James Harden Passes Shaq on All-Time Scoring List, Cements His Place Among NBA Legends
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - James Harden added another major milestone to his already Hall of Fame-bound résumé Monday night, passing Shaquille O’Neal to move into ninth place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list. With 28,614 points and counting, Harden continues to redefine what longevity and consistent excellence look like in the modern NBA.
“Shaquille O'Neal, somebody that I literally grew up watching here in L.A.,” Harden said after the game. “Him and Kobe doing their thing, winning multiple championships-the most dominant big man in the history of the game. It's a true honor, it's a testament to the work that I put in.”
That work has been relentless. Harden’s game has evolved over the years, but the production hasn’t slowed.
Even in his 17th NBA season, he’s still putting up All-Star numbers: 25.8 points, 8.0 assists, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game through 36 contests. He’s not just hanging around-he’s still driving winning basketball, a key catalyst behind the Clippers' recent surge, winning 10 of their last 12 games.
But scoring is just one piece of Harden’s case for greatness. He recently climbed to 12th on the all-time assists list with 8,604 and sits second all-time in three-pointers made (3,291), trailing only Stephen Curry. That rare combination of scoring and playmaking puts him in elite company-arguably a class of his own when you consider the full scope of his offensive impact.
Let’s not forget the accolades: 11-time All-Star, 8-time All-NBA selection, 3-time scoring champion, 2-time assists leader, 2017-18 MVP, 2011-12 Sixth Man of the Year, and a member of the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team. That’s not just a stacked trophy case-it’s a legacy.
From his early days as a Sixth Man in Oklahoma City to becoming the offensive engine in Houston, and now a veteran leader in L.A., Harden’s journey has been marked by reinvention and sustained excellence. His influence on the game-particularly the way he weaponized the step-back three and manipulated defenses with his pace and precision-has shaped the modern NBA offense.
When we talk about the greatest shooting guards of all time, the top two spots are usually locked in: Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. After that, the conversation gets interesting.
Dwyane Wade, Clyde Drexler, Jerry West, Allen Iverson-they’re all legends in their own right. But Harden’s résumé stacks up with, and in many ways surpasses, most of them.
Wade has the rings, no doubt. But Harden brings a different kind of dominance to the table-one built on volume, versatility, and longevity.
He’s still playing at a high level in Year 17, while many of his contemporaries had already transitioned into supporting roles or left the game entirely by that point. That kind of sustained production matters, especially in a league where durability and adaptability are often the difference between great and legendary.
It’s not just the numbers or the awards. Harden has been one of the most influential players of his era-on and off the court. He’s helped reshape offensive strategy, inspired a generation of scorers, and done it all while carrying the weight of expectation year after year.
And he’s not done yet.
With more milestones in sight and the Clippers in the thick of the Western Conference race, Harden’s story is still being written. But make no mistake-he’s already carved out his place in NBA history.
And when the time comes for Springfield to welcome him into the Hall of Fame, it won’t just be a celebration of points and assists. It’ll be a celebration of a player who changed the game and never stopped evolving.