NBA 2025โ26 Season
Interactive Analysis โ Top 25 Scorers
How to Use This Page
Click on any underlined player name in the analysis sections below to highlight their row in the data table. Click stat category names to spotlight those columns. Use this page to explore patterns and connections in the data.
Interactive Info Box
Click any highlighted player name or stat category in the analysis below to see details here.
Data Reference Table
| # | Player | Team | PTS | FG% | 3P% | FT% | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | EFF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Luka Donฤiฤ | LAL | 33.6 | 47.6 | 34.8 | 78.0 | 8.0 | 8.8 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 4.2 | 34.0 |
| 2 | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | OKC | 32.0 | 55.6 | 39.0 | 89.4 | 4.4 | 6.2 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 2.0 | 32.9 |
| 3 | Anthony Edwards | MIN | 29.4 | 49.5 | 40.9 | 79.9 | 5.2 | 3.7 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 2.7 | 25.9 |
| 4 | Jaylen Brown | BOS | 29.4 | 48.5 | 36.2 | 77.6 | 6.9 | 4.8 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 3.6 | 25.9 |
| 5 | Tyrese Maxey | PHI | 29.2 | 47.2 | 38.9 | 88.5 | 4.2 | 6.9 | 2.0 | 0.9 | 2.4 | 28.5 |
| 6 | Donovan Mitchell | CLE | 29.1 | 48.4 | 38.4 | 84.2 | 4.7 | 5.8 | 1.5 | 0.2 | 3.1 | 26.4 |
| 7 | Kawhi Leonard | LAC | 27.7 | 49.6 | 39.5 | 93.6 | 6.1 | 3.5 | 2.1 | 0.6 | 2.1 | 27.8 |
| 8 | Lauri Markkanen | UTA | 27.4 | 47.6 | 35.9 | 88.9 | 7.1 | 2.2 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 1.5 | 25.8 |
| 9 | Stephen Curry | GSW | 27.2 | 46.8 | 39.1 | 93.1 | 3.5 | 4.8 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 2.8 | 23.8 |
| 10 | Jalen Brunson | NYK | 27.2 | 47.2 | 38.3 | 85.3 | 3.2 | 6.1 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 2.3 | 23.3 |
| 11 | Kevin Durant | HOU | 26.2 | 51.0 | 40.5 | 88.6 | 5.4 | 4.6 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 3.0 | 25.2 |
| 12 | Jamal Murray | DEN | 25.8 | 49.2 | 44.7 | 88.1 | 4.3 | 7.4 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 2.4 | 26.5 |
| 13 | Michael Porter Jr. | BKN | 25.6 | 48.2 | 39.8 | 85.1 | 7.3 | 3.2 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 2.5 | 24.5 |
| 14 | Deni Avdija | POR | 25.5 | 46.7 | 35.6 | 80.0 | 7.2 | 6.7 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 3.9 | 26.0 |
| 15 | Devin Booker | PHX | 25.4 | 45.6 | 31.3 | 86.4 | 4.0 | 6.2 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 3.3 | 22.5 |
| 16 | James Harden | LAC | 25.4 | 41.9 | 34.7 | 90.1 | 4.8 | 8.1 | 1.3 | 0.4 | 3.7 | 25.3 |
| 17 | Cade Cunningham | DET | 25.2 | 46.0 | 32.4 | 80.9 | 5.6 | 9.8 | 1.5 | 0.9 | 3.7 | 27.5 |
| 18 | Keyonte George | UTA | 24.2 | 45.9 | 37.7 | 89.3 | 4.0 | 6.6 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 3.3 | 23.1 |
| 19 | Victor Wembanyama | SAS | 24.1 | 50.4 | 36.4 | 83.3 | 11.1 | 2.7 | 0.9 | 2.6 | 2.7 | 29.4 |
| 20 | Pascal Siakam | IND | 23.8 | 48.3 | 37.7 | 68.9 | 6.9 | 4.0 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 2.2 | 22.6 |
| 21 | Jalen Johnson | ATL | 23.1 | 49.9 | 36.0 | 78.0 | 10.5 | 8.0 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 3.5 | 30.0 |
| 22 | Norman Powell | MIA | 23.0 | 47.2 | 39.2 | 84.4 | 3.7 | 2.6 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 2.0 | 19.2 |
| 23 | Julius Randle | MIN | 22.3 | 49.3 | 33.5 | 81.9 | 6.9 | 5.4 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 2.6 | 24.2 |
| 24 | Brandon Ingram | TOR | 21.9 | 47.0 | 35.8 | 83.6 | 5.9 | 3.7 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 2.6 | 20.6 |
| 25 | Shaedon Sharpe | POR | 21.9 | 45.8 | 34.6 | 77.8 | 4.6 | 2.7 | 1.5 | 0.1 | 3.1 | 17.0 |
Analysis Walkthroughs
Analysis 1: Shooting Efficiency vs. Volume
Among the elite scorers of the 2025-26 season, the relationship between volume and efficiency is more nuanced than expected. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander stands apart with a remarkable 55.6% FG%, the highest in the group, showing that the highest efficiency doesn't always come with the highest scoring rank. He achieves this by generating free throws at an elite rate (9.3 FTA/g) and keeping his three-point volume low.
