion Los Angeles Lakers.
Durant led the league last year in scoring at 30.2 points per game on 47 percent from the field, while leaving fans in awe of the many ways that he could score.
His explosive ability allows him to drive to the rim at any given moment while using his length to get ahead of and above opposing defenders. He saw most of his points come from driving into the lane as he was tied for the league lead in free throw shooting at nearly 10 per game with LeBron James. The difference between the two is that Durant was hitting his free throws at a stupendous 90 percent, while James hit only 77 percent.
The impressive free throw shooting gave Durant the edge in scoring as he took the crown by .5 of a point.
Kevin also showed off some range to go with an already lethal jump shot as he hit nearly two three-pointers per game on 36 percent shooting from beyond the arc. He might have also given FIBA officials a new reason to move the three-point line back as he hit a number of deep jumpers that would usually be two-pointers on an NBA regulation court.
The scary thing about Durant is that he's only 21 years old and continues to improve with talent and confidence. He was given added confidence at the FIBAs when he nearly single-handedly led a young USA squad to their first gold medal in nearly 15 years. Durant's length and range were the driving factors of the team capturing the gold.
There weren't too many additions to the Thunder that would take away any scoring output from Durant, so we can expect to see upwards of 30 points or even more if all goes according to plan.
Kobe Bryant
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An article that deals with scoring just wouldn't be the same without Kobe Bryant, now would it?
Kobe Bryant is no stranger to scoring titles as he has led the league in scoring four times, while leading in points per game twice in the 2005-06 season and 2006-07 season, when he averaged 35 and 32 points respectively.
As everybody already knows, Bryant is coming off a season where he led his Lakers to an NBA championship while suffering from a broken finger. Surgeons have said the finger will never be the same again due to the wear and tear that was suffered throughout the season. Bryant needed to develop a shot with his left hand which surprisingly came at ease last season as he finished fourth in scoring at 27 points per game.
Kobe's scoring can come from just about anywhere on the court. His explosive ability has simmered down from a few years ago, but the 31-year-old can still surprise with momentum and somewhat of an open lane in front of him. He has also trained with Hakeem Olajuwon to develop a post game near the basket, which he put on display on many occasions last season and usually resulted in an easy two for Bryant.
The future Hall of Famer's deadly range and jump shot are also key to him winning a scoring title and leading his team to a fourth consecutive NBA Finals appearance. Bryant actually saw a significant drop in his field goal percentage from the field as it hit 46 percent from two-point range and a near career low of 33 percent from beyond the arc. His free-throw percentage also dropped to 81 percent for the first time since his second season in the league.
Can we blame the lows in percentage on his finger? Probably. However, the one accolade that Kobe holds above every other player is his desire to win. If you saw Kobe's 81-point game against the Toronto Raptors, you saw that his Lakers team was down by 20 points for a few moments. Bryant knew that he would have to lead his team and score at will if the team had any chance of winning, and sure enough he did lead his team to a victory.
Bryant will do whatever it takes to win and if it means needing to average 30 points per game, then there is little doubt that Kobe can accomplish a feat such as that and take a third scoring title.
Dwyane Wade
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It might be an impossible feat for Dwyane Wade to lead the league in scoring this season, but if anyone can accomplish the impossible, it is Dwyane Wade.
Wade is two seasons removed from winning his first scoring title at 30 points per game on 49 percent shooting after needing to do nearly everything in his power to lead his team to a 43-win season. His scoring production dropped off drastically to 27 points on 47 percent shooting last year as his Heat team won 47 games and earned a fifth seed in the process.
Wade will no longer need to worry about heavy lifting after the Heat made a number of huge pickups that include LeBron James and Chris Bosh, both of whom averaged over 24 points per game last season. Winning won't come as an issue to Wade and Miami, but will scoring?
It seems to be pretty obvious that the Miami Heat remains Dwyane Wade's team and that he will remain as the offensive leader while receiving significant contributions from James, Bosh, and other players that will benefit from the big three's influence. Dwyane can see scoring come easier now that he won't be forced into double and triple teams and we could see Wade average upwards of 30 points per game if given the opportunity.
