LeBron James Eclipses 40,000 Career Points — Here’s Why That Record Might Never Fall
The moment came on Saturday night with the Lakers hosting the Nuggets. Early in the second quarter, LeBron James took a full head of steam into a spinning left-hand layup for another highlight we’ll be seeing replayed throughout time — the one that reached the 40,000-point milestone. Unfortunately for the Lakers, the Nuggets pulled away late (124-114) as Denver continues to spoil L.A.’s big moments. The Lakers (33-29) are still teetering on mediocrity, but that’s not our story here. LeBron’s achievement of 40,000 points is mind-blowing, and it’s a record that may never fall. In fact, I’m definitively telling you — it won’t.
NBA’s All-Time Scoring List
1. LeBron James (40,017 points)
2. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (38,287 points)
3. Karl Malone (36,928 points)
4. Kobe Bryant (33,643 points)
5. Michael Jordan (32,292 points)
Why 40,000 Points is Untouchable
No matter where you fall on the GOAT debate (personally, I’m a 90s kid and it will always be Michael Jordan), there’s no denying LeBron’s 40K point record is likely going to stand the test of time. To put it in perspective, Stephen Curry (23,254) and Damian Lillard (20,733) would need to combine career points to surpass 40,000. They’re both 35 and 33, respectively. In order for a future challenger to emerge, a player would need to match LeBron’s scoring output — 27.1 ppg over a 21-year career — and somehow post better longevity and availability numbers. LeBron started in 62-plus games (out of 82) in 16 of his 20 seasons, and he’s on pace for it again (17/21) by this year’s conclusion. The man just never got hurt until recent minor injuries, and even then he continues to defy logic and play at a high level as he nears 40 years old.
Here are some of the active NBA superstars (top-8) and where they stand in comparison to LeBron’s record:
NBA Active Scoring Leaders
1. LeBron James (40,017 points) — Age 39
11. Kevin Durant (28,372 points) — Age 35
24. James Harden (25,628 points) — Age 34
29. Russell Westbrook (25,098 points) — Age 35
36. Stephen Curry (23,254 points) — Age 35
40. DeMar DeRozan (23,002 points) — Age 35
42. Chris Paul (22,074 points) — Age 38
50. Damian Lillard (20,733 points) — Age 33
LeBron finished Saturday night with 26 points in the loss. He’s averaging 25.3 ppg and a career-best 40.8 percent 3-point shooting this season. The Finals appearances and championships have begun to evade him more and more as he gets older, but we may never again see a player do what James is doing in Year 21.
Watch: LeBron James Breaks 40,000-Point Milestone
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