Kareem Abdul-Jabbar vs. Joel Embiid: Career Scoring Comparison
We break down the scoring legacies of Joel Embiid 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.
Joel Embiid and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar have two of the highest career scoring averages in league history (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is also one of the all-time leaders in total points) and here we compare all their scoring stats.
By taking a look at their career numbers for points, the first conclusion one can arrive at is that Joel Embiid has better scoring averages both in the regular season and Playoffs while Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scored more total points in both stages. 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 10 NBA regular seasons played, Joel Embiid averages 2.9 points more than Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in his 20 seasons (27.5 points against 24.6). On the other hand Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scored a total of 25,639 points more than Joel Embiid (38,387 vs. 12,748).
Points Per Game | Seasons | ||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 24.6 | 20 | |
| Joel Embiid | 27.5 | +2.9 | 10 |
Total Points | Seasons | ||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 38,387 | +25,639 | 20 |
| Joel Embiid | 12,748 | 10 | |
Scoring Titles | ||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 2 |  |
| Joel Embiid | 2 | |
Points in the Playoffs
Similar to what happens in the regular season, in the NBA postseason Joel Embiid has a better career point average than Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (+0.6 points per game) while Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scored more points (+4,293).
Points Per Game | Playoffs | ||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 24.3 | 18 | |
| Joel Embiid | 24.9 | +0.6 | 7 |
Total Points | Playoffs | ||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 5,762 | +4,293 | 18 |
| Joel Embiid | 1,469 | 7 | |
Points by Thresholds
Regular Season
70+ Point Games | ||||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 0 | |||
| Joel Embiid | 1 | +1 | ||
60+ Point Games | ||||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 0 | |||
| Joel Embiid | 1 | +1 | ||
20+ Point Games | ||||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 1,122 | +753 | ||
| Joel Embiid | 369 | |||
10+ Point Games | ||||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 1,509 | +1056 | ||
| Joel Embiid | 453 | |||
1+ Point Games (games with points) | ||||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 1,559 | +1097 | ||
| Joel Embiid | 462 | |||
0 Point Games (games without points) | ||||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 1 | |||
| Joel Embiid | 1 | |||
Playoffs
50+ Point Games | ||||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 0 | |||
| Joel Embiid | 1 | +1 | ||
20+ Point Games | ||||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 169 | +127 | ||
| Joel Embiid | 42 | |||
10+ Point Games | ||||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 223 | +165 | ||
| Joel Embiid | 58 | |||
1+ Point Games (games with points) | ||||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 237 | +178 | ||
| Joel Embiid | 59 | |||
0 Point Games (games without points) | ||||
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 0 | |||
| Joel Embiid | 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: | +2.9 | +1.1 | +6.0 | +1.2 | +3.5 | +28.0 | +4.0 | +4.0 | +10.7 | +10 | +1,097 | |
| Joel Embiid | 27.5 | 9.1 | 18.1 | 50.0 | 1.2 | 3.5 | 33.6 | 8.3 | 10.0 | 82.8 | 10 | 463 |
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: | +25,639 | +11,645 | +19,917 | +6.0 | +543 | +1,603 | +28.0 | +2,892 | +4,689 | +10.7 | +10 | +1,097 |
| Joel Embiid | 12,748 | 4,192 | 8,390 | 50.0 | 544 | 1,621 | 33.6 | 3,820 | 4,615 | 82.8 | 10 | 463 |
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: | +0.6 | +2.0 | +1.5 | +7.4 | +1.1 | +3.8 | +28.9 | +3.6 | +3.7 | +8.8 | +11 | +178 |
| Joel Embiid | 24.9 | 7.9 | 17.2 | 45.9 | 1.1 | 3.8 | 28.9 | 8.0 | 9.7 | 82.8 | 7 | 59 |
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: | +4,293 | +1,890 | +3,407 | +7.4 | +65 | +221 | +28.9 | +578 | +849 | +8.8 | +11 | +178 |
| Joel Embiid | 1,469 | 466 | 1,015 | 45.9 | 65 | 225 | 28.9 | 472 | 570 | 82.8 | 7 | 59 |
Year by Year Points Average Comparison
= NBA Scoring Leader
= NBA ChampionRegular Season
Rookie Season | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 28.8 | +8.6 | 1970 | 82 |
| Joel Embiid | 20.2 | 2017 | 31 | |
Season 2 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 31.7 | +8.8 | 1971 | 82 |
| Joel Embiid | 22.9 | 2018 | 63 | |
Season 3 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 34.8 | +7.3 | 1972 | 81 |
| Joel Embiid | 27.5 | 2019 | 64 | |
Season 4 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 30.2 | +7.2 | 1973 | 76 |
| Joel Embiid | 23.0 | 2020 | 51 | |
Season 5 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 27.0 | 1974 | 81 | |
| Joel Embiid | 28.5 | +1.5 | 2021 | 51 |
Season 6 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 30.0 | 1975 | 65 | |
| Joel Embiid | 30.6 | +0.6 | 2022 | 68 |
Season 7 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 27.7 | 1976 | 82 | |
| Joel Embiid | 33.1 | +5.4 | 2023 | 66 |
Season 8 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 26.2 | 1977 | 82 | |
| Joel Embiid | 34.7 | +8.5 | 2024 | 39 |
Season 9 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 25.8 | +2.0 | 1978 | 62 |
| Joel Embiid | 23.8 | 2025 | 19 | |
Season 10 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 23.8 | +3.3 | 1979 | 80 |
| Joel Embiid | 20.5 | 2026 | 11 | |
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's additional seasons: | ||||
* Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played 10 seasons more than Joel Embiid in the NBA. In those years—his seasons 11 to 20, from 1980 to 1989—he averaged 20.6 points in a total of 787 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 |
| Joel Embiid | - | DNP | 2017 | 0 |
Season 2 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 26.6 | +5.2 | 1971 | 14 |
| Joel Embiid | 21.4 | 2018 | 8 | |
Season 3 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 28.7 | +8.5 | 1972 | 11 |
| Joel Embiid | 20.2 | 2019 | 11 | |
Season 4 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 22.8 | 1973 | 6 | |
| Joel Embiid | 30.0 | +7.2 | 2020 | 4 |
Season 5 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 32.2 | +4.1 | 1974 | 16 |
| Joel Embiid | 28.1 | 2021 | 11 | |
Season 6 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | - | DNP | 1975 | 0 |
| Joel Embiid | 23.6 | +23.6 | 2022 | 10 |
Season 7 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | - | DNP | 1976 | 0 |
| Joel Embiid | 23.7 | +23.7 | 2023 | 9 |
Season 8 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 34.6 | +1.6 | 1977 | 11 |
| Joel Embiid | 33.0 | 2024 | 6 | |
Season 9 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 27.0 | +27.0 | 1978 | 3 |
| Joel Embiid | - | DNP | 2025 | 0 |
Season 10 | Points per game | Year | Games | |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 28.5 | +28.5 | 1979 | 8 |
| Joel Embiid | - | DNP * | 2026 | 0 |
| * season in progress | ||||
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's additional Playoffs: | ||||
* During his 10 additional NBA seasons, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played in 10 Playoffs and won 5 NBA Championships. In those postseasons he averaged 21.4 points in a total of 158 games. His highest playoff average during that period was 31.9 ppg and his lowest 11.1. |