Over the past 8 seasons in the ASEAN Basketball League (ABL), there have been a large number of talented players who give it their best on the hardwood each season to get their teams a shot at the title. However, only a handful of them — 14 to be exact — have been able to reach a significant plateau that showcases not only their skill level, but their longevity in the league. Here are the 14 players before the start of the 2018-2019 ABL season that have collected at least 1000 points in their ABL careers!
Justin Howard (2048 Points)
Teams: Saigon Heat, Indonesia Warriors, Singapore Slingers, Chong Son Kung Fu
The 7-footer Justin Howard overtook the title as the league’s All-Time leading scorer last season and blasted through to become the first and only player so far to hit the 2K mark. Howard’s game might not be pretty, but you can’t deny it’s effectiveness. He surpassed the 1K mark as a member of the Singapore Slingers on November 27, 2016 against Alab Pilipinas in his 51st game. Over his entire 96 game career (so far), Howard has scored in double-digits for all but one game and once held the All-Time record for consecutive games with at least 10 points (46).
Chris Charles (1683 Points)
Teams: SportsRev Thailand Slammers, Hitech Bangkok City, Saigon Heat, Singapore Slingers
The gentle giant is highly-touted for the defense, and rightfully so, with two Defensive Player of the Year awards to go with two World Import MVPs in 2013 and 2014. The lengthy center can do damage both from the midrange jumpshot and by reaching out his long arms for an emphatic slam, doing so for a total of 1683 points. Shortly after winning an ABL championship with Hitech Bangkok City, Charles reached the 1K mark on November 30, 2015 in a game against the Singapore Slingers. It also took Charles 51 games to reach the mark.
Leo Avenido (1627 Points)
Teams: Brunei Barracudas, Singapore Slingers, San Miguel Beermen, Saigon Heat, Mono Vampire
On June 23, 2012, Leo Avenido became the first player ever to break the 1K mark as a member of the San Miguel Beermen in Game 2 of their Finals matchup against the Indonesia Warriors. Avenido claimed the title as the league’s All-Time scoring leader for a long time up until this past season. A fearless marksman and sharpshooter, it took Avenido 59 games to reach the 1K mark.
Xavier Alexander (1521 Points)
Teams: Singapore Slingers
Alexander made a grand debut in the ABL with a 30-piece over Hitech Bangkok City in 2015-2016 and he hasn’t looked back. As of right now, the “X-Man” will be the leading scorer among active players heading into the 2018-2019 season which will be his 4th, all with the Singapore Slingers. Alexander is a constant threat to post a triple-double in every game and he also knows how to get points on the board as well. He reached the 1K mark in the very first game of the 2017-2018 season in a historic game against Chong Son Kung Fu, the first ever ABL game played in China.
Steven Thomas (1464 Points)
Teams: Philippine Patriots, Indonesia Warriors, Hitech Bangkok City
Thomas is a proven winner and respected teammate who played 5 seasons in the ABL. Over those 5 years, Thomas and his teams made the Finals a whopping 4 times and winning the title twice in 2012 and 2014. The burly big man might not be a big time scorer but he did enough to surpass the 1K mark with an 18-point game for Hitech Bangkok City on September 14, 2014 against Laskar Dreya. Thomas might have dropped down the All-Time scoring a bit in recent years, but he still holds the All-Time rebounding title (1519 rebounds) which looks to be his for a long while.
Tyler Lamb (1307 Points)
Teams: Hitech Bangkok City, Hong Kong Eastern Basketball Team
Tyler Lamb had a reputation as a scorer even before he played his first ABL game and he didn’t disappoint, currently with 1307 points in 3 seasons. With a pure shooting form and crafty handles to get to the cup, Lamb reached the 1K mark on January 18, 2018 against the Formosa Dreamers. The 2016-2017 Champion and Heritage Import MVP is a deadly scorer and also one of the best ball thieves in ABL history as well.
