Can anybody catch Kareem or Stock?

Breaking the scoring and assist records won't be easy

Karl Malone probably could have done it. The man who was honored in several ways on Thursday by the Utah Jazz and Salt Lake City — with a statue, a renamed street and a retired number — could have broken Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's record for NBA scoring.

Instead, Malone retired after rehabilitating his knee following the 2003-04 season with the Los Angeles Lakers, coming up 1,459 points short of Kareem's total. He would have needed to average 17.8 points for an 82-game season to do it — so he likely would have had to finish up the 2004-05 season, when his knee got healthy, and then played again this year to catch Kareem.

Michael Jordan probably would have owned the record now if he hadn't had a pair of "retirements" — one to embarrass himself by not learning how to hit a curveball and one for three years after his Bulls days and before finishing as a Wizard — before officially calling it quits. As it stands, Jordan is third on the scoring list, 6,095 behind Abdul-Jabbar.

Perhaps an even tougher career mark to reach would be John Stockton's all-time assist total. The former Jazz star finished his career with 15,806 assists. By comparison, Mark Jackson is second with 10,334 and Magic Johnson is third in assists with 10,141.

Becoming an all-time scoring or assist leader takes more than just being great. It also takes good fortune as far as staying healthy, not to mention the ability and desire to play at a top level for nearly two decades.

Here are the top five candidates — in both scoring and assists — currently playing in the NBA who could become record breakers.

SCORING

SHAQUILLE O'NEAL, Miami Heat

Currently: Is the leading active scorer in the league with 24,584 points with a career 26.4 average per game.

What would be needed: He is 13,803 behind Abdul-Jabbar. He would need to average 26 points per game for 531 more games (6.5 healthy seasons) to break the record.

Chances of catching Kareem: None. His scoring average is down to 20 points this season as he's been battling injuries. Considering he won't ever likely play all 82 games in a season, he would likely have to play eight or nine more years to do it and he's already 34.

ALLEN IVERSON, Philadelphia 76ers

Currently: Has scored 18,710 points in his career and is averaging 32.8 this season.

What would be needed: He's 19,677 behind Kareem. He'd have to average 32 points for 615 games (7.5 healthy seasons) to break the record.

Chances of catching Kareem: Slim. Iverson is just 31 and is still a scoring machine, but he is so small in a big man's game that it is unlikely he'll be around long enough. His scoring average will begin to dip in the upcoming seasons.

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