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Scoring 15,000 career points in the NBA is no mean feat. Quite a lot of the current players have taken very little time to get there, though, thanks to how the game has evolved offensively in the last decade.
A total of twelve active players have scored 15,000 or more points in the NBA. That number could swell next season, as a few players are on the cusp of reaching the landmark.
On that note, here's a look at the top five NBA players likely to cross the 15,000-point mark in the 2021-22 campaign.
#5 Kyrie Irving (13,293 points)
Kyrie Irving is coming off a season where he became just the eighth NBA player to achieve shooting percentages of 50/40/90. A 50/40/90 shooting split is basically a player shooting 50% from the field, 40% from the three-point line and 90% from the free-throw line throughout the regular season.
Irving joined some elite players like Larry Bird, Steve Nash, Reggie Miller, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant to achieve the feat. He did so while averaging a whopping 26.9 points per game across 54 appearances.
The Brooklyn Nets star could cross the 15,000-point mark in the NBA next season. The Nets are one of the favorites to win the title, and Irving is one of their primary scorers.
He hasn't played as many games as he would have liked to in the last two seasons, due to injuries and personal reasons. But that could change in 2021-22, as he could be motivated to help his team win a title, which would be the second one of his career.
Irving is currently 1,707 points away from the 15,000-point landmark. His highest points tally for a season till now is 1,628, which he achieved during the 2014-15 season with the Cleveland Cavaliers. If Irving stays healthy for most of the season, he has a great chance of amassing 1700+ points next campaign.
#4 Bradley Beal (13,303 points)
Bradley Beal has been in exceptional scoring form for the last two seasons. He has amassed over 30 points per game during both campaigns, and finished as the runner-up in the scoring title race behind Stephen Curry in the 2020-21 NBA season.
Beal looks likely to stay with the Washington Wizards for another season. With Westbrook's departure, Beal is expected to do most of the team's scoring. So another career-high season for the shooting guard could be on the cards.
It would take Beal another 1,697 points to get to the 15,000-point mark. Having amassed more than 1,700 points in his last five seasons, he looks likely to achieve the feat.
#3 Anthony Davis (13,463 points)
LA Lakers star Anthony Davis endured a tough second season with the 17-time NBA champions last campaign. Injuries plagued him for most of the campaign, as he only played 36 of 72 regular-season games. Davis also struggled to perform consistently, which is uncharacteristic for someone who has been at the peak of his prowess in the last few years.
The 28-year-old is reportedly striving to improve his fitness this offseason, working with a new trainer in the hope of staying healthy and available for his team next season. Davis is 1,537 points away from tallying 15,000 career points. He has scored 1500+ points four times in his career so far.
One can only imagine how much he could benefit from having two elite playmakers like LeBron James and Russell Westbrook playing alongside him next season.
#2 Kyle Lowry (14,272 points)
Kyle Lowry's move to the Miami Heat in the 2021 NBA free agency is regarded as one of the best transfers this summer. Lowry has formed a solid big-three alongside Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. The 36-year-old, despite his age, could contribute a lot to the team.
His addition to the Heat has seen them become a force to be reckoned with in the Eastern Conference. Lowry averaged 17.2 points per game last season on 43/39/87 shooting splits. The former Toronto Raptors man has a great shot at recording his 15,000th point in the NBA early next season.
Lowry is just 728 points away from that mark. He has scored at least 1000 points in six of his last eight seasons, which means he's likely to become one of the earliest entrants in the 15,000-points club next season.
#1 Paul George (14,275 points)
With Kawhi Leonard sidelined for a long period next season, Paul George will be expected to replicate his Indiana Pacers exploits with the LA Clippers in the 2021-22 campaign. George was on a solid scoring run during the 2021 NBA Playoffs. He scored at least 20 points in each of the 19 playoff games he played.
Nevertheless, George has a lot to prove when the new season begins. It's a great chance for him to end the slander he has been subjected to on social media recently. He could achieve his 15,000th point as early as the first half of the season.
PG is just 725 points away from entering the 15,000-points NBA club. He has been an exceptional scorer all his career, so barring any unexpected injury, he's likely to achieve the scoring feat in the NBA next season.
Guess the Lakers players!