Wade's ridiculous 30 points per game from two seasons ago came as a result of receiving little help from teammates and defenses not wising up on how to stop Wade. Last year during his drop off, opposing defenses threw everything they could at him to limit his scoring in any way possible. Now that the Heat have a new philosophy and team, the flood gates can open up for Wade again as he could see another scoring title, as well as a league title, in his future.
Winning the scoring title with James and Bosh already on the team would be a shocking feat, but we've seen Wade make plays that are more shocking than that before.
Monta Ellis
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Kevin Durant isn't the only young gun that is threatening to take home a scoring title in the 2010-11 season. A soon-to-be 25-year-old in Oakland is hungry for scoring and feeds his appetite on a nightly basis as a member of the Golden State Warriors.
Monta Ellis has certainly had a strange career since joining the league in the 2005-06 season as a second round pick out of high school by the Warriors. He only played in 18 minutes per game as a rookie in 49 games while only dropping seven points per game. Ellis continued to develop as he saw a significant rise in minutes and took advantage of the situation by scoring 17 points the next season.
Ellis would have his breakout year next season, dropping 20 points per game and receiving a lucrative deal in the process. However, a moped accident would cause him to miss most of the 2008-09 season, and he would only play in 25 games as a result. The 2009-10 season was a make or break year for Monta as the Warriors were hoping they didn't make a mistake by gambling on the 6'3", 175-pound shooting guard.
Ellis responded by netting a career high 25 points on 45 percent shooting from the field. The 25 points per game was good for sixth in the league as he finished third among shooting guards in scoring behind only Bryant and Wade. Monta can thank most of his scoring output thanks to the absurd amount of minutes he averaged per game at 41.
Some aspects of his game can still use some work, especially from behind the arc, where he only shot for 34 percent. He did hit a career high of one three-pointer per game, but we can expect him to take more shots from beyond 25 feet as the team leader of this upstart Warriors squad, which could either greatly help his chances at a scoring title or hurt his team as a player who takes too many wayward shots.
The Warriors did receive some offensive help in David Lee and are now seeing development in Reggie Williams, but we can expect Ellis to continue to put up big numbers as we see him develop into one of the game's lethal jump shooters.
Carmelo Anthony
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Carmelo Anthony might not be a Denver Nugget by the end of this upcoming season, but it won't limit his ability to hit from any spot on the floor at any given moment.
Anthony has the gift of being one of the most offensively talented players to play in the game today and showed it off last season as he averaged a near career high of 28 points per game on 46 percent shooting. The 28 points is a huge increase from the previous season where he only netted 23 points per game on a dismal 44 percent from the field.
As a member of the Nuggets, Carmelo is by far the scoring leader, as Chauncey Billups is the next best scorer at 20 points per game last season. With Billups aging, however, Anthony could see his role as scoring leader increase if he remains in Denver. The Nuggets don't have many other large offensive options from Anthony aside from Billups and J.R. Smith, so seeing 'Melo average upwards of 30 points per game shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone.
Carmelo is a pure offensive player as he contains the strong ability to drive, hit clutch shots, and hit jump shots from just about anywhere on the court. His three-point shooting isn't up to par, as he only hit an atrocious 32 percent from beyond the arc last season, but with age comes experience and we could see Anthony being able to develop a three-point shot in the prime of his career.
Anthony winning a scoring title could only come with Denver or if he is traded to the Houston Rockets, but if he sees himself shipped off to New York or New Jersey, then a championship would be the primary concern for Carmelo rather than a scoring title.
He has come close to winning the scoring crown, as he finished second in the 2006-07 season when he averaged 29 points per game, and we could see his scoring output continue to grow and exceed expectations if he remains with Denver for the remainder of the season.
Dirk Nowitzki
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There aren't many players in the league that can make a jump shot like Dirk Nowitzki can.
