In a landmark moment for his Hall of Fame resume, James Harden climbed past Shaquille O’Neal on the NBA’s all-time scoring list, earning ninth place in league history with a vintage offensive performance for the Los Angeles Clippers. 

The milestone came in Monday night’s 117-109 win over the Charlotte Hornets, where Harden poured in 32 points and dished out 10 assists. 

Harden’s 3-pointer early in the third quarter marked the official point that pushed his career total beyond Shaq’s mark of 28,596 points – with Harden now sitting at 28,614 points and counting through 1,187 regular-season games.

The achievement is another major milestone in a career defined by elite scoring and longevity. Harden first cracked the NBA’s top 10 all-time scoring list last season, and now ranks ahead of one of the most dominant centers in league history. Still ahead of him on the all-time list are legends such as Wilt Chamberlain (8th), Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Dirk Nowitzki and the all-time leader LeBron James. Kevin Durant is currently at 7th.

Harden reflected on the moment postgame, calling it a “true honor” to eclipse the Hall of Famer he grew up watching, underscoring the weight of joining the sport’s elite scorers.