Lenny Daniel (1196 Points)
Teams: Saigon Heat, Formosa Dreamers
Lenny Daniel compiled most of his career points as a beloved member of the Saigon Heat in 42 games with the team, but only reached 979 points over three seasons. Daniel would only crack into the 1K club as a member of the Formosa Dreamers on December 8, 2017 in a game coincidentally against the Saigon Heat in Ho Chi Minh City. It took Daniel only 44 games to reach the milestone, making him the fastest player to reach the mark in ABL history at that time.
David Arnold (1166 Points)
Teams: Saigon Heat
As the face of the Saigon Heat franchise for the longest of time, it was only suitable that Arnold was their first player to ever reach the 1K mark in a Saigon Heat uniform. He reached the milestone in the same game as Lenny Daniel on December 8, 2017, though the former teammates found themselves on opposite teams in that matchup. It took Arnold 67 games to reach the mark, making him the 3rd non-World Import player at the time to complete the feat.
Wong Wei Long (1141 Points)
Teams: Singapore Slingers
The 7-year veteran became the first player ever in ABL history to score all of his 1000 career points as a local player in his 123rd game on February 3rd, 2017 against the Kaohsiung Truth. The Singapore Slingers’ star had already proven his worth among the league’s All-Time greats with back-to-back Local MVP awards in 2014 and 2015-2015, but being able to reach this feat only sweetens the deal. Though Wei Long took a one-year hiatus from the ABL in 2017-2018, he is back once again in this upcoming season in a twist that will see him playing for the CLS Knights.
Marcus Elliott (1120 Points)
Teams: Hong Kong Eastern Basketball Team
The 2016-2017 World Import MVP has taken the league by storm ever since his first appearance in the ABL and he doesn’t seem to be slowing down. Elliott reached the 1K mark on March 15, 2018 against the Mono Vampire Basketball Club and is on pace to rise up the ranks in a hurry as he will be returning to play for Eastern for a third straight season. In only 43 games, Elliott managed to reach 1000 career points beating out Lenny Daniel’s record by only one game. He also currently holds the record for most consecutive games with at least 10 points, a streak that is active with 48 games so far.
Nakiea Miller (1050 Points)
Teams: Satria Muda Britama, Westports Malaysia Dragons, Philippine Patriots, Pilipinas MX3 Kings
The 2010-2011 World Import MVP played his first three seasons for three of the most storied franchises in ABL history, but it took an unexpected return in his fourth year to reach the 1k milestone. On January 13, 2016 against his former club, the Westports Malaysia Dragons, Miller finally made his way into the 1k club being able to do so in 56 games.
Mario Wuysang (1039 Points)
Teams: Satria Muda Britama, Indonesia Warriors, CLS Knights
If not for a break after playing his 4th ABL season back in 2013, Mario Wuysang might have very well been the first local player ever to join the 1K club. Instead, he had to wait until February 18, 2018 to reach the milestone in a vintage 20-point performance against the Saigon Heat. He reached the mark in 92 games, making his the fastest local player to so. The achievement adds more onto his legacy as Indonesia’s finest which already includes an ABL Championship in 2012, a Local MVP award in 2010-2011, and three ABL Finals appearances.
Brian Williams (1008 Points)
Teams: Westports Malaysia Dragons, San Miguel Beermen, CLS Knights
The 2013 ABL Champion ended his 2017-2018 season with the CLS Knights on a high note by breaking through to the 1k mark on March 25, 2018 against Alab Pilipinas. It took Williams 64 games to reach the milestone and he is the most recent player to join the 1k club.
Kyle Jeffers (1004 Points)
Teams: Singapore Slingers
Jeffers became the first World Import player to reach the 1k mark, doing so in his 63rd career game on August 24, 2014 against Laskar Dreya. He is also the first player ever in ABL history to score all of his 1000 points with one team which showcased the relationship between him and the team over his 5 seasons playing in the league.
