LeBron James shatters NBA record with 50,000 career points record

LeBron James cemented his legendary status in NBA history on Tuesday, becoming the first player to surpass 50,000 career points across regular season and post-season play. The Los Angeles Lakers superstar extended his lead as the league’s all-time scoring king, achieving a milestone that may stand unchallenged for generations.

A Record-Breaking Moment

LeBron James entered the Lakers’ clash against the New Orleans Pelicans needing just one point to reach the historic mark, having tallied 49,999 points following a 17-point performance against the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday.

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It took the 40-year-old icon mere moments to achieve the feat. Receiving a pass from Luka Dončić, James coolly drained a 25-foot three-pointer, sending the Crypto.com Arena crowd into a frenzy as he officially crossed the 50,000-point threshold.

Surpassing Legends

LeBron James had already rewritten the NBA record books when he overtook Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s long-standing regular-season scoring record of 38,387 points in 2023. Now, his career total of 50,002 points puts him nearly 6,000 points ahead of Abdul-Jabbar’s combined total of 44,149.

The updated all-time career scoring leaderboard now stands as follows:
LeBron James – 50,002 points (and counting), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – 44,149 points, Karl Malone – 41,689 points, Kobe Bryant – 39,283 points and Michael Jordan – 38,279 points.

Among active players, only Kevin Durant—currently with just over 35,000 points—ranks in the top 10, making it unlikely that anyone will challenge LeBron James’ historic total anytime soon.

Tributes Pour In For LeBron James

NBA greats and fans worldwide celebrated LeBron James’ remarkable achievement, with Lakers legend Magic Johnson leading the praise.

“Congratulations to the King, LeBron James, for becoming the only player in NBA history to score 50,000 regular season and playoff points!” Johnson wrote on X.

LeBron James’ milestone came on the same day he set another NBA record, becoming the oldest player ever to win the Player of the Month award. Named Western Conference Player of the Month for February, James guided the Lakers to a dominant 10-2 record, averaging 29.3 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 6.9 assists.