Dirk is a long shot for winning a scoring title as he has only averaged as high as 27 points per game in the 2005-06 season, but with time running out as a lethal NBA player, Nowitzki might be desperate to advance to an NBA championship and could do anything to reach his goal of winning a title.
Dirk's 27 points per game came in the season where his Dallas Mavericks lost the title in six games to the Miami Heat and we could see Dirk average that much again if he is in that hot of a pursuit for the championship that has eluded him for so long. His Dallas team impresses the NBA world in the regular season before they reach the postseason and then finds themselves hitting a brick wall year after year that stops their journey right in its tracks.
Nowitzki is coming off of another stable season where he averaged 25 points on 48 percent shooting, but saw a near career low in his three-point shooting as he only hit 0.6 three-pointers per game on 42 percent shooting. While he does see most of his production come from the mid-range game, Dirk can hit from beyond the arc and has averaged as high as nearly two three-pointers per game at nearly 40 percent.
Whether Dirk wants to use the three-point shot more than usual will be up to him, but it can help his chances of winning a scoring title and the NBA championship. His Mavericks have improved and will be a threat next season to take the Western Conference crown now that they have Caron Butler for a full season and J.J. Barea and Rodrigue Beaubois developing.
Dirk is still a force to be reckoned with anywhere near the court as he can still use the threat of a jump shot to drive or to give opponents fits with his dangerous mid-range game as well. His leadership on this team will be huge if he not only wants to win a scoring title, but a championship as well.
Amar'e Stoudemire
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If this was an All-Defensive team list, Amar'e Stoudemire would probably be the last person we would be talking about. When it comes to offense however, Stoudemire is as deadly as they come when within striking distance of the rim.
Since joining the Phoenix Suns in the 2002-03 season as a high school kid, Amar'e has impressed Suns fans, as well as NBA fans in general, with his versatile offensive game. He averaged 14 points per game on his way to Rookie of the Year and has continued to develop since then, topping off at 26 points in the 2004-05 season and hitting 23 points per game last season.
While "Stat" has a jump shot, it's his post game and overall game around the basket where he scores most of his points. Amare is a high flier who can use his strength and quickness to drop an easy score on just about any defender in the league and could see his production either skyrocket or drop as a new member of the New York Knicks.
Stoudemire was fortunate enough to play alongside arguably one of the best point guards in NBA history in Steve Nash. Nash's ability to be unpredictable and accurate allowed Stoudemire to get a number of open looks under or near the basket for easy scores. Not only that, but the Suns being one of the most dangerous three-point shooting teams in the league helped out as well, as defenses would focus their attention on players behind the arc rather than Amare in the paint.
The Knicks are a team similar to that of the Suns, as they also use the same offensive system, just with a less talented team, but Stoudemire will be happy to know that he will be coached under the tutelage of Mike D'Antoni once again. D'Antoni molded Amare into the player he is today, and Stoudemire saw some of his best seasons come under him as well.
However, the role of Steve Nash will be replaced with Raymond Felton, who Stoudemire has no prior experience with. Felton is a quality point guard, but nowhere near that of Nash who would always seem to find Amare in places no one would even expect to look. Amare can see his scoring rise now that he is completely the main scoring threat and could also see open shots now that a number of Knicks are developing into dangerous shooters.
Tyreke Evans
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You might think I'm reaching for players to put on this list, but if you watched Tyreke Evans at all last year, you would know he has just as good a shot to win the scoring crown as anyone else.
The Sacramento Kings star became one of only four rookies in NBA history to average 20 points, five rebounds, and five assists for a season as he averaged 20 points, six assists, and five rebounds overall. He hit 46 percent from the field and a lowly 26 percent from beyond the arc, but we could see a change in scoring as he continues to develop over time.
Evans has already put his offensive skill set on display when hitting jump shots and driving, but he knows that it is his significant size advantage over average sized point guards that would allow him to win a scoring title. Tyreke is already being compared to the likes of Magic Johnson and Oscar Robertson for his ability to use his size to find open looks for his teammates and himself.
