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The NBA is home to some of the greatest scorers in basketball history. From the likes of Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and Allen Iverson to Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant, the league has seen some exceptionally talented players when it comes to putting the ball in the hoop.
A true scorer isn't afraid to miss. Back in 2017, in a game against the Brooklyn Nets, Dion Waiters of the Miami Heat scored 19 points on 7-18 shooting in a 104-96 win. After a hot start to the game, Waiters ended the night missing eight of his last nine shots. He defended himself the next day by recycling an old Kobe Bryant quote, saying:
"I’d rather go 0 for 30 than 0 for 9 because you go 0 for 9 that means you stopped shooting...That means you lost confidence"
This quote perfectly captures the essence of a scorer. Players like Reggie Miller and Stephen Curry will always say,
"Shooters gonna shoot".
The shot attempts and efficiency is something we analysts look at post-game. But when that player is on the court and fighting for a win, he couldn't care less about how many shots he has missed as long as it gets his team to the promise land. On that note, let's take a look at the top five players with the most shot attempts in NBA history.
#5 Michael Jordan - 24,537
![Michael Jordan with the Chicago Bulls [Source: Fox News]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2021/08/66368-16298213627475-800.jpg)
If you are going to set an NBA record in scoring titles, you have to attempt a historical amount of shots, right? We look at Kevin Durant with four scoring titles and proclaim him as one of the greatest scorers we have seen. Well, Michael Jordan has 10 scoring titles. Yes, 10, with seven straight at one point. He isn't even the highest on the list of shot attempts. That's just how good His Airness was.
Jordan attempted 24,537 shots in his time in the NBA. He averaged 37.1 points per game in the 1986-87 NBA season as a 23-year-old and it the highest scoring average in a season in NBA history by any player not named Wilt Chamberlain. As of 2021, he is fifth on the NBA's all-time scoring list with 32,292 points.
#4 LeBron James - 25,604
LeBron James, the player many compare to Michael Jordan for the greatest of all time, is bound to be on this list. King James is so efficient that he has more points scored than Kobe Bryant but with fewer shot attempts. He has never averaged less than 25 points per game since his rookie year and is, in fact, the only player in NBA history with 1000+ consecutive games with double-digit points. He is now entering his 19th season in the league and is on pace to top the list of NBA's All-time leading scorers.
#3 Kobe Bryant - 26,200
No one has attempted more bad shots in the NBA than Kobe Bryant. Falling out of bounds, with two defenders on him, off one leg, or with a torn rotator cuff, it doesn't matter for the Black Mamba. You know how he kept attempting those shots? Because he made them. Kobe Bryant has the most missed shots in NBA history and that is natural for someone who is regarded as one of the most ruthless scorers in the game. He is currently fourth on the NBA's all-time scoring list with 33,643 points and has attempted the third-most shots with 26,200.
Also Read: How many rings did Kobe Bryant Win?
#2 Karl Malone - 26,210
![Karl Malone with the Utah Jazz [Source: Sporting News]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2021/08/acc30-16298231762165-800.jpg)
Karl Malone is second on the all-time scoring list and also second on the number of shot attempts. He is just a mere 10 attempts ahead of Kobe Bryant with 26,210. The Mailman averaged over 20 points per game every season, excluding his rookie and final year. The two-time MVP dominated the paint during his time with the Utah Jazz for 18 seasons and dominated the Western Conference alongside John Stockton.
#1 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - 28,307
![Kareem Abdul-Jabbar with the LA Lakers [Source: InsideHook]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2021/08/2a7e5-16298237410637-800.jpg)
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar being at the top of this list is a no-brainer. He is the NBA's all-time leading scorer and has naturally, attempted the most shots in NBA history. The six-time MVP and six-time champion has a total of 38,387 points and 28,307 attempts, 2097 more than the next one on this list. He used his patented 'skyhook' as his go-to move and terrorized defenders with it. It is still regarded as one of the most unguardable moves in NBA history.
Also Read: 5 NBA teams with the most titles
Guess the Lakers players!
