Kareem Abdul-Jabbar vs. Derrick Rose: Career Scoring Comparison
We break down the scoring legacies of Derrick Rose and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to determine who has the better numbers. Here you can compare their career totals, points per game, games of 40+ points, 50+, etc. and their year-by-year scoring averages side by side, both in the Regular Season and Playoffs.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is among the NBA's all-time leaders in points and also has one of the highest career averages in league history, and here we compare his scoring stats with those recorded by Derrick Rose.
By taking a look at their career numbers for points, the first conclusion one can arrive at is that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has better scoring stats than Derrick Rose in averages and totals, both in the regular season and Playoffs. However, we won't stop there and we'll go into detail to analyze what these statistics are made up of, from how many games they had in each threshold (30+ points, 40+, 50+, etc.) to their season-by-season scoring averages.
On this page we compare: |
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Who has better scoring stats? Career Numbers |
Career Numbers
Who has the better scoring stats?
Points in the Regular Season
In his 20 NBA regular seasons played, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar averages 7.2 points more than Derrick Rose in his 15 seasons (24.6 points against 17.4), and he also scored a total of 25,814 points more (38,387 vs. 12,573).
Points Per Game | Seasons | ||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 24.6 | +7.2 | 20 |
| Derrick Rose | 17.4 | 15 | |
Total Points | Seasons | ||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 38,387 | +25,814 | 20 |
| Derrick Rose | 12,573 | 15 | |
Scoring Titles | ||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 2 |  +2 |
| Derrick Rose | 0 | |
Points in the Playoffs
Similar to what happens in the regular season, in the NBA postseason Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has a better career point average than Derrick Rose (+2.4 points per game) and he also scored more points (+4,621).
Points Per Game | Playoffs | ||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 24.3 | +2.4 | 18 |
| Derrick Rose | 21.9 | 8 | |
Total Points | Playoffs | ||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 5,762 | +4,621 | 18 |
| Derrick Rose | 1,141 | 8 | |
Points by Thresholds
Regular Season
20+ Point Games | ||||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 1,122 | +829 | ||
| Derrick Rose | 293 | |||
10+ Point Games | ||||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 1,509 | +915 | ||
| Derrick Rose | 594 | |||
1+ Point Games (games with points) | ||||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 1,559 | +845 | ||
| Derrick Rose | 714 | |||
0 Point Games (games without points) | ||||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 1 | |||
| Derrick Rose | 9 | +8 | ||
Playoffs
20+ Point Games | ||||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 169 | +139 | ||
| Derrick Rose | 30 | |||
10+ Point Games | ||||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 223 | +175 | ||
| Derrick Rose | 48 | |||
1+ Point Games (games with points) | ||||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 237 | +186 | ||
| Derrick Rose | 51 | |||
0 Point Games (games without points) | ||||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 0 | |||
| Derrick Rose | 1 | +1 | ||
Career Shooting Stats Comparison
Regular Season
Stats Per Game
| Pts | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | Yrs | Gms | ||||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 24.6 | 10.2 | 18.1 | 55.9 | * 0.0 | * 0.0 | * 5.6 | 4.3 | 6.0 | 72.1 | 20 | 1,560 |
| difference: | +7.2 | +3.4 | +3.2 | +10.4 | +0.8 | +2.6 | +26.0 | +1.3 | +2.4 | +11.0 | +5 | +837 |
| Derrick Rose | 17.4 | 6.8 | 14.9 | 45.6 | 0.8 | 2.6 | 31.6 | 3.0 | 3.6 | 83.1 | 15 | 723 |
Total Stats
| Pts | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | Yrs | Gms | ||||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 38,387 | 15,837 | 28,307 | 55.9 | * 1 | * 18 | * 5.6 | 6,712 | 9,304 | 72.1 | 20 | 1,560 |
| difference: | +25,814 | +10,916 | +17,509 | +10.4 | +589 | +1,848 | +26.0 | +4,571 | +6,729 | +11.0 | +5 | +837 |
| Derrick Rose | 12,573 | 4,921 | 10,798 | 45.6 | 590 | 1,866 | 31.6 | 2,141 | 2,575 | 83.1 | 15 | 723 |
Notes: Three-point shots were implemented in 1979-80.
* = some years in his career didn't have the stat.