At 6'6" and 220 pounds, Evans is a point guard in a small forward's body and still manages to complete feats that only some of the most talented players can do, as he has already hit two game-winning shots in his short career. No other point guard in the league can boast the size that Evans possesses, and the Kings should continue to utilize him as such.
Sacramento is a young team with a number of players that could develop into dangerous threats on the offensive and defensive side of the ball and they can thrive off of Evans if he continues to play in the one spot. A scoring title will be a long shot for only his second season in the league, but Tyreke has already proved anything is possible after the exceedingly strong rookie season he pulled off last year.
Evans should find no problem in scoring with undersized players guarding him and not only will he continue to improve as a player and evolve into the eventual superstar that we know he'll become, but his Kings team will improve as a result.
Stephen Curry
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Of course if there were going to be two players on the same team that have a shot of winning the scoring title, that team would be the Golden State Warriors.
Not many people knew what to expect out of Stephen Curry when he joined the team last year after being taken with the number seven pick out of Davidson. Everyone knew that Curry was an offensive juggernaut in college after averaging 29 points per game in his final season and a 44 percent three-point percentage in his sophomore season, but nobody could have guessed just how good Curry was last year.
He averaged only 18 points per game on 46 percent shooting, but he saw his stats rise significantly in the second half of the season, as he had a number of games that even veterans could only dream of. He ended the season on a particularly high note when he dropped 42 points against the Portland Trail Blazers while grabbing nine rebounds and dishing out eight assists in the process.
Curry had eight games of 30 points or more, with all of them coming from the mid-point to the end of the season. He had a few breakout games from beyond the arc as well, when he hit seven of 11 in a 36 point outing against the Los Angeles Clippers and hit all six of his three-pointers in a loss against the Denver Nuggets.
Needless to say, Stephen Curry can shoot the lights out when given the opportunity. The problem with Curry winning the scoring title, however, would be Monta Ellis and vice versa. The Warriors are a high octane team with a plethora of offensive threats and shooters, but only one can emerge as the number one offensive option.
In only one season, Stephen might have already proved to coach Don Nelson that he is the one to be feared most by opposing defenders and not Ellis. Curry and Ellis have similar games with both of them as scoring machines, but Monta is more of a slasher while Curry is more of a shooter. Stephen's three-point game is much more advanced than Monta's, who is more of a mid-range shooter than a deep shooter.
Curry and Ellis will both be offensive specialists in this league, but we could expect to see the both of them contending for scoring championships in the near future as well.
Dwight Howard
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The last person in the NBA that you'd want to go against when within five feet of the rim would be Dwight Howard. The first person in the NBA you'd want to go against when outside five feet of the rim would also be Dwight Howard.
Howard is coming off of somewhat of a drop-off season, as he averaged only 18 points per game after averaging nearly 21 the two seasons prior. His scoring is a sight to see whenever given the opportunity, as he shakes stadiums with his monstrous dunks and put-backs. Howard uses his brute strength for the latter of his scoring and attempts to get some points from the free throw line as well, but struggles at only 59 percent.
The problem for Dwight is that he can't do much else aside from dunking the basketball and using his athleticism alone. He has received guidance from assistant coach Patrick Ewing on how to develop some sort of hook shot and jump shot, but looks stiff on both, as it doesn't appear he can be fluent enough to knock down shots aside from easy lay-ins. Howard's strength is his biggest advantage, and with it he can be the most dominant player to ever step onto the NBA court.
There aren't many centers who can stop Dwight, but stopping him is relatively simple: keep him away from the basket. While it's easier said than done, Dwight needs to drastically polish his offensive game if he ever wants to win a scoring title as well as a league title. In the Magic's latest NBA finals appearance, Howard was contained by the Lakers Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum, as he could not get close enough to the rim to score at will.
If Howard can develop some footwork and a reliable hook shot, then there is no doubt that he can average upwards of 25 to 30 points per game. Hopefully for the Magic and Howard's sake, he got the Kobe Bryant treatment and got some help from Hakeem Olajuwon on how to be a big man and how to score from outside of five feet in the process.
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