If Kareem or Karl Malone played since age 18? Scoring list projection?

[hiphopanonymous]

Anyone ever thought about this?

https://www.si.com/.image/t_share/MTY4MjU5ODY5MTA3NDMxMjk3/1982-85-karl-malone-louisiana-techjpg.jpg

https://playersbio.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Kareem-Jabbar-Dunknig.jpg

About where would they have reasonably landed on the All-Time scoring list? That's 3 more years for Karl Malone, and 4 more years for Jabbar. I don't know much about Karl Malone's development at age 18 or 19 but I do know Jabbar could have likely played NBA basketball at the time of his college eligibility and been an elite scorer right away based on his high school clips.

Another player that would have easily dominated at that age would have been Wilt as he averaged about 40ppg against pro's that included 7 footers that toured with the Harlem Globetrotters in the barnstorming leagues out east under the identity of George Marcus since age 16. But I don't think that would have changed the fact that he left the game at age 36, and stopped chasing scoring numbers for half of his career anyways so I think when all was said and done and he'd ultimately have been passed by guys like Jabbar and Malone regardless. So where could Malone and Jabbar have ranked assuming they had the same draft restrictions lifted that LeBron benefited from?

[ArbitraryWater]

below where LeBron is gonna end up.

[Xiao Yao You]

Was easier to come in at 18 when Lebron was drafted. There'd been years of guys going to the NBA early so it was watered down unlike when Jabbar or Malone came into the league when most guys played 4 years of college or at least 3

[mr4speed]

Was easier to come in at 18 when Lebron was drafted. There'd been years of guys going to the NBA early so it was watered down unlike when Jabbar or Malone came into the league when most guys played 4 years of college or at least 3

I mentioned this in another thread. Kareem as a rookie averaged 28.8 points per game. If we use a very conservative estimate of 20 points per game and Kareem plays 80 games = 1600 points per season and then X 4 seasons = 6,400 points. This conservative estimate would have Kareem close to 45,000 points and to be honest , I think he would have scored more than 20 per game in those years.

[Xiao Yao You]

I mentioned this in another thread. Kareem as a rookie averaged 28.8 points per game. If we use a very conservative estimate of 20 points per game and Kareem plays 80 games = 1600 points per season and then X 4 seasons = 6,400 points. This conservative estimate would have Kareem close to 45,000 points and to be honest , I think he would have scored more than 20 per game in those years.

He might not have played as long if he had 3 more grueling NBA seasons instead of the much easier 30 games a year in college

[dankok8]

I mentioned this in another thread. Kareem as a rookie averaged 28.8 points per game. If we use a very conservative estimate of 20 points per game and Kareem plays 80 games = 1600 points per season and then X 4 seasons = 6,400 points. This conservative estimate would have Kareem close to 45,000 points and to be honest , I think he would have scored more than 20 per game in those years.

Yea I think Kareem would be around 46,000 if he played in the NBA from age 18.

Wilt too could have made a serious run for the scoring record if he tried scoring more after 1968.

[iamgine]

It doesn't work linearly. If they came in at 18, their career would be different. They might not even surpass their current scoring accomplishment.

[kawhileonard2]

I mentioned this in another thread. Kareem as a rookie averaged 28.8 points per game. If we use a very conservative estimate of 20 points per game and Kareem plays 80 games = 1600 points per season and then X 4 seasons = 6,400 points. This conservative estimate would have Kareem close to 45,000 points and to be honest , I think he would have scored more than 20 per game in those years.

Also Wilt himself said if it was important he would have put the amount out of reach. He might had 50K points.

[Lebron23]

They weren't good enough to play in the NBA or ABA at 18.

[Xiao Yao You]

They weren't good enough to play in the NBA or ABA at 18.

Kareem almost certainly was as a player. He was a generational talent much like Lebron. Maybe not physically ready yet?

Malone was probably physically but the fact that he went to a small college and dropped in the draft I'm not sure he was as a player. He was certainly ready as a rookie and had been in the final 32 with Stockton the summer before at the olympic tryouts. Lebron certainlyn would have had a harder time because the league wasn't full of young guys like it was when Lebron went pro.

[Overdrive]

He might not have played as long if he had 3 more grueling NBA seasons instead of the much easier 30 games a year in college

Let's say he would've played around 200 less games - difference between college and NBA. So let's scratch the last 3 seasons he'd score 3279 points less. Now realistically I think he'd score around 20, 23, 25 and 27 those 4 seasons totalling at around 7600 points. Leaving a plus of over 4000 points.

[mr4speed]

They weren't good enough to play in the NBA or ABA at 18.

Kareem was. Kareem could not play at 18 = as in was not allowed to play at 18 years in the NBA at that time. They changed the rules in college to outlaw dunking in an attempt to diminish his dominance. Kareem ( Lew Alcindor) team in high school was 79 and 2 and at UCLA was 88 and 2 and as a freshman at UCLA, his junior varsity team beat the varsity team ( as a freshman he was not allowed to play) and that varsity team easily won the NCAA title ( but they were the 2nd best team on campus).

[2much_knowledge]

Kareem was. Kareem could not play at 18 = as in was not allowed to play at 18 years in the NBA at that time. They changed the rules in college to outlaw dunking in an attempt to diminish his dominance. Kareem ( Lew Alcindor) team in high school was 79 and 2 and at UCLA was 88 and 2 and as a freshman at UCLA, his junior varsity team beat the varsity team ( as a freshman he was not allowed to play) and that varsity team easily won the NCAA title ( but they were the 2nd best team on campus).

Dont waste your time reasoning. It just typical fanboy bs talk

[bison]

They weren't good enough to play in the NBA or ABA at 18.

You a fvcking retard if you think this kid isn’t lighting it up in the nba at age 18. (He’s actually 16 in this pic)

https://i.ibb.co/j6P6DXC/82-D49-BD3-B91-A-4-AF8-B67-E-CD3-C425-CC001.jpg

[Lebron23]

You a fvcking retard if you think this kid isn’t lighting it up in the nba at age 18. (He’s actually 16 in this pic)

https://i.ibb.co/j6P6DXC/82-D49-BD3-B91-A-4-AF8-B67-E-CD3-C425-CC001.jpg

Not in the Current NBA my Croatian friend.

[John8204]

Karl Malone might have been screwed if he came into the league in 1982. He likely wouldn't have been drafted higher which means he could have ended up in a shit show like The Clippers or the Cavs. Malone and Utah fit together very well and fit is important. KAJ would have always been good but his numbers dropped drastically when the ABA merged