League legend and Los Angeles Lakers keystone LeBron James will make an unprecedented mark on NBA history in March.
LeBron James Approaching Never-Before Reached Milestone
LeBron James Set to Eclipse 40K Career Points
Leading all players — ever — with 39,898 points, James is averaging 24.9 points per game in his 21st season. Subsequently, the 39-year-old is on pace to eclipse 40,000 career points when the Lakers face MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder at home on Mar. 4. In doing so, James can become the first — and perhaps last — player to achieve the feat.
Knowing James, it could be earlier. Not only has he scored 30 or more points in 13 games this season, he has a knack for poetry. Basketball poetry, that is.
To that point, L.A. faces a growing rival in the Denver Nuggets on Mar. 2. That’ll be another home game for the Lakers. Considering James’ immense respect for Nikola Jokic — largely considered the best player in the NBA — and the recent history between the two teams, James could very well be shooting for that to be the game he reaches that monumental milestone.
King James’ Crown Jewel
When James surpasses 40,000 career points, it could be the crown jewel of his decorated career.
A four-time NBA MVP, four-time NBA champion, 20-time NBA All-Star, two-time Olympic gold medalist, and the 2004 Rookie of the Year, James is no stranger to accomplishment. Entering the league fresh out of St. Vincent-St. Mary High School (Akron, OH), James has faced unwieldy expectations from day one and yet carried teams like the titan Atlas. Even still, James faces a barrage of criticism that he doesn’t compare to the iconic Michael Jordan.
More to the point, James’ 4-6 record in the NBA Finals sticks out like a sore thumb. Even the staunchest fan of James is forced to admit it doesn’t compare to Jordan’s sparkling 6-0 record. One can point to seemingly insurmountable obstacles faced by James in the NBA Finals, a few of which legitimately impacted his chance of winning. It’s just impossible to say that, in those moments, James performed as well as the person that he’s compared to most often.
Yet, by doing what’s never been done, James fortifies his case as the best basketball player of all time.
Jordan has a far better record in the NBA Finals and two more rings. He also has one more NBA MVP award than James and a Defensive Player of the Year award. To completely split hairs, Jordan has nine more scoring championships and three more All-Defensive selections than James as well.
James has eight more All-NBA selections and six more All-Star selections than Jordan. Both are a testament to his longevity and dedication to the sport. So is his being the league’s all-time leading scorer, though it also speaks to his sheer dominance. Despite not having Jordan’s aggressive scoring mindset, he has 7,600 more points (and 5,000 more assists).
Will There Ever Be Another?
Records are meant to be broken, as the saying goes. However, it’s difficult to foresee — let alone predict — another player who will reach the 40,000-point threshold.
Among current players, superstars Kevin Durant (28,296) and James Harden (25,557) rank second and third in career points. Peers Stephen Curry (23,160), Damian Lillard (20,653), and Giannis Antetokounmpo (17,975) rank fifth, eighth, and ninth, respectively. All five players are capable of scoring at least 1,500 points per season.
Yet, even if they were able to sustain that level of production, 35-year-old Durant would have to play seven more seasons, 34-year-old Harden would have to play 10 more seasons, 35-year-old Curry would have to play 12 more seasons, 33-year-old Lillard would have to play 14 more seasons, and 29-year-old Antetokounmpo would have to play 16 more seasons to reach that mark.
The most feasible candidate of that group is Durant, who could play into his early 40s due to his scoring prowess. However, his injury history and the short list of players to play into their 40s leave doubt about whether he can reach 40,000 career points. If so, it’s notable that James will have done it before turning 40, which would be all but impossible for Durant.
Not Even the Younger Generation?
Due to the scoring explosion caused by this era of basketball’s three-point proliferation, one wonders if there are any candidates from the younger generation. To be frank, the answer seems to be no.
Look at three players: Minnesota Timberwolves wing Anthony Edwards, Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young, and San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama.
Edwards has averaged 22.7 points per game over his four-year career. He’s averaged 1,566 points per season in that stretch, for 6,264 career points. To score 40,000 points, the 22-year-old would have to play 21 more seasons.
Young has averaged 25.6 points per game over his six-year career. He’s averaged 1,722 points per season thus far, for 10,334 career points. To score 40,000 points, the 25-year-old would have to play 17 more seasons.
Wembanyama is averaging 20.6 points per game and has scored 1,052 career points. The 20-year-old is on pace to score 40,000 points in 38 seasons.
Of course, these numbers are slightly skewed as the season is still ongoing. Furthermore, in any given season, they could score higher than their career average and decrease the time it would take to reach 40,000 points. Regardless of those two factors, though, it’s evident that players would have difficulty achieving what James is set to do even with today’s firepower.
