Kareem Abdul-Jabbar vs. Domantas Sabonis: Career Scoring Comparison
We break down the scoring legacies of Domantas Sabonis 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 Domantas Sabonis.
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 Domantas Sabonis 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: |
|
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 8.5 points more than Domantas Sabonis in his 10 seasons (24.6 points against 16.1), and he also scored a total of 27,899 points more (38,387 vs. 10,488).
Points Per Game | Seasons | ||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 24.6 | +8.5 | 20 |
| Domantas Sabonis | 16.1 | 10 | |
Total Points | Seasons | ||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 38,387 | +27,899 | 20 |
| Domantas Sabonis | 10,488 | 10 | |
Scoring Titles | ||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 2 |  +2 |
| Domantas Sabonis | 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 Domantas Sabonis (+12.3 points per game) and he also scored more points (+5,522).
Points Per Game | Playoffs | ||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 24.3 | +12.3 | 18 |
| Domantas Sabonis | 12.0 | 4 | |
Total Points | Playoffs | ||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 5,762 | +5,522 | 18 |
| Domantas Sabonis | 240 | 4 | |
Points by Thresholds
Regular Season
50+ Point Games | ||||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 10 | +10 | ||
| Domantas Sabonis | 0 | |||
20+ Point Games | ||||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 1,122 | +914 | ||
| Domantas Sabonis | 208 | |||
10+ Point Games | ||||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 1,509 | +991 | ||
| Domantas Sabonis | 518 | |||
1+ Point Games (games with points) | ||||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 1,559 | +915 | ||
| Domantas Sabonis | 644 | |||
0 Point Games (games without points) | ||||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 1 | |||
| Domantas Sabonis | 8 | +7 | ||
Playoffs
40+ Point Games | ||||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 9 | +9 | ||
| Domantas Sabonis | 0 | |||
30+ Point Games | ||||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 75 | +75 | ||
| Domantas Sabonis | 0 | |||
20+ Point Games | ||||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 169 | +165 | ||
| Domantas Sabonis | 4 | |||
10+ Point Games | ||||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 223 | +211 | ||
| Domantas Sabonis | 12 | |||
1+ Point Games (games with points) | ||||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 237 | +218 | ||
| Domantas Sabonis | 19 | |||
0 Point Games (games without points) | ||||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 0 | |||
| Domantas Sabonis | 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: | +8.5 | +3.9 | +6.8 | +0.0 | +0.5 | +1.4 | +28.9 | +1.3 | +1.9 | +0.8 | +10 | +908 |
| Domantas Sabonis | 16.1 | 6.3 | 11.3 | 56.0 | 0.5 | 1.4 | 34.5 | 3.0 | 4.1 | 72.9 | 10 | 652 |
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: | +27,899 | +11,733 | +20,972 | +0.0 | +311 | +886 | +28.9 | +4,744 | +6,605 | +0.8 | +10 | +908 |
| Domantas Sabonis | 10,488 | 4,104 | 7,335 | 56.0 | 312 | 904 | 34.5 | 1,968 | 2,699 | 72.9 | 10 | 652 |
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: | +12.3 | +5.0 | +9.0 | +3.0 | +0.2 | +0.9 | +17.6 | +2.2 | +2.8 | +6.8 | +14 | +217 |
| Domantas Sabonis | 12.0 | 4.9 | 9.7 | 50.3 | 0.2 | 0.9 | 17.6 | 2.2 | 3.2 | 67.2 | 4 | 20 |
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: | +5,522 | +2,259 | +4,229 | +3.0 | +3 | +13 | +17.6 | +1,007 | +1,355 | +6.8 | +14 | +217 |
| Domantas Sabonis | 240 | 97 | 193 | 50.3 | 3 | 17 | 17.6 | 43 | 64 | 67.2 | 4 | 20 |
Year by Year Points Average Comparison
= NBA Scoring Leader
= NBA ChampionRegular Season
Rookie Season | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 28.8 | +22.9 | 1970 | 82 |
