Kareem Abdul-Jabbar vs. Jalen Brunson: Career Scoring Comparison
We break down the scoring legacies of Jalen Brunson 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 Jalen Brunson.
By taking a look at their career numbers for points, the first conclusion one can arrive at is that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scored more points both in the regular season and Playoffs and also has better season average while Jalen Brunson has a better scoring average in the postseason. 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 6 points more than Jalen Brunson in his 8 seasons (24.6 points against 18.6), and he also scored a total of 28,878 points more (38,387 vs. 9,509).
Points Per Game | Seasons | ||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 24.6 | +6.0 | 20 |
| Jalen Brunson | 18.6 | 8 | |
Total Points | Seasons | ||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 38,387 | +28,878 | 20 |
| Jalen Brunson | 9,509 | 8 | |
Scoring Titles | ||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 2 | ![]() ![]() +2 |
| Jalen Brunson | 0 | |
Points in the Playoffs
In the NBA postseason Jalen Brunson has a better career point average than Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (+1.1 points per game) while Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scored more points (+4,061).
Points Per Game | Playoffs | ||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 24.3 | 18 | |
| Jalen Brunson | 25.4 | +1.1 | 5 |
Total Points | Playoffs | ||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 5,762 | +4,061 | 18 |
| Jalen Brunson | 1,701 | 5 | |
Points by Thresholds
Regular Season
60+ Point Games | ||||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 0 | |||
| Jalen Brunson | 1 | +1 | ||
20+ Point Games | ||||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 1,122 | +900 | ||
| Jalen Brunson | 222 | |||
10+ Point Games | ||||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 1,509 | +1112 | ||
| Jalen Brunson | 397 | |||
1+ Point Games (games with points) | ||||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 1,559 | +1061 | ||
| Jalen Brunson | 498 | |||
0 Point Games (games without points) | ||||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 1 | |||
| Jalen Brunson | 13 | +12 | ||
Playoffs
20+ Point Games | ||||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 169 | +121 | ||
| Jalen Brunson | 48 | |||
10+ Point Games | ||||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 223 | +162 | ||
| Jalen Brunson | 61 | |||
1+ Point Games (games with points) | ||||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 237 | +170 | ||
| Jalen Brunson | 67 | |||
0 Point Games (games without points) | ||||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 0 | |||
| Jalen Brunson | 0 | |||
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: | +6.0 | +3.4 | +4.1 | +7.1 | +1.7 | +4.3 | +33.2 | +1.0 | +2.0 | +10.3 | +12 | +1,049 |
| Jalen Brunson | 18.6 | 6.8 | 14.0 | 48.8 | 1.7 | 4.3 | 38.8 | 3.3 | 4.0 | 82.4 | 8 | 511 |
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: | +28,878 | +12,351 | +21,170 | +7.1 | +844 | +2,158 | +33.2 | +5,020 | +7,251 | +10.3 | +12 | +1,049 |
| Jalen Brunson | 9,509 | 3,486 | 7,137 | 48.8 | 845 | 2,176 | 38.8 | 1,692 | 2,053 | 82.4 | 8 | 511 |
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: | +1.1 | +0.9 | +1.0 | +7.3 | +2.0 | +5.8 | +34.2 | +0.9 | +0.4 | +8.6 | +13 | +170 |
| Jalen Brunson | 25.4 | 9.0 | 19.7 | 46.0 | 2.0 | 5.8 | 34.2 | 5.3 | 6.4 | 82.6 | 5 | 67 |
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: | +4,061 | +1,750 | +3,104 | +7.3 | +132 | +382 | +34.2 | +693 | +987 | +8.6 | +13 | +170 |
| Jalen Brunson | 1,701 | 606 | 1,318 | 46.0 | 132 | 386 | 34.2 | 357 | 432 | 82.6 | 5 | 67 |
Year by Year Points Average Comparison
= NBA Scoring Leader
= NBA ChampionRegular Season
Rookie Season | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 28.8 | +19.5 | 1970 | 82 |
| Jalen Brunson | 9.3 | 2019 | 73 | |
Season 2 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 31.7 | +23.5 | 1971 | 82 |
| Jalen Brunson | 8.2 | 2020 | 57 | |
Season 3 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 34.8 | +22.2 | 1972 | 81 |
| Jalen Brunson | 12.6 | 2021 | 68 | |
Season 4 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 30.2 | +13.9 | 1973 | 76 |
| Jalen Brunson | 16.3 | 2022 | 79 | |
Season 5 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 27.0 | +3.0 | 1974 | 81 |
| Jalen Brunson | 24.0 | 2023 | 68 | |
Season 6 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 30.0 | +1.3 | 1975 | 65 |
| Jalen Brunson | 28.7 | 2024 | 77 | |
Season 7 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 27.7 | +1.7 | 1976 | 82 |
| Jalen Brunson | 26.0 | 2025 | 65 | |
Season 8 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 26.2 | 1977 | 82 | |
| Jalen Brunson | 28.7 | +2.5 | 2026 | 24 |
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's additional seasons: | ||||
* Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played 12 seasons more than Jalen Brunson in the NBA. In those years—his seasons 9 to 20, from 1978 to 1989—he averaged 21.3 points in a total of 929 regular season games. During that period, his highest average was 26.2 ppg and his lowest 10.1. |
Playoffs
Rookie Season | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 35.2 | +35.2 | 1970 | 10 |
| Jalen Brunson | - | DNP | 2019 | 0 |
Season 2 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 26.6 | +26.6 | 1971 | 14 |
| Jalen Brunson | - | DNP | 2020 | 0 |
Season 3 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 28.7 | +20.7 | 1972 | 11 |
| Jalen Brunson | 8.0 | 2021 | 7 | |
Season 4 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 22.8 | +1.2 | 1973 | 6 |
| Jalen Brunson | 21.6 | 2022 | 18 | |
Season 5 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 32.2 | +4.4 | 1974 | 16 |
| Jalen Brunson | 27.8 | 2023 | 11 | |
Season 6 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | - | DNP | 1975 | 0 |
| Jalen Brunson | 32.4 | +32.4 | 2024 | 13 |
Season 7 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | - | DNP | 1976 | 0 |
| Jalen Brunson | 29.4 | +29.4 | 2025 | 18 |
Season 8 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 34.6 | +34.6 | 1977 | 11 |
| Jalen Brunson | - | DNP * | 2026 | 0 |
| * season in progress | ||||
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's additional Playoffs: | ||||
* During his 12 additional NBA seasons, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played in 12 Playoffs and won 5 NBA Championships. In those postseasons he averaged 21.8 points in a total of 169 games. His highest playoff average during that period was 31.9 ppg and his lowest 11.1. |