Karl Malone vs LeBron James

4of 9 lines

5of 9 lines

Karl Malone and LeBron James compared on their NBA careers: Karl Malone played 19 seasons, 1985-86 to 2003-04, LeBron James 23 seasons, 2003-04 to 2025-26. Karl Malone averaged 25 points a game to LeBron James's 26.8. LeBron James won 4 titles.

Who has the better career numbers?

LeBron James leads in 5 of the 9 lines, Karl Malone in 4. Bold marks the better figure; playing time — games, minutes, at-bats, innings — is not scored.

Karl Malone and LeBron James career per game

1,476	GP	1,622
37.2	MIN	37.6
25	PTS	26.8, better
10.1, better	REB	7.5
3.6	AST	7.4, better
1.4	STL	1.5, better
0.8, better	BLK	0.7
51.6, better	FG%	50.7
27.4	3P%	34.8, better
74.2, better	FT%	73.7
57.7	TS%	59, better

Career totals

Karl Malone and LeBron James career totals

36,928	PTS	43,440, better
14,968, better	REB	12,095
5,248	AST	12,016, better
2,085	STL	2,417, better
1,145	BLK	1,185, better
51.6, better	FG%	50.7
27.4	3P%	34.8, better
74.2, better	FT%	73.7
57.7	TS%	59, better

How do they compare in the playoffs?

Karl Malone and LeBron James postseason

193	GP	302
41	MIN	41.2
24.7	PTS	28.2, better
10.7, better	REB	8.9
3.2	AST	7.2, better
1.3	STL	1.7, better
0.7	BLK	1, better
46.3	FG%	49.5, better
16.2	3P%	33.2, better
73.6	FT%	74.1, better
52.6	TS%	58.3, better

Where each stands all time

Karl Malone and LeBron James all-time places

3rd (36,928)	Points	1st (43,440), better
7th (14,968), better	Rebounds	22nd (12,095)
62nd (5,248)	Assists	4th (12,016), better
12th (2,085)	Steals	6th (2,417), better
68th (1,145)	Blocks	64th (1,185), better
—	3-pointers made	6th (2,636), better

Among the NBA players with a career line on file, regular season, counting stats only — the same lists the records pages run on.

Titles and awards

Karl Malone and LeBron James titles and awards

—	Championships	4, better
1	All-Rookie First Team	1
2	All-NBA Second Team	4, better
1	All-Defensive Second Team	1
2	All-Star MVP	3, better
11	All-NBA First Team	13, better
2	All-Defensive First Team	5, better
2	MVP	4, better
1	All-NBA Third Team	4, better
—	Rookie of the Year	1, better
—	Finals MVP	4, better

Awards come from the league’s published winner lists; a championship counts a season played for the club that won it.

Season by season

Lined up by career year, not by calendar: each row is the players’ nth season.

Karl Malone and LeBron James season by season

1st	1985-86	14.9	8.9, better	2.9	2003-04	20.9, better	5.5	5.9, better
2nd	1986-87	21.7	10.4, better	1.9	2004-05	27.2, better	7.4	7.2, better
3rd	1987-88	27.7	12.0, better	2.4	2005-06	31.4, better	7.0	6.6, better
4th	1988-89	29.1, better	10.7, better	2.7	2006-07	27.3	6.7	6.0, better
5th	1989-90	31.0, better	11.1, better	2.8	2007-08	30.0	7.9	7.2, better
6th	1990-91	29.0, better	11.8, better	3.3	2008-09	28.4	7.6	7.2, better
7th	1991-92	28.0	11.2, better	3.0	2009-10	29.7, better	7.3	8.6, better
8th	1992-93	27.0, better	11.2, better	3.8	2010-11	26.7	7.5	7.0, better
9th	1993-94	25.2	11.5, better	4.0	2011-12	27.1, better	7.9	6.2, better
10th	1994-95	26.7	10.6, better	3.5	2012-13	26.8, better	8.0	7.3, better
11th	1995-96	25.7	9.8, better	4.2	2013-14	27.1, better	6.9	6.3, better
12th	1996-97	27.4, better	9.9, better	4.5	2014-15	25.3	6.0	7.4, better
13th	1997-98	27.0, better	10.3, better	3.9	2015-16	25.3	7.4	6.8, better
14th	1998-99	23.8	9.4, better	4.1	2016-17	26.4, better	8.6	8.7, better
15th	1999-00	25.5	9.5, better	3.7	2017-18	27.5, better	8.6	9.1, better
16th	2000-01	23.2	8.3	4.5	2018-19	27.4, better	8.5, better	8.3, better
17th	2001-02	22.4	8.6, better	4.3	2019-20	25.3, better	7.8	10.2, better
18th	2002-03	20.6	7.8, better	4.7	2020-21	25.0, better	7.7	7.8, better
19th	2003-04	13.2	8.7, better	3.9	2021-22	30.3, better	8.2	6.2, better
20th	—	—	—	—	2022-23	28.9	8.3	6.8
21st	—	—	—	—	2023-24	25.7	7.3	8.3
22nd	—	—	—	—	2024-25	24.4	7.8	8.2
23rd	—	—	—	—	2025-26	20.9	6.1	7.2

What the columns mean: PTS · REB · AST