Kareem Abdul-Jabbar retired in 1989 with a record for most minutes played at 57,446. That record, similar to his scoring record, stood for many years before LeBron James eventually surpassed it. However, there are still a few LeBron James records that we can expect in the coming years. Playing this well in his 22nd season is unprecedented, something we might not ever see again.
LeBron Still Has Records to Shatter – What Comes Next?
Breaking records that Kareem held for many years is a testament to the longevity of LeBron James. Some people might have Michael Jordan as their best player due to his 6-0 record in the Finals, something LeBron can never break. But LeBron has a longer, more durable career. They are neck-and-neck in accomplishments. Some people favor the more MVPs, Finals MVPs, and championships of Michael, while others prefer the All-NBA selections and longevity of LeBron. But let’s take a look at a couple of more longevity records that LeBron James can break this year and possibly the next one.
Games Played
When the season started, LeBron James was in sixth place for most games played. So far, he has passed John Stockton, and he might pass Dirk Nowitzki and Vince Carter by the time this season finishes. He has talked about wanting to play 82 games this season, but that is now out of the question.
We will have to wait and see how the Lakers manage LeBron and his load until the end of the season. Now that the 82-game mark is not an option, will they give him a bit more rest? With the last game, he has played in 1,517 games, and needs 95 more to catch Robert Parish for the most all-time. Dirk has 1,522, Vince has 1,541, and Kareem has 1,560.
Last year, LeBron played in 71 games. Let’s say he appears in as many this year and next one, and he might become the No.1 player in games played somewhere around the All-Star break next year.
Field Goals
Despite being the leader in points scored, LeBron is not the leader in field goals. When the season started, he was 1,000 field goals behind Kareem. This record will be hard to break because James will need good health and a good shooting percentage.
Now, he has only once made less than 500 field goals in a season. That was during his third season with the Lakers, when he played in only 45 games, hitting 422 shots in total. So far he has hit 216 field goals, and his career total is at 15,053. Kareem sits at 15,837, making this one of the tightest races till the very end.
Last year, when LeBron played 71 games, he hit 685 shots in total. If he has good health this year and the next one and continues to defy Father Time, it is a realistic record to break.
Win Shares
LeBron entered the season about 10 win shares behind Kareem for the all-time record. Basketball Reference credits him with 1.7 thus far this season.
Kareem sits at No.1 with 273.41 win shares, with LeBron second with 265.39 win shares. Just for comparison, LeBron had 5.6, 5.6, and 5.1 in his last three seasons (years 19, 20, and 21). Kareem had 5.3 win shares in year 19 and dropped to 2.9 in his 20th season, which was his last. Wilt Chamberlain, third on the list, had 2.3 win shares in his 14th and final season in the league. Wilt and LeBron had similar win shares in year 13, but Chamberlain retired after 14 years in the league. Karl Malone is fourth and had 4.3 and 1.9 win shares in years 18 and 19. The fact that LeBron is doing this in year 22 is a testament to his commitment to greatness.
