LeBron James surpassed 40,000 career points in Saturday night’s home game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Denver Nuggets, further cementing his place in the NBA record books.
James, who held the NBA record for most career points as of last year, was 9 points shy of the feat entering the game. A layup in the second quarter had James reach 40,000 points, and another layup ensured he crossed the mark.
However, James’ presence was not certain Saturday night.
The manufacture, the NBA echoed a report from LakersNation.com stating that the Lakers had listed James as questionable for the Nuggets game because of soreness and swelling in his left ankle. But James is known to play, and play well, no matter how he’s listed.
Lakers fans scored another James high, but playing for his home state Cleveland Cavaliers, as well as the Miami Heat, contributed to his career total.
With another milestone, his 40th birthday, coming up later this year, James’ prodigious performances have come amid retirement age for nearly every professional athlete.
In February, James became the first NBA player to start 20 All-Star games this year as the West’s captain. He scored 8 points in 14 minutes of action alone as the East prevailed 211-186.
“The most important thing for me is definitely my health” James said at that time.
He has played more minutes than any other NBA player, past or present, and with his expected return next season, he will match eight-time All-Star and retired Toronto Raptors point guard Vince Carter for most season: 22.
But despite the abundance of achievements, he still has professional goals.
James said he wants to play in the NBA with his sons, Brony Compogar of the University of Southern Californiaa freshman in college, and Sierra Canyon School point guard Bryce, a sophomore in high school.
On February 7, 2023, James scored his 38,388th point in a home game against the Oklahoma Thunder, surpassing former Laker Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s 38,387 points. The feat elevated him to the all-time leading goalscorer position.
After the Lakers’ 134-131 overtime win over the Washington Wizards on Thursday, James suggested that reaching 40,000 is another metaphorical offspring of his career — valuable, but not as important as his firstborn, surpassing the total by Abdul-Jabbar.
“Nobody’s ever done that,” he said of reaching 40,000 career points in Thursday’s postgame press conference. “For me to be in this position at this point in my career, I think it’s pretty cool. Is it at the top of the things I’ve done in my career? No. Does it mean anything? Of course. Absolutely. Why not?”
You are not guaranteed to remain the all-time leader in league points.
Among today’s top 10 career scorers, there is only one other active player — Kevin Durant of the Phoenix Suns — who had 38,113 points through Friday and, at 35, may have many points to go.
Several younger players may pose a challenge to James’ record as the world examines his legacy as well.
Slovenian forward Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks was the leading scorer of the 2023-24 season. On Christmas night, a three-pointer against the Phoenix Suns pushed him past 10,000 career NBA points. He turned 25 on Wednesday.
The Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, 25; Milwaukee Bucks Giannis Antetokounmpo, 29; Cleveland Cavaliers’ Donovan Mitchell Jr., 27; and Durant completed the list of the top five scorers of the season.
On Thursday, James’ 31-point performance powered the Lakers to a win over the Wizards and moved him within nine points of 40,000 points.
In his postgame press conference, James noted that he still has the all-time leading scorer job and made it clear that he will defend his point fortress.
“It was never a goal of mine when I came into the league, like I wanted to be the top scorer of all time,” he said.
“But I’m still playing, so…” he continued.
“It’s going to keep going up,” he said of his career total, “until I’m done playing.”