Each year in the NBA, we have a scoring leader and it typically leans towards younger players, still in the midst of their physical primes.
Only five players on the wrong side of 30 have led the league in scoring historically. This shouldn’t come as a surprise, but Michael Jordan is currently the oldest player to have led the NBA in scoring when he accomplished just that in his final season with the Chicago Bulls, in 1997-98, when he put up 28.7 points per game as a 35-year-old.
In fact, Jordan led the league in scoring every year of Chicago’s second three-peat between 1996 and 1998.
However, LeBron James could easily crush that record if he keeps having 50-point nights like the one vs. the Wizards at age 37, as James currently leads the NBA in scoring as things stand.
And look out for Kevin Durant as he’s back in full force leading the Brooklyn Nets and could also get very high up on the list.
Players’ ages set as of April 30.
VINCENT LAFORET/AFP via Getty Images)
Season: 1997-98
Stats: 28.7 ppg on 46.5 FG%, 23.8 3P% and 78.4 FT%
(AP Photo/Michael S. Green)
Season: 1996-97
Stats: 29.6 ppg on 48.6 FG%, 37.4 3P% and 83.3 FT%
(AP Photo/John Zich)
Season: 1995-96
Stats: 30.4 ppg on 49.5 FG%, 42.7 3P% and 83.4 FT%
Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Season: 2020-21
Stats: 32.0 ppg on 48.2 FG%, 42.1 3P% and 91.6 FT%
(George Long/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
Season: 1969-70
Stats: 31.2 ppg on 49.7 FG% and 82.4 FT%
Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
Season: 2019-20
Stats: 34.3 ppg on 44.4 FG%, 35.5 3P% and 86.5 FT%
(AP Photo/Curtis Compton)
Season: 1992-93
Stats: 32.6 ppg on 49.5 FG%, 35.2 3P% and 83.7 FT%
Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Season: 1981-82
Stats: 32.3 ppg on 50.0 FG%, 27.8 3P% and 86.4 FT%
(Harry How/Getty Images)
Season: 2004-05
Stats: 30.7 ppg on 42.4 FG%, 30.8 3P% and 83.5 FT%
(Photo by Tony Triolo/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
Season: 1976-77
Stats: 31.1 ppg on 43.3 FG% and 83.5 FT%
(Photo by Ken Regan/ NBAE/ Getty Images)
Season: 1965-66
Stats: 33.5 ppg on 54.0 FG% and 51.3 FT%
Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
Season: 2018-19
Stats: 36.1 ppg on 44.2 FG%, 36.8 3P% and 87.9 FT%
(AP Photo)
Season: 1957-58
Stats: 27.8 ppg on 41.4 FG% and 81.1 FT%
Tim DeFrisco /Allsport
Season: 1982-83
Stats: 28.4 ppg on 51.6 FG%, 16.7 3P% and 82.9 FT%
USA TODAY Sports
Season: 1991-92
Stats: 30.1 ppg on 51.9 FG%, 27.0 3P% and 83.2 FT%
(AP Photo/Paul Vathis)
Season: 1956-57
Stats: 25.6 ppg on 42.2 FG% and 82.9 FT%
David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Season: 2012-13
Stats: 28.7 ppg on 44.9 FG%, 37.9 3P% and 83.0 FT%
(AP Photo/ Joe Holloway Jr.)
Season: 1993-94
Stats: 29.8 ppg on 50.7 FG%, 34.5 3P% and 74.9 FT%
(Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images)
Season: 1964-65
Stats: 34.7 ppg on 51.0 FG% and 46.4 FT%
(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Season: 2006-07
Stats: 31.6 ppg on 46.3 FG%, 34.4 3P% and 86.8 FT%
Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Season: 2017-18
Stats: 30.4 ppg on 44.9 FG%, 36.7 3P% and 85.8 FT%
Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Season: 2016-17
Stats: 31.6 ppg on 42.5 FG%, 34.3 3P% and 84.5 FT%
(Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images)
Season: 1984-85
Stats: 32.9 ppg on 53.0 FG%, 10.0 3P% and 77.2 FT%
(AP Photo/George Widman)
Season: 1990-91
Stats: 31.5 ppg on 53.9 FG%, 31.2 3P% and 85.1 FT%
Season: 1979-80
Stats: 33.1 ppg on 52.8 FG%, 31.4 3P% and 85.2 FT%
