List of NBA annual free throw scoring leaders

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Karl Malone led the NBA in free throw scoring for a record 8 seasons.

In basketball, a free throw is an unopposed attempt to score points from behind the free throw line.[1] The National Basketball Association's (NBA) free throw scoring leader is the player with the highest average of free throws made per game in a given season. To qualify as a free throw scoring leader, the player must have at least 125 free throws made. Aside from the strike shortened 1998–99 NBA season and 2011–12 NBA season, this has been the entry criteria since the 1974–75 NBA season.[2]

Jerry West holds the record for highest free throw scoring average in a season which he accomplished with the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1965–66 NBA season with 10.63 free throws made per game. West also holds the record for most free throws made in single season (840) which he accomplished with the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1965–66 NBA season.

Karl Malone has led the league in free throw scoring a record eight times. James Harden has led the league seven times, while Neil Johnston and Oscar Robertson have each done it four times. Ten players led the league in free throw scoring three times. Six players led the league in free throw scoring two times.

^ Denotes player who is still active in the NBA
* Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
‡ Denotes player who won the scoring title that year
Player (X) Denotes the number of times the player had been the scoring leader up to and including that season
GGuardFForwardCCenter

Annual leaders

Season Player Pos[a] Team GP Free throws
made		 Free throws
made per
game		 Free throw
percentage		 Ref
1946–47 ‡ Joe Fulks* F Philadelphia Warriors 60 439 7.32 .730 [3]
1947–48 Joe Fulks* (2) F Philadelphia Warriors 43 297 6.91 .762 [4]
1948–49 ‡ George Mikan* C Minneapolis Lakers 60 532 8.87 .772 [5]
1949–50 ‡ George Mikan* (2) C Minneapolis Lakers 68 567 8.34 .779 [6]
1950–51 ‡ George Mikan* (3) C Minneapolis Lakers 68 576 8.47 .803 [7]
1951–52 ‡ Paul Arizin* F Philadelphia Warriors 66 578 8.76 .818 [8]
1952–53 ‡ Neil Johnston* C Philadelphia Warriors 70 556 7.94 .700 [9]
1953–54 ‡ Neil Johnston* (2) C Philadelphia Warriors 72 577 8.01 .747 [10]
1954–55 ‡ Neil Johnston* (3) C Philadelphia Warriors 72 589 8.18 .766 [11]
1955–56 Neil Johnston* (4) C Philadelphia Warriors 70 549 7.84 .801 [12]
1956–57 Dolph Schayes* F Syracuse Nationals 72 625 8.68 .904 [13]
1957–58 ‡ George Yardley* F Detroit Pistons 72 655 9.10 .811 [14]
1958–59 ‡ Bob Pettit* F/C St. Louis Hawks 72 667 9.26 .759 [15]
1959–60 Elgin Baylor* F Minneapolis Lakers 70 564 8.06 .732 [16]
1960–61 Elgin Baylor* (2) F Los Angeles Lakers 73 676 9.26 .783 [17]
1961–62 ‡ Wilt Chamberlain* C Philadelphia Warriors 80 835 10.44 .613 [18]
1962–63 Bob Pettit* (2) F/C St. Louis Hawks 79 685 8.67 .774 [19]
1963–64 Oscar Robertson* G Cincinnati Royals 79 800 10.13 .853 [20]
1964–65 Oscar Robertson* (2) G Cincinnati Royals 75 665 8.87 .839 [21]
1965–66 Jerry West* G Los Angeles Lakers 79 840 10.63 .860 [22]
1966–67 ‡ Rick Barry* F San Francisco Warriors 78 753 9.65 .884 [23]
1967–68 Oscar Robertson* (3) G Cincinnati Royals 65 576 8.86 .873 [24]
1968–69 Oscar Robertson* (4) G Cincinnati Royals 79 643 8.14 .838 [25]
1969–70 ‡ Jerry West* (2) G Los Angeles Lakers 74 647 8.74 .824 [26]
1970–71 Dave Bing* G Detroit Pistons 82 615 7.50 .797 [27]
1971–72 Tiny Archibald* G Cincinnati Royals 76 677 8.91 .822 [28]
1972–73 ‡ Tiny Archibald* (2) G Kansas City-Omaha Kings 80 663 8.29 .847 [29]
1973–74 ‡ Bob McAdoo* C/F Buffalo Braves 74 459 6.20 .793 [30]
1974–75 Tiny Archibald* (3) G Kansas City-Omaha Kings 82 652 7.95 .872 [31]
1975–76 ‡ Bob McAdoo* (2) C/F Buffalo Braves 78 559 7.17 .762 [32]
1976–77 ‡ Pete Maravich* G New Orleans Jazz 73 501 6.86 .835 [33]
1977–78 Adrian Dantley* F Indiana Pacers
Los Angeles Lakers		 79 541 6.85 .796 [34]
1978–79 World B. Free G San Diego Clippers 78 654 8.38 .756 [35]
1979–80 World B. Free (2) G San Diego Clippers 68 572 8.41 .753 [36]
1980–81 World B. Free (3) G Golden State Warriors 65 528 8.12 .814 [37]
1981–82 Adrian Dantley* (2) F Utah Jazz 81 648 8.00 .792 [38]
1982–83 Moses Malone* C Philadelphia 76ers 78 600 7.69 .761 [39]
1983–84 ‡ Adrian Dantley* (3) F Utah Jazz 79 813 10.29 .859 [40]
1984–85 Moses Malone* (2) C Philadelphia 76ers 79 737 9.33 .815 [41]
1985–86 Moses Malone* (3) C Philadelphia 76ers 74 617 8.34 .787 [42]
1986–87 ‡ Michael Jordan* G Chicago Bulls 82 833 10.16 .857 [43]
1987–88 Charles Barkley* F Philadelphia 76ers 80 714 8.93 .751 [44]
1988–89 Karl Malone* F Utah Jazz 80 703 8.79 .766 [45]
1989–90 Karl Malone* (2) F Utah Jazz 82 696 8.49 .762 [46]
1990–91 Karl Malone* (3) F Utah Jazz 82 684 8.34 .770 [47]
1991–92 Karl Malone* (4) F Utah Jazz 81 673 8.31 .778 [48]
1992–93 Karl Malone* (5) F Utah Jazz 82 619 7.55 .740 [49]
1993–94 ‡ David Robinson* C San Antonio Spurs 80 693 8.66 .749 [50]
1994–95 David Robinson* (2) C San Antonio Spurs 81 656 8.10 .774 [51]
1995–96 David Robinson* (3) C San Antonio Spurs 82 626 7.63 .761 [52]
1996–97 Karl Malone* (6) F Utah Jazz 82 521 6.35 .775 [53]
1997–98 Karl Malone* (7) F Utah Jazz 81 628 7.75 .761 [54]
1998–99[b] Karl Malone* (8) F Utah Jazz 49 378 7.71 .788 [56]
1999–00 Jerry Stackhouse G/F Detroit Pistons 82 618 7.54 .815 [57]
2000–01 Jerry Stackhouse (2) G/F Detroit Pistons 80 666 8.33 .822 [58]
2001–02 ‡ Allen Iverson* G Philadelphia 76ers 60 475 7.92 .812 [59]
2002–03 ‡ Tracy McGrady* G/F Orlando Magic 75 576 7.68 .793 [60]
2003–04 Corey Maggette G/F Los Angeles Clippers 73 526 7.21 .848 [61]
2004–05 ‡ Allen Iverson* (2) G Philadelphia 76ers 75 656 8.75 .835 [62]
2005–06 Allen Iverson* (3) G Philadelphia 76ers 72 675 9.38 .814 [63]
2006–07 ‡ Kobe Bryant* G Los Angeles Lakers 77 667 8.66 .868 [64]
2007–08 Kevin Martin G Sacramento Kings 61 502 8.23 .869 [65]
2008–09 ‡ Dwyane Wade* G Miami Heat 79 590 7.47 .765 [66]
2009–10 ‡ Kevin Durant^ F Oklahoma City Thunder 82 756 9.22 .900 [67]
2010–11 ‡ Kevin Durant^ (2) F Oklahoma City Thunder 78 594 7.62 .880 [68]
2011–12[c] Kevin Love^ F Minnesota Timberwolves 55 379 6.89 .824 [70]
2012–13 James Harden^ G Houston Rockets 78 674 8.64 .851 [71]
2013–14 ‡ Kevin Durant^ (3) F Oklahoma City Thunder 81 703 8.68 .873 [72]
2014–15 James Harden^ (2) G Houston Rockets 81 715 8.83 .868 [73]
2015–16 James Harden^ (3) G Houston Rockets 82 720 8.78 .860 [74]
2016–17 James Harden^ (4) G Houston Rockets 81 746 9.21 .847 [75]
2017–18 ‡ James Harden^ (5) G Houston Rockets 72 624 8.67 .858 [76]
2018–19 ‡ James Harden^ (6) G Houston Rockets 78 754 9.67 .879 [77]
2019–20 ‡ James Harden^ (7) G Houston Rockets 68 692 10.18 .865 [78]
2020–21 Joel Embiid^ C Philadelphia 76ers 51 471 9.24 .859 [79]
2021–22 ‡ Joel Embiid^ (2) C Philadelphia 76ers 68 654 9.62 .814 [80]
2022–23 ‡ Joel Embiid^ (3) C Philadelphia 76ers 66 661 10.02 .857 [81]
2023–24 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander^ G Oklahoma City Thunder 75 567 7.56 .874 [82]
2024–25 ‡ Shai Gilgeous-Alexander^ (2) G Oklahoma City Thunder 76 601 7.91 .898 [83]
2025–26 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander^ (3) G Oklahoma City Thunder 68 540 7.94 .879 [84]

