Kobe Bryant is the NBA’s all-time Christmas Day scorer

Playing on Christmas Day has been an NBA tradition as long as the league has been around, with the first Christmas Day game taking place in 1947 when the New York Knicks defeated Providence Steamrollers in Madison Square Garden.

Since then, the NBA has had games on Christmas in every single non-lockout year.

Naturally, the league has always tried to put their biggest brands and superstars on their Christmas Day slate of games, and as such, the scoring leaders for games that have taken place on the holiday is littered with some of the biggest names basketball has ever seen, led by the unforgettable Kobe Byrant at No. 1.

Below, check out the highest Christmas Day scorers in NBA history, including LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O’Neal.

Main picture credit: Christmas background by Roberto Nickson.

Kobe Bryant

Points: 395 in 16 games (24.6 ppg on 40.8 FG%) Highest-scoring game: 42 vs. Miami Heat in 2004

Oscar Robertson

Points: 377 in 12 games (31.4 ppg on 47.0 FG%) Highest scoring game: 40 vs. Los Angeles Lakers in 1961

LeBron James

Points: 361 in 14 games (25.7 ppg on 48.7 FG%) Highest-scoring game: 37 vs. Dallas Mavericks in 2011

Dwyane Wade

Points: 314 in 13 games (24.1 ppg on 45.7 FG%) Highest-scoring game: 40 vs. Los Angeles Lakers in 2006

Shaquille O'Neal

Points: 272 in 13 games (20.9 ppg on 53.3 FG%) Highest-scoring game: 32 vs. San Antonio Spurs in 1999

Kevin Durant

Points: 270 in nine games (30.0 ppg on 51.7 FG%) Highest-scoring game: 44 vs. Denver Nuggets in 2010

Russell Westbrook

Points: 241 in 10 games (24.1 ppg on 38.7 FG%) Highest-scoring game: 34 vs. San Antonio Spurs in 2014

Dolph Schayes

Points: 239 in 13 games (18.3 ppg on 48.0 FG%) Highest-scoring game: 33 vs. New York Knicks in 1957

Walt Bellamy

Points: 237 in nine games (26.3 ppg on 76.8 FG%) Highest-scoring game: 40 vs. Buffalo Braves in 1971

Richie Guerin

Points: 232 in nine games (25.7 ppg on 53.6 FG%) Highest-scoring game: 40 vs. Philadelphia Warriors in 1961

Dick Van Arsdale

Points: 232 in 12 games (19.3 ppg on 50.4 FG%) Highest-scoring game: 32 vs. Atlanta Hawks in 1970 and vs. Chicago Bulls in 1972

Bob Cousy

Points: 223 in 11 games (20.2 ppg on 35.8 FG%) Highest-scoring game: 35 vs. Milwaukee Hawks in 1954

James Harden

Points: 208 in eight games (26.0 ppg on 46.2 FG%) Highest scoring game: 41 vs. Oklahoma City Thunder in 2018

Walt Frazier

Points: 204 in 11 games (18.5 ppg on 53.4 FG%) Highest-scoring game: 36 vs. Golden State Warriors in 1971

Earl Monroe

Points: 204 in 13 games (15.6 ppg on 42.9 FG%) Highest-scoring game: 29 vs. Philadelphia 76ers in 1974

Jerry West

Points: 193 in six games (32.1 ppg on 54.3 FG%) Highest-scoring game: 47 vs. New York Knicks in 1963

Hal Greer

Points: 192 in nine games (21.3 ppg on 48.0 FG%) Highest-scoring game: 34 vs. New York Knicks in 1968

Wilt Chamberlain

Points: 190 in six games (31.6 ppg on 55.4 FG%) Highest-scoring game: 59 vs. New York Knicks in 1961

Bill Sharman

Points: 190 in 10 games (19.0 ppg on 39.4 FG%) Highest-scoring game: 25 vs. New York Knicks in 1952

Dick Barnett

Points: 187 in 11 games (17.0 ppg on 47.5 FG%) Highest-scoring game: 27 vs. Philadelphia Warriors in 1959

Carmelo Anthony

Points: 186 in six games (31.0 ppg on 50.4 FG%) Highest-scoring game: 37 vs. Boston Celtics in 2011

Willis Reed

Points: 174 in eight games (21.7 ppg on 54.3 FG%) Highest-scoring game: 33 vs. Detroit Pistons in 1969

Wayne Embry

Points: 174 in 10 games (17.4 ppg on 51.5 FG%) Highest-scoring game: 35 vs. Los Angeles Lakers in 1961

Jack Twyman

Points: 171 in nine games (19.0 ppg on 49.2 FG%) Highest-scoring game: 29 vs. St. Louis Hawks in 1958

Michael Jordan

Points: 170 in six games (28.3 ppg on 44.3 FG%) Highest-scoring game: 42 vs. New York Knicks in 1992

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