LeBron James Makes History as the First NBA Player To Score 50,000 Combined Points

Whether you’re an avid watcher of the NBA, a hip hop super-fan or just someone with a finger on the pulse of all things pop culture, you surely know of LeBron James. The 40-year-old Los Angeles Lakers power forward has permeated the culture far beyond the basketball court thanks to his philanthropy, magnetic influence and unparalleled longevity in the NBA. Now, LeBron James has shattered yet another association record by scoring a whopping 50,000 career points in the regular season and playoffs combined. With this record, LeBron becomes the top all-time scorer in NBA history, surpassing some of the game’s finest players like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan. Since no other athlete holds this incredible distinction, it seems like now is the perfect time to explore LeBron’s career, reflect on his achievements and see what’s next for the Akron, Ohio-born legend.

The 3-Point Shot Heard Round the World

LeBron James’ 50,000th point arrived during the Mar. 4 match-up between the Lakers and the New Orleans Pelicans. Early in the first quarter, James made a three-point shot which propelled him over the 50,000 mark, before he continued to dominate the game with a 34-point total. The Lakers ultimately took home the win with a final score of 136 to 115. Not only does LeBron hold the distinct honor of being the only player to achieve this record, he also got to do so while sharing the court with his son, Bronny. Notably, LeBron also celebrated this milestone alongside Luka Dončić, who was traded to the Lakers last month. Despite Luka’s status as a newly-minted Showtime player, he quickly established himself as a fierce ally to LeBron, and defined his on-the-court chemistry with 30 points, 15 assists and eight rebounds of his own.

While speaking on his achievements and legacy after the game, James explained, “Obviously, the first thing that comes to mind is where I’m from. Picking up the game when I was a little kid and having a love for the sport, and hoping that someday I’d be able to play at the highest level. I’ve been able to do that and really enjoy my career. So it’s definitely an honor. It’s pretty cool to see that.” This humble response is par for the course for LeBron, as the all-star athlete has shattered dozens of league records during his tenure, including most consecutive games scoring in double figures, most playoff wins, most playoff steals and of course, four NBA championships.

What Players Are Close to LeBron’s Scoring Record?

At 51,170 points and counting at the time of this writing, no professional basketball player even comes close to LeBron James’ career point total. The previous record holder, Oscar Schmidt, retired with 49,737 points. Even still, Schmidt’s accolades are often overlooked because most of his career was spent playing for Brazilian basketball leagues outside of the NBA’s purview. The closest NBA player to rival James is Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, with a whopping 44,149 combined points. Abdul-Jabbar is trailed by the likes of Karl Malone, Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan – all players who are undeniable contenders for the title of greatest of all time. Since each of the previously named players are long-since retired from professional ball, LeBron seems to have no immediate competition for this record. The nearest scoring heights of any active NBA players include Kevin Durant at 35,743, James Harden at 31,122 and Steph Curry at 29,066.

Even if those other players begin creeping up on LeBron James’ record, his scoring title is only expected to continue growing, as he shows no signs of slowing or stopping. James is currently tied with Vince Carter for most total seasons played and is expected to shatter that record next year. Over the course of his 22 seasons with the NBA, LeBron has appeared in 1,548 regular-season games and 287 postseason games. Luka Dončić remarked on his teammates achievements during a post-game interview, where he explained to reporters, “It’s amazing, watching him do this stuff at this age. It’s just unbelievable, that 50K points. I can’t even explain how insane that is. He might get to 70K. You never know.”

How Many Times Has LeBron Scored Over 50 Points?

Longtime fans of LeBron James certainly saw the 50,000 point milestone coming, given that the St. Vincent–St. Mary graduate has such a penchant for high scoring. Though he touts a career average of 27 points per game, LeBron has routinely shot for more than 50 points in a single evening. His first time accomplishing this feat came in a March 2005 match against the Toronto Raptors. At the time, James was playing for his home team, the Cleveland Cavaliers. In the years since, he’s managed to hit the 50+ mark over 14 times, with a single-game high of 61 points. His best-scoring game ever was played on Mar. 3, 2014. If you’re superstitious, you may have noticed the connection between LeBron James shattering his personal bests in the month of March. Most players might not inspire such an ethereal speculation from fans – but then again, most players won’t score 50,000 points in their career.

Has the Lakers Icon Ever Had a 27-7-7 Game?

Since LeBron James has had such an incredible career, you’d be forgiven for thinking he’s cleared every record imaginable. Believe it or not, there are still roads left for the power forward to cross. For instance, LeBron has never, in 22 seasons, completed the coveted 27-7-7 game. For those not in the know, fans have developed a long-held superstition regarding James’ on-the-court performance, which centers on his career average of 27 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists. Despite these figures representing his career average, LeBron has never made this exact score card in a single game. Though the beloved player has never hit the exact 27-7-7 figure, he has come exceedingly close on more than one occasion.

77 games have seen LeBron walking away with 27 points, 11 of which were paired with the seven rebounds. In one instance, James even came a single rebound shy of hitting the number, playing a 27-6-7, as it were. This anomaly may seem trivial to non NBA fans, but it actually follows a longstanding pattern. Michael Jordan famously never played a single game with a score card of his career average 30-6-5. Kobe Bryant also never achieved this feat for his 25-5-5 stat. Some fans have come to consider the 27-7-7 game as the final threshold required for LeBron to solidify his status as the G.O.A.T., signaling an opportunity to retire when he finally hits it. If his 50,000+ point threshold is any indication, however, it seems clear that LeBron will make history with such a game and simply keep on moving.