There is a lot of offensive talent in the NBA, with plenty of players capable of winning the scoring title. It is difficult to pick out five players, but which stars have the best chance of leading the scoring charts in 2024-25?
5 Contenders to Win NBA Scoring Title
Steph Curry
This year is set up to be a very different season for Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors. For the first time since 2011, the Warriors will have only one-half of the ‘Splash Brothers’ following Klay Thompson’s departure to the Dallas Mavericks in a sign-and-trade deal. Last season, Curry finished as the ninth-highest scorer in the NBA with 26.4 points per game, but could well work himself back into conversations for the scoring title. He has won the title twice in his career, firstly in 2015-16 (30.1 ppg) and then again in 2020-21 (32 ppg).
The loss of his backcourt partner puts even more pressure on Curry to put up big numbers, despite the decline of Thompson since his return from injury. The Warriors now have a younger roster, with Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski set to play larger roles. When Curry led the league in 2020-21, the Warriors did not make the playoffs and were without Thompson for the whole season. A similar pattern could follow with a significant rise in his scoring numbers. In five games without Thompson last year, Curry averaged 33.2 points. With him, his average dropped to 25.9.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
The quality of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has always been evident, but he enjoyed a big leap in his overall play last season. He and the Oklahoma City Thunder ended the campaign as the top seed in the Western Conference, though their playoff journey ended in the second round. Gilgeous-Alexander was the main man in the Thunder’s success, earning him serious consideration for the MVP award. He finished second in voting behind Nikola Jokic and ahead of Luka Doncic.
The 26-year-old is an elite two-way player, highlighted by his league-leading two steals per game. However, his offensive prowess makes him a serious candidate to win the NBA scoring title. Of qualified players, his 30.1 points per game was only bettered by Doncic and Giannis Antetokounmpo. His scoring average declined from the previous season, as he produced 31.4 points per game in 2022-23. However, his overall impact improved with a career-high 6.2 assists. With another year of playing alongside his young teammates, expect his numbers to remain similar or get even better.
Giannis Antetokounmpo
One of the most dominant players in the league, Giannis Antetokounmpo, will always be in contention for an NBA scoring title due to his ability to get what he wants inside and take over a game. He is yet to win a scoring title in his career, but finished second last season with 30.4 points per game.
Antetokounmpo hopes to achieve his third consecutive season of producing over 30 points per game. In 2022-23, he averaged 31.1 points, the first time he had reached the 30s in his career. He had often got close, scoring 29.9 the season before. The Milwaukee Bucks’ acquisition of Damian Lillard last year has not severely impacted his scoring numbers. With Lillard in the lineup last season, he scored 30.2 points, compared to 32.1 points in eight games without him.
Luka Doncic
Luka Doncic won last season’s NBA scoring title with 33.9 points per game, and it wasn’t close. Antetokounmpo finished behind him with over three fewer points, highlighting the offensive superiority the Slovenian enjoyed.
Playing alongside Kyrie Irving has taken much of the scoring load off his shoulders, though he has still managed to put up remarkable stats. The duo played 51 games together last season, in which Doncic averaged 32.5 points with 9.3 assists. Without him, these numbers increase significantly. When Irving was not in the lineup, Doncic produced 37.6 points and 11.3 assists per game. These figures are across 19 games, so it is a sizeable sample.
Despite the added defensive attention, Doncic has shown he can dominate the opposition in any environment. At just 25 years old, there is no ceiling on Doncic’s talent. Injury permitting, he will be certain to remain amongst the scoring leaders for years to come. A first MVP award does not seem too far away either.
Joel Embiid
A knee injury prevented Joel Embiid from winning the NBA scoring title for a third season in a row. He played in 39 games last season but averaged 34.3 points. This was higher than any other player. In his previous two league-leading seasons, he averaged 33.1 (2022-23) and 30.6 (2021-22).
Should Embiid stay healthy, there is no reason why he cannot secure a third-scoring crown in four seasons. He is surrounded by more quality this year, following the arrival of Paul George during the offseason. The trio of Embiid, George, and Tyrese Maxey could be a nightmare for any opposition defense. Like Giannis, Embiid’s strength allows him to dominate a game in the paint, but he can also provide a threat from deep. Last season, he shot a career-best 38.8% from three and 88.3% from the line.
Embiid will enter the new season following a successful summer in which he won a gold medal for Team USA at the Paris Olympics. In five games, he averaged 11.2 points on 56.8% shooting. Embiid aims to continue this momentum for the Philadelphia 76ers and make another quick start as he has in previous campaigns.
