James Harden added another landmark achievement to his Hall of Fame résumé on Monday night, moving into ninth place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list by surpassing Shaquille O’Neal.
James Harden on passing Shaq for 9th on the NBA’s All-Time Scoring list:
“It’s definitely special just because you grew up watching these players. Some you played against, some you watched as a younger kid, so it’s definitely special. Shaq is someone that I’ve watched being a… pic.twitter.com/P3rGYmUN7t
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) January 13, 2026
Harden reached the milestone during the Los Angeles Clippers’ 117–109 win over the Charlotte Hornets. He scored 11 points in the first quarter to close in on the mark, went quiet in the second, and then broke through in the third quarter with another 11 points to officially pass O’Neal on the all-time list.
“It’s definitely an honor”
After the game, Harden reflected on the emotional weight of overtaking one of basketball’s greatest icons.
“It’s definitely special just because you grew up watching these players,” Harden said. “Some you played against, some you watched as a younger kid. Shaq is someone I watched as a hometown kid in L.A., watching him, Kobe, and the Lakers do some special things for the city. He’s the most dominant center of all time, so it’s definitely an honor.”
Harden finished the night with 32 points, four rebounds, 10 assists, and four steals, leading the Clippers with a vintage all-around performance.
Climbing elite company
With 28,614 career points, Harden now sits ninth in NBA history. His next target is Wilt Chamberlain in eighth place. Among active players, only Kevin Durant and LeBron James remain ahead of him on the scoring list.
The performance also marked the 109th time in Harden’s career that he has recorded at least 30 points and 10 assists, further underlining his lasting offensive impact as he continues to carve out an increasingly rare place in NBA history.
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