| Domantas Sabonis | 5.9 | 2017 | 81 | |
Season 2 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 31.7 | +20.1 | 1971 | 82 |
| Domantas Sabonis | 11.6 | 2018 | 74 | |
Season 3 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 34.8 | +20.7 | 1972 | 81 |
| Domantas Sabonis | 14.1 | 2019 | 74 | |
Season 4 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 30.2 | +11.7 | 1973 | 76 |
| Domantas Sabonis | 18.5 | 2020 | 62 | |
Season 5 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 27.0 | +6.7 | 1974 | 81 |
| Domantas Sabonis | 20.3 | 2021 | 62 | |
Season 6 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 30.0 | +11.1 | 1975 | 65 |
| Domantas Sabonis | 18.9 | 2022 | 62 | |
Season 7 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 27.7 | +8.8 | 1976 | 82 |
| Domantas Sabonis | 18.9 | 2022 | 62 | |
Season 8 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 26.2 | +7.3 | 1977 | 82 |
| Domantas Sabonis | 18.9 | 2022 | 62 | |
Season 9 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 25.8 | +6.7 | 1978 | 62 |
| Domantas Sabonis | 19.1 | 2023 | 79 | |
Season 10 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 23.8 | +4.4 | 1979 | 80 |
| Domantas Sabonis | 19.4 | 2024 | 82 | |
Season 11 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 24.8 | +5.7 | 1980 | 82 |
| Domantas Sabonis | 19.1 | 2025 | 70 | |
Season 12 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 26.2 | +11.7 | 1981 | 80 |
| Domantas Sabonis | 14.5 | 2026 | 6 | |
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's additional seasons: | ||||
* Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played 8 seasons more than Domantas Sabonis in the NBA. In those years—his seasons 13 to 20, from 1982 to 1989—he averaged 19.4 points in a total of 625 regular season games. During that period, his highest average was 23.9 ppg and his lowest 10.1. |
Playoffs
Rookie Season | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 35.2 | +33.2 | 1970 | 10 |
| Domantas Sabonis | 2.0 | 2017 | 2 | |
Season 2 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 26.6 | +14.2 | 1971 | 14 |
| Domantas Sabonis | 12.4 | 2018 | 7 | |
Season 3 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 28.7 | +20.2 | 1972 | 11 |
| Domantas Sabonis | 8.5 | 2019 | 4 | |
Season 4 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 22.8 | +22.8 | 1973 | 6 |
| Domantas Sabonis | - | DNP | 2020 | 0 |
Season 5 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 32.2 | +32.2 | 1974 | 16 |
| Domantas Sabonis | - | DNP | 2021 | 0 |
Season 6 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | - | DNP | 1975 | 0 |
| Domantas Sabonis | - | DNP | 2022 | 0 |
Season 7 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | - | DNP | 1976 | 0 |
| Domantas Sabonis | - | DNP | 2022 | 0 |
Season 8 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 34.6 | +34.6 | 1977 | 11 |
| Domantas Sabonis | - | DNP | 2022 | 0 |
Season 9 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 27.0 | +10.6 | 1978 | 3 |
| Domantas Sabonis | 16.4 | 2023 | 7 | |
Season 10 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 28.5 | +28.5 | 1979 | 8 |
| Domantas Sabonis | - | DNP | 2024 | 0 |
Season 11 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 31.9 | +31.9 | 1980 | 15 |
| Domantas Sabonis | - | DNP | 2025 | 0 |
Season 12 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 26.7 | +26.7 | 1981 | 3 |
| Domantas Sabonis | - | DNP * | 2026 | 0 |
| * season in progress | ||||
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's additional Playoffs: | ||||
* During his 8 additional NBA seasons, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played in 8 Playoffs and won 4 NBA Championships. In those postseasons he averaged 20.2 points in a total of 140 games. His highest playoff average during that period was 27.1 ppg and his lowest 11.1. |