Multiple-time leaders

RankPlayerTeamTimes leaderYears
1Karl MaloneUtah Jazz81989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1997, 1998, 1999
2James HardenHouston Rockets72013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
3Neil JohnstonPhiladelphia Warriors41953, 1954, 1955, 1956
Oscar Robertson Cincinnati Royals 1964, 1965, 1968, 1969
5Tiny ArchibaldCincinnati Royals/Kansas City-Omaha Kings31972, 1973, 1975
Adrian Dantley Los Angeles Lakers (1) / Utah Jazz (2) 1978, 1982, 1984
Kevin Durant Oklahoma City Thunder 2010, 2011, 2014
Joel Embiid Philadelphia 76ers 2021, 2022, 2023
World B. Free San Diego Clippers (2) / Golden State Warriors (1) 1979, 1980, 1981
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Oklahoma City Thunder 2024, 2025, 2026
Allen Iverson Philadelphia 76ers 2002, 2005, 2006
George Mikan Minneapolis Lakers 1949, 1950, 1951
Moses Malone Philadelphia 76ers 1983, 1985, 1986
David Robinson San Antonio Spurs 1994, 1995, 1996
14Elgin BaylorMinneapolis Lakers/Los Angeles Lakers21960, 1961
Joe Fulks Philadelphia Warriors 1947, 1948
Bob McAdoo Buffalo Braves 1974, 1976
Bob Pettit St. Louis Hawks 1959, 1963
Jerry Stackhouse Detroit Pistons 2000, 2001
Jerry West Los Angeles Lakers 1966, 1970

See also

Notes

References

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