NBA Spotlight: These Are the Miami Heat's 5 All-Time Leading Scorers

Among the most accomplished National Basketball Association (NBA) franchises in the 21st century, the Miami Heat, which began play in the 1988-89 season, won three championships from 2005-06 to 2012-13 and lost in the NBA Finals three times since, most recently in the 2022-23 season. It has only had a losing record three times since the 2003-04 season.

Below is a look at the franchise's five all-time leading scorers, four of whom won at least one championship with the Heat.

Dwyane Wade (21,556)

Dwyane Wade is not only the leading scorer in Miami franchise history, but also holds the record for most games played (948), field goals (7,842), free throws (5,391), assists (5,310), and steals (1,492). The NBA named him to its 75th Anniversary Team as part of the top-75 players in league history in 2021 and inducted him into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2023.

A native of Oak Lawn, Illinois, Wade was selected fifth overall by the Heat in the 2003 NBA Draft and played 15 seasons in Miami, averaging 22.7 points, 5.6 assists, and 4.7 rebounds per game. He was a 13-time All-Star, three-time All-Defensive team member, and led the league in scoring with 30.2 PPG in the 2008-09 season. Wade was a key contributor for each of Miami's three championship-winning teams in the 21st century and won the NBA Finals MVP in 2006. One of his former coaches, the legendary Pat Riley, believes Wade is the greatest athlete in Miami sports history.

"LeBron [James] was here for four years, but Dwyane was here for a lifetime," Riley told NBC 6 South Florida. "I don't think you'll ever see another player like Dwyane in any sport that's going to surpass him."

Alonzo Mourning (9,459)

Also a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Alonzo Mourning played 593 games in 11 seasons for the Heat and accumulated 9,459 points, or 16 PPG. Drafted second overall in 1992 by the Charlotte Hornets, Mourning was traded along with Pete Myers and LeRon Ellis to the Heat in 1995 in exchange for Glen Rice, Matt Geiger, Khalid Reeves, and a first-round pick in the 1996 NBA Draft. Mourning averaged at least 13.6 points, including a career-best 23.2 in 1995-96, and at least 7.8 rebounds per game in each of the following seven seasons before sitting out the 2002-03 season due to kidney disease.

After two seasons with the New Jersey Nets, Mourning spent his last four years in the league with the Heat and won a championship with the team in 2005-06. The seven-time All-Star and two-time All-Defensive team member led the league in blocks in 1998-99 and 1999-00 and is the franchise's all-time leader in that category with 1,625.

Glen Rice (9,248)

Rice, the fourth overall pick in the 1989 NBA Draft, played six seasons in Miami before being dealt to Charlotte as part of the trade for Mourning. While he set a career-high in PPG (26.8) with the Hornets, he had several successful years with the Heat, averaging more than 17 PPG in five consecutive seasons from 1990-91 to 1994-95. He ranks third all-time with 9,248 points with the Heat through 478 career regular season games.

While he didn't win a championship in Miami, Rice won with the Lakers in 1999-00. He retired following the 2003-04 season with career averages of 18.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game.

LeBron James (7,919)

After seven seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers, James signed as a free agent with the Heat in the 2010 off-season, announcing his decision on an ESPN special broadcast known as The Decision. James explained on the broadcast that he felt the Heat presented the best chance for him to win multiple titles—and he did just that, playing a key role in the team winning the NBA Finals in 2012 and 2013. He was named NBA Finals MVP both years.

James spent just four seasons in Miami, totaling 7,919 points for an average of 26.9 per game. The 21-year veteran, playing in his sixth season with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2023-24, has averaged more than 27 PPG through more than 1,400 career regular season games. He also won titles and NBA Finals MVPs with the Cavaliers in 2015-16 and Lakers in 2019-20.

Chris Bosh (6,914)

Chris Bosh, a Hall of Fame power forward from Dallas, Texas, also joined the Heat as a free agent in the summer of 2010, forming a "Big 3" with James and Wade. Together, they led the team to two NBA titles. Bosh ranks fifth in franchise all-time scoring with 6,914 points. He averaged at least 16.2 points and 6.6 rebounds per game in each of his six seasons in Miami. He is also top-10 in Miami records for rebounds, field goals, free throws, and blocks.

Unfortunately, Bosh's career was cut short due to recurring blood clots. He retired at just 32 years old in the 2016-17 season.