With 10:45 remaining in the second quarter of their matchup with the Sacramento Kings, Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James surpassed Hall of Fame center Kareem Abdul-Jabber in career minutes.
LeBron James Dethrones Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Once Again
Entering the game just nine minutes behind Abdul-Jabbar, who retired with the Lakers, he now has played 57,471 career minutes.
LeBron James passes Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for most regular season minutes played 👑
Timeless ⏳ pic.twitter.com/wXZYPTR2iv
— ESPN (@espn) December 20, 2024
James, who passed Abdul-Jabbar as the all-time leader in career points last season, will be turning 40 years old on Dec. 30.
LeBron James became the all-time leader in regular season minutes played tonight. He’s spent a lot of time on the court 😳 pic.twitter.com/s3Izp6f7mV
— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) December 20, 2024
To put his age in perspective with regard to his new record, Abdul-Jabbar retired at 42 years old. He had played in 1,560 career games. James isn’t just a couple of years younger than the six-time NBA MVP, he’s played 43 fewer games.
In celebration of LeBron James (@KingJames) becoming the NBA’s all-time minutes player leader, here is a progressive timeline of the leaders in the category throughout @NBA history!
Check out all the basketball legends who appear on the graphic ⬇️📈🏀 pic.twitter.com/p0pKuaEVc7
— Greg Harvey (@BetweenTheNums) December 20, 2024
With that being said, James is on pace to finish the season with over 59,000 minutes played. By the end of next season, which could be his last, he could be the first NBA player with over 60,000 minutes. He’s already the first NBA player with over 40,000 points scored (41,040).
In the words of his musically-inclined friend-turned-foe, the Akron native’s numbers are untouchable. There will always be people who believe that Michael Jordan, who went 6-0 in the NBA Finals, is the greatest player of all-time. Abdul-Jabbar is another contender for the mantle. However, from a statistical perspective, James is unparalleled.
He’s the all-time leader in points scored, minutes played, and All-Star selections (20), another record that Jabbar (19) formerly held. He’s also a four-time NBA MVP, four-time NBA champion, and four-time NBA Finals MVP. His Finals record taints the perception of his otherwise stellar career. Yet, that blemish might not be enough to dethrone him as the best player the world has ever seen.
