Team USA’s two-time Olympic gold medallist broke the career NBA regular season points scoring record held by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Basketball hero LeBron James is the NBA’s all-time top scorer, but he hasn’t finished yet.
The American should pass the 39,000 regular season points mark early in the 2023/24 campaign, with the 47,000 career points total for regular season and playoffs also rapidly approaching.
The 38-year-old Los Angeles Lakers star passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in career points during a memorable game on Tuesday 7 February 2023, scoring 38 to give himself a total of 38,390 regular season points, in a 133-130 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Abdul-Jabbar had held the record with 38,387 points in regular season games.
Three-time Team USA Olympian and two-time gold medal winner LeBron has since continued to extend his record. He moved on to 38,652 regular season points at the conclusion of the 2022/23 season.
He also holds the record for playoff points with 8,023 (following Game 4 of the 2023 NBA Western Conference Final postseason series against the Denver Nuggets), for a grand total of 46,675 career points at the end of the 2022/23 season according to the NBA**.**
Retired great Michael Jordan is second on the playoff points list with 5,987.
In a sport where discussion rages as to who is the greatest of all time – with Jordan, Kobe Bryant and Larry Bird all in the mix, two-time Olympic gold medallist James certainly advanced his cause in the conversation by surpassing Abdul-Jabbar’s regular-season total.
NBA’s All-Time scoring list: Top 10 (regular season only)
As at 12 November 2023.
- NBA Rookie of the Year: 2004
- Four-time NBA Champion: 2012, 2013, 2016, 2020
- Four-time NBA Finals MVP: 2012, 2013, 2016, 2020
- Four-time NBA MVP: 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013
- 18-time NBA All-Star selection: 2005-2022
- Three-time NBA All-Star Game MVP: 2006, 2008, 2018
- Three-time Olympic medallist (gold: Beijing 2008, London 2012, bronze: Athens 2004)
- FIBA World Cup medallist (bronze: 2006)
- Only player in NBA history to have at least 10,000 rebounds and 10,000 assists
- Only player in NBA history to score 10 points or more in 1,000 consecutive games
