Joe
LOS ANGELES – LeBron James has once again etched his name into NBA history. The Los Angeles Lakers superstar became the first player to score 50,000 career points, a milestone he achieved during Tuesday night’s game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Crypto.com Arena.
Already the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, James wasted little time reaching the mark after falling just short in the Lakers’ previous game. Midway through the first quarter, he connected on a three-pointer from the wing, officially becoming the only player in league history to surpass the 50,000-point threshold when combining regular-season and playoff points.
An Unmatched Legacy
James had already set the postseason scoring record in 2017, surpassing Michael Jordan, and later broke Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s all-time scoring record in 2023. With over 8,100 playoff points and counting, James now sits comfortably atop the all-time scoring list.
For context, Abdul-Jabbar finished his legendary career with 44,149 combined points, making him one of only three players to surpass the 40,000-point mark. Among active players, Kevin Durant remains the closest competitor with just over 35,000 combined points.
Still Dominant at 40
Despite being in his 22nd NBA season, James continues to perform at an elite level. Heading into Tuesday’s game, he was averaging 24.8 points, 8.6 assists, and eight rebounds per game while shooting nearly 52% from the field. Remarkably, since turning 40 in December, he has recorded multiple 40-point games—a feat only matched by Jordan, who achieved it once.
As James’ illustrious career nears its twilight, one question remains: how much longer will he play? While the end may be approaching, his scoring record is set to stand as one of the most untouchable achievements in NBA history.
