LeBron James has surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for essentially the most area objectives in NBA historical past.
James hit a turnaround 12-foot jumper over Zeke Nnaji with 12 seconds left within the first quarter of the Los Angeles Lakers’ sport towards the Denver Nuggets on Thursday night time.
The bucket gave James 15,838 profession area objectives in his unprecedented twenty third NBA season. Abdul-Jabbar had 15,837 baskets when the skyhook-wielding massive man ended his 20-year profession in 1989 because the NBA’s profession scoring chief. Karl Malone is a distant third with 13,528 area objectives.
James handed Abdul-Jabbar to develop into the highest scorer in NBA historical past in February 2023. James was already the highest scorer in NBA playoff historical past, and he surpassed 50,000 profession factors within the common season and postseason mixed a yr in the past.
James has already tried extra area objectives than any NBA participant — 31,274 coming into Thursday night time, together with greater than 7,500 three-pointers.
Abdul-Jabbar, the low-post virtuoso who made greater than 50 per cent of his pictures in 19 straight seasons to begin his profession, tried solely 28,307 area objectives — and simply 18 of them had been three-pointers after the shot was launched to the league halfway by means of his profession.
Abdul-Jabbar was a profession 55.9 per cent shooter, whereas James has hit 51.6 per cent of his pictures.
James tied Abdul-Jabbar’s report together with his second basket of the sport, an alley-oop dunk from Luca Doncic that minimize Denver’s early result in 16-7.
Now 41, James repeatedly units NBA data for longevity and profession achievements — most not too long ago turning into the oldest participant to get a triple-double final month.
Much more historical past awaits James later in March, barring damage: The Lakers’ go to to the Nuggets was the 1,606th regular-season sport of his profession, placing him simply 5 video games behind Robert Parish (1,611) for essentially the most in NBA historical past. James already holds the league’s profession report for playoff video games with 292.
James says he hasn’t determined whether or not to return to the Lakers subsequent season, however he believes he might hold enjoying at a excessive degree indefinitely.
He was chosen for the All-Star Recreation for the twenty second time in his profession regardless of lacking 18 video games as a result of damage, precluding him from consideration for the postseason All-NBA groups.
Revealed on Mar 06, 2026