Former NBA guard Austin Rivers has ignited a heated debate across the basketball world after sharing his personal ranking of the greatest scorers he’s ever seen, and leaving LeBron James off the list.
Rivers praised Kevin Durant, James Harden, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Allen Iverson, and Carmelo Anthony as the most gifted offensive players in league history, while offering a pointed critique of LeBron’s scoring style.
“LeBron is number one [in scoring], but his game doesn’t match a prototypical scorer,” Rivers said. “It’s also not sexy. LeBron’s game is built on force, sheer will, dedication, his mind, his IQ, the way he is able to dissect and control a game, and power, above anything else. He wills himself to the basket.”
Rivers acknowledged LeBron’s evolution as a shooter, noting that he’s become the best jump shooter of his career in his later years. Still, he argued that Durant possesses a far deeper offensive arsenal.
“LeBron has scored more points than Kevin, but Kevin can score in a much bigger variety of ways than LeBron,” Rivers said. “You can argue with the wall, but that’s just the truth. LeBron doesn’t have half the offensive bag that Kevin has”.
Austin Rivers on scoring in the NBA
“LeBron James doesn’t have half the offensive bag that Kevin [Durant] has…I would say Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, James Harden, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, and Allen Iverson are the best scorers I’ve ever seen”pic.twitter.com/SqiXOXitjG
— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) August 13, 2025
LeBron, now the NBA’s all-time leading scorer with over 42,000 points, has built his legacy on consistency, durability, and all-around excellence. Durant, meanwhile, is widely regarded as one of the most efficient and versatile scorers in league history, with a silky jump shot and the ability to score from all three levels.
Rivers’ list of top scorers leans heavily toward players known for their isolation skills, midrange mastery, and offensive creativity.
“I would say Kevin, Carmelo, Harden, Kobe, Michael and Iverson are the best scorers I’ve ever seen,” he said.
While Rivers’ take may be controversial, it reflects a broader conversation in basketball circles: what defines a “great scorer”? Is it sheer point total, or the artistry and variety in how those points are produced?
LeBron himself has addressed this in the past, saying,
“I don’t like being singled out as a scorer. I’ve always prided myself in being a pass-first guy, a guy who can make everybody feel comfortable”.