By contrast, James Harden posts the lowest FG% (41.9%) among all top-25 scorers, relying more heavily on high-volume three-point attempts and a league-leading 90.1% from the free throw line. His approach prioritizes drawing fouls and creating offense through passing (8.1 APG) over field goal efficiency.
This contrast illustrates that Kevin Durant's 51.0% FG% represents the ideal combination โ high efficiency maintained alongside deep shot creation, a hallmark of his elite status even later in his career.
Analysis 2: The All-Around Contributor
Scoring averages alone don't capture a player's full value. Luka Donฤiฤ leads all scorers with 33.6 PPG while simultaneously averaging 8.8 APG and 8.0 RPG โ approaching a true triple-double average and demanding double teams that open opportunities for teammates.
Victor Wembanyama offers a unique case: ranked 19th in scoring at 24.1 PPG, his 11.1 RPG and 2.6 BPG are far ahead of any other player in this dataset. His efficiency rating of 29.4 actually exceeds several players who outscore him, reflecting his multi-dimensional impact.
Meanwhile, Jalen Johnson at #21 in scoring quietly posts 10.5 RPG and 8.0 APG โ a statistical profile more reminiscent of a traditional point forward than a shooting guard. His EFF rating of 30.0 ranks among the top 5 in this group, despite his lower PPG rank.
Analysis 3: Free Throw Generation โ The Hidden Scoring Lever
Free throws are often undervalued in casual analysis, but for elite scorers they can make or break a night. Kawhi Leonard leads all top-25 scorers with a staggering 93.6% from the line โ an elite mark that effectively makes every free throw trip worth near-maximum value.
Stephen Curry closely follows at 93.1%, making both players among the most reliable free throw shooters in league history. Their high percentages mean these players benefit disproportionately from getting fouled compared to players like Pascal Siakam, who converts just 68.9% โ the lowest in this group by a wide margin.
The gap is consequential: Siakam takes 6.0 FTA per game. At 68.9%, that yields 4.1 points per trip. Had he converted at even 85%, those same trips would generate 5.1 points โ nearly a full point of extra scoring per game from free throws alone.
Analysis 4: Turnover Efficiency โ Scoring Without the Giveaways
High-usage scorers must manage turnovers to remain net positives. Lauri Markkanen is remarkably low-turnover at just 1.5 per game despite averaging 27.4 PPG โ suggesting an efficient, catch-and-shoot, low-dribble offensive style that minimizes risk.
Luka Donฤiฤ, on the other end, leads the group with 4.2 turnovers per game. However, his elite scoring and creation output (and EFF of 34.0) suggests this cost is well outweighed by his overall impact โ the turnovers come from taking on high-risk playmaking responsibilities others can't or won't attempt.
For comparison, Cade Cunningham also shows 3.7 TOV but pairs that with league-leading 9.8 APG โ the highest assist rate in this group โ demonstrating that some turnovers are an inherent cost of elite playmaking at the point guard position.