Playoffs
Stats Per Game
| Pts | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | Yrs | Gms | ||||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 24.3 | 9.9 | 18.7 | 53.3 | * 0.0 | * 0.0 | * 0.0 | 4.4 | 6.0 | 74.0 | 18 | 237 |
| difference: | +2.4 | +1.5 | +1.0 | +10.7 | +1.3 | +4.1 | +32.2 | +0.5 | +1.4 | +10.5 | +10 | +185 |
| Derrick Rose | 21.9 | 8.4 | 19.7 | 42.6 | 1.3 | 4.1 | 32.2 | 3.9 | 4.6 | 84.5 | 8 | 52 |
Total Stats
| Pts | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | Yrs | Gms | ||||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 5,762 | 2,356 | 4,422 | 53.3 | * 0 | * 4 | * 0.0 | 1,050 | 1,419 | 74.0 | 18 | 237 |
| difference: | +4,621 | +1,920 | +3,398 | +10.7 | +68 | +207 | +32.2 | +849 | +1,181 | +10.5 | +10 | +185 |
| Derrick Rose | 1,141 | 436 | 1,024 | 42.6 | 68 | 211 | 32.2 | 201 | 238 | 84.5 | 8 | 52 |
Year by Year Points Average Comparison
= NBA Scoring Leader
= NBA ChampionRegular Season
Rookie Season | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 28.8 | +12.0 | 1970 | 82 |
| Derrick Rose | 16.8 | 2009 | 81 | |
Season 2 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 31.7 | +10.9 | 1971 | 82 |
| Derrick Rose | 20.8 | 2010 | 78 | |
Season 3 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 34.8 | +9.8 | 1972 | 81 |
| Derrick Rose | 25.0 | 2011 | 81 | |
Season 4 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 30.2 | +8.4 | 1973 | 76 |
| Derrick Rose | 21.8 | 2012 | 39 | |
Season 5 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 27.0 | +11.1 | 1974 | 81 |
| Derrick Rose | 15.9 | 2014 | 10 | |
Season 6 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 30.0 | +12.3 | 1975 | 65 |
| Derrick Rose | 17.7 | 2015 | 51 | |
Season 7 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 27.7 | +11.3 | 1976 | 82 |
| Derrick Rose | 16.4 | 2016 | 66 | |
Season 8 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 26.2 | +8.2 | 1977 | 82 |
| Derrick Rose | 18.0 | 2017 | 64 | |
Season 9 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 25.8 | +17.4 | 1978 | 62 |
| Derrick Rose | 8.4 | 2018 | 25 | |
Season 10 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 23.8 | +5.8 | 1979 | 80 |
| Derrick Rose | 18.0 | 2019 | 51 | |
Season 11 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 24.8 | +6.7 | 1980 | 82 |
| Derrick Rose | 18.1 | 2020 | 50 | |
Season 12 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 26.2 | +11.5 | 1981 | 80 |
| Derrick Rose | 14.7 | 2021 | 50 | |
Season 13 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 23.9 | +11.9 | 1982 | 76 |
| Derrick Rose | 12.0 | 2022 | 26 | |
Season 14 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 21.8 | +16.2 | 1983 | 79 |
| Derrick Rose | 5.6 | 2023 | 27 | |
Season 15 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 21.5 | +13.5 | 1984 | 80 |
| Derrick Rose | 8.0 | 2024 | 24 | |
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's additional seasons: | ||||
* Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played 5 seasons more than Derrick Rose in the NBA. In those years—his seasons 16 to 20, from 1985 to 1989—he averaged 17.6 points in a total of 390 regular season games. During that period, his highest average was 23.4 ppg and his lowest 10.1. |
Playoffs
Rookie Season | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 35.2 | +15.5 | 1970 | 10 |
| Derrick Rose | 19.7 | 2009 | 7 | |
Season 2 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 26.6 | 1971 | 14 | |
| Derrick Rose | 26.8 | +0.2 | 2010 | 5 |
Season 3 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 28.7 | +1.6 | 1972 | 11 |
| Derrick Rose | 27.1 | 2011 | 16 | |
Season 4 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 22.8 | 1973 | 6 | |
| Derrick Rose | 23.0 | +0.2 | 2012 | 1 |
Season 5 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 32.2 | +32.2 | 1974 | 16 |
| Derrick Rose | - | DNP | 2014 | 0 |
Season 6 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | - | DNP | 1975 | 0 |
| Derrick Rose | 20.3 | +20.3 | 2015 | 12 |
Season 7 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | - | DNP | 1976 | 0 |
| Derrick Rose | - | DNP | 2016 | 0 |
Season 8 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 34.6 | +34.6 | 1977 | 11 |
| Derrick Rose | - | DNP | 2017 | 0 |
Season 9 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 27.0 | +12.8 | 1978 | 3 |
| Derrick Rose | 14.2 | 2018 | 5 | |
Season 10 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 28.5 | +28.5 | 1979 | 8 |
| Derrick Rose | - | DNP | 2019 | 0 |
Season 11 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 31.9 | +31.9 | 1980 | 15 |
| Derrick Rose | - | DNP | 2020 | 0 |
Season 12 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 26.7 | +7.3 | 1981 | 3 |
| Derrick Rose | 19.4 | 2021 | 5 | |
Season 13 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 20.4 | +20.4 | 1982 | 14 |
| Derrick Rose | - | DNP | 2022 | 0 |
Season 14 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 27.1 | +27.1 | 1983 | 15 |
| Derrick Rose | 0.0 | 2023 | 1 | |
Season 15 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 23.9 | +23.9 | 1984 | 21 |
| Derrick Rose | - | DNP | 2024 | 0 |
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's additional Playoffs: | ||||
* During his 5 additional NBA seasons, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played in 5 Playoffs and won 3 NBA Championships. In those postseasons he averaged 18.1 points in a total of 90 games. His highest playoff average during that period was 25.9 ppg and his lowest 11.1. |