LeBron James made basketball history on Tuesday night, becoming the first player to reach 50,000 career points in the NBA. The Los Angeles Lakers superstar, already the league’s all-time leading scorer, extended his record in a dominant performance against the New Orleans Pelicans at Crypto.com Arena.
A Historic Shot
James entered the game needing just one point to reach the milestone after scoring 17 points in the Lakers’ victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday. The 40-year-old legend wasted no time, hitting a 25-foot three-pointer off an assist from Luka Doncic to push his total to 50,002 points, sending the Lakers crowd into a frenzy.
Extending His Lead in the Record Books
The four-time NBA champion and 20-time All-Star shattered the previous career scoring record of 44,149 points, set by Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. James had already surpassed Abdul-Jabbar’s regular-season scoring record of 38,387 points in 2023— a record that had stood for nearly four decades.
With his latest milestone, James now sits nearly 6,000 points ahead of Abdul-Jabbar’s total tally, further cementing his legacy as one of the greatest players of all time.
Top NBA Scorers of All Time
James’s achievement puts him well ahead of other NBA legends, with the all-time top five scorers now standing at:
- LeBron James – 50,000+ points
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – 44,149 points
- Karl Malone – 41,689 points
- Kobe Bryant – 39,283 points
- Michael Jordan – 38,279 points
A Record That May Never Be Broken
Among active NBA players, only Kevin Durant has surpassed 35,000 points, still 15,000 points behind James. Given James’s longevity and continued dominance in his 22nd season, analysts believe his 50,000-point milestone may never be surpassed.
As the NBA icon continues to defy age and expectations, fans and analysts alike are left wondering: How much higher can he push his record before he finally calls it a career.
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