LeBron James Breaks the NBA All Time Scoring Record

Since 1984, Kareem Abdul Jabbar has been the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. Kareem was able to score so many points that for nearly 40 years NBA fans have been saying “Nobody passes Kareem.”  However last night, February 7, Lakers star LeBron James made history once again. Against the Oklahoma City Thunder, he broke a record deemed unbeatable, the all-time scoring record. 

Coming into the game, LeBron needed 36 points to pass Kareem. Although it wasn’t impossible, scoring 36 seemed unlikely. However, right off the bat, LeBron put his head down and took shot after shot. With 10.9 seconds left in the third quarter, LeBron passed the record with an elegant fadeaway reminiscent of one from his childhood idol, Michael Jordan. If you watched the game, it was clear that he was going for the record. He ended the game with 38 points, 4 threes, and 65% shooting from the field. Although the Lakers lost, LeBron still was able to achieve something greater than a regular season win. 

When most players get to age 30, their stats decline, they get more injured, and their career just overall starts to come to an end. This might be true for the vast majority of NBA players, but not for LeBron. Since turning 30, LeBron has won two NBA championships, 2 NBA MVPs, an assist title and 4 all NBA first-team selections. 

For LeBron, he makes it look easy. In the case of Kareem Abdul Jabbar, once he was 38, he was still able to produce incredibly well for his age, but he still averaged 7 fewer points, 2 fewer rebounds and 4 fewer assists than LeBron has. In the case of Michael Jordan, he was also able to produce highly for a 38-year-old, but he still averaged 7 fewer points, 2 fewer assists and 3 fewer rebounds than LeBron. In the case of the late Kobe Bryant, he averaged 13 fewer points, 5 fewer assists and 5 fewer rebounds than LeBron. Kobe, MJ and Kareem are all arguably 3 of the 5 greatest NBA players of all time. Even in their later years, they were good. But as LeBron closes in on age 40, he’s not good, he’s great. 

Although the Lakers haven’t had much team success since their championship 2019-20 season, LeBron’s individual performances have been unmatched. It seems as if he has the ability to play well as long as he wants, no matter his age. LeBron has previously stated that he wants to be able to play with, or against his oldest son, Bronny James. Bronny will be eligible for the 2024-25 NBA draft, so we know LeBron will compete for his championship for at least two more seasons. 

Congratulations to LeBron for breaking a record that nobody thought would ever be broken.