LeBron James has made history once again by becoming the youngest player ever to reach 40,000 points in his NBA career, surpassing milestones along the way from 1000 to 39,000 points.
LeBron James, who already holds numerous records in the NBA, has achieved another remarkable milestone. The Los Angeles Lakers’ superstar made history by becoming the first player ever to reach 40,000 career points in the NBA.
The historic moment came during the Lakers’ game against the defending champions, the Denver Nuggets, on March 3. LeBron made a left-handed shot early in the second half, surpassing Michael Porter Jr. with his signature spin move and scoring near the basket.
The game carried on until the Lakers decided to take a break roughly a minute later, allowing LeBron James to bask in the applause of 19,000 fans at Crypto.com Stadium.
“I am constantly grateful that he’s still out there playing, still dazzling us with his exceptional skills. It’s truly an honor to coach LeBron James and be a part of these extraordinary moments,” expressed Los Angeles Lakers coach Darvin Ham.
Heading into the game today, LeBron James was just a mere 9 points away from hitting the impressive 40,000 point mark. Even at his age, the Lakers’ standout has been putting up solid numbers this season with averages of 25.3 points, 7.9 assists, and 7.1 rebounds per game.
James boasts an impressive 52.5% field goal percentage, a long-range shooting percentage of 40.8% from beyond the arc, and a free throw percentage of 73.6%. These stats are not only impressive for a 39-year-old player but also for someone in their 21st season in the league, making it a historic feat.
For a quick comparison, Vince Carter used to score an average of 7.4 points per game in his 21st season, which is a far cry from LeBron’s current average. LeBron James not only achieved the incredible milestone of scoring 40,000 points but also broke another NBA record with a streak of 1,205 consecutive games with 10 points or more. The last time LeBron scored less than 10 points in a game was over 17 years ago when he was only 22 years old.
LeBron James revealed that he never intentionally set out to break records, but rather they were a byproduct of his pursuit of larger goals. By playing basketball with respect and dedication, he found that success and records followed naturally. His main focus has always been on winning and becoming a champion, with scores and records being a bonus along the way.
According to ESPN, LeBron James has become the youngest player in NBA history to hit all even-scoring milestones, from 1,000 to 4,000 points and beyond. The numbers 39,000 and 40,000 points are currently dominated by James himself.
In addition, LeBron has consistently ranked among the top 20 players in scoring for the past 20 consecutive seasons. With this year’s season not yet factored in, it seems highly probable that James will extend this streak to 21 years.
The two aforementioned stats highlight LeBron James’ impressive consistency as both a scorer and a durable player over the span of two decades, starting in 2003. Unfortunately, his latest milestone came in a losing effort as he and the Los Angeles Lakers fell to the defending champions Denver Nuggets, 114-124.
Reflecting on his accomplishment, LeBron commented, “Winning is always the priority for me. While reaching this milestone is significant, it’s bittersweet knowing it came in a defeat.”