On March 2, 2024, LeBron James made history by becoming the first player in NBA history to score 40,000 career regular-season points.
At age 39, LeBron continues to play at an elite level and add to his ever-growing legacy.
Reaching the 40,000 Point Milestone
LeBron entered the Lakers‘ March 2nd home game against the Denver Nuggets needing just 9 points to reach 40,000.
In the second quarter, LeBron used a spin move to get separation from defender Michael Porter Jr. and scooped in a left-handed layup to hit the milestone.
The crowd erupted in applause and LeBron received a standing ovation when he went to the bench at the next timeout. It was a special moment recognizing LeBron‘s long and illustrious career.
LeBron’s Reaction
In typical LeBron fashion, he was honored but focused more on the game itself.
“Being the first player to do something, it’s pretty cool in this league, just knowing the history, the greats that have come through the league, and then you see some of the greats on the floor tonight, it was great to compete,”
LeBron
“But for me, the main thing, as always, is to win, and I hated that it had to happen in a defeat.”
The Lakers lost the game 124-114 against the defending champion Nuggets.
Pressure from a Young Age
LeBron also reflected on the intense pressure and expectations he’s faced since entering the league straight out of high school.
“For the first time in a long time, I’ve seen the commercial that was played before my first game. I think they mentioned all the greats to ever play the game of basketball…and then it was like, ‘the next one, LeBron James.’
I didn’t see that commercial when it happened, but when I was watching it today, I was like what the hell? That expectation on an 18-year-old kid like that, that was insane to think about.”
The Path to 40,000
Last February, LeBron passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. Kareem‘s previous record of 38,387 points had stood since 1989.
Reaching 40,000 points puts LeBron‘s record even further out of reach. He achieved the feat in just 1,475 regular season games, scoring double digits in 1,205 straight contests.
In addition to his elite scoring, LeBron is also one of the game’s greatest passers.
He ranks 4th all-time in assists and has averaged 7.4 dimes per game over his career.
Durability and Longevity
A key factor in LeBron‘s unprecedented scoring numbers is his durability. He has avoided major injuries over 21 seasons and remains highly productive at age 39.
LeBron discussed how his rigorous offseason workouts have enabled him to maintain such a high level.
“I come to work and prepare and prep, mentally, physically, spiritually every single night when it’s time to play, and I just try to go out and contribute.”
Who Can Catch Him?
Of current players, Kevin Durant has the 2nd most points at 28,372. But at age 35, he would likely need to play 5+ more seasons at his career scoring average to reach 40,000 points.
Younger stars like Luka Doncic and Joel Embiid have higher career scoring averages than LeBron but have a long way to go in terms of longevity.
LeBron reaching 40,000 points reinforces that his NBA scoring record may never be broken.
As he said,
“Records are always meant to be broken. But for years people said Kareem’s record would never be broken, and I was able to eclipse it.”
Sources:
www.npr.org/2024/03/03/1235585938/lebron-james-first-nba-player-score-40000-points-lakers
apnews.com/article/lebron-james-nba-points-b0ba6a7a8f5493b0c0960bf7e10bc98e
www.reuters.com/sports/basketball/lebron-james-becomes-first-player-score-40000-points-2024-03-03/
