LeBron James becomes first NBA player ever to surpass 50,000 career points

A GOAT, indeed. LeBron James has once again etched his name in the history books, becoming the first player in NBA history to surpass 50,000 combined points across the regular season and playoffs. His latest milestone proves that James has been the right person to sit at the top of the ladder. Certainly, numbers speak volumes, and his latest accolade made his career of over two decades glorious before he hangs up his basketball sneakers.

LeBron James reached the 50,000-point mark in the opening minutes of the Los Angeles Lakers’ matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans, draining a three-pointer that sent the crowd into a frenzy. This achievement comes just a year after he became the all-time leading scorer in regular-season history, surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s long-standing record of 38,387 points. Now, with a total of 41,840 regular-season points and 8,162 playoff points, James stands alone in an exclusive club of one.

The gap between James and the rest of the league is staggering. Among active players, Kevin Durant is the closest to James with 35,191 total points— still more than 15,000 behind. Historical greats like Karl Malone, Kobe Bryant, and Michael Jordan remain well behind James in combined scoring. Even Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who previously held the highest combined total, finished his career with 44,149 points, nearly 6,000 short of James’ current tally.
But James' legacy extends beyond just scoring. His all-around impact on the game is reflected in his standings on multiple all-time statistics.
In addition to his latest achievement, James ranks third all-time in games played with 1,547 and sits fourth in career assists with 11,481. On defense, he holds the sixth spot in career steals with 2,326 and is seventh in defensive rebounds with 9,845, showing his all-around presence on the court.
He was recently named the Western Conference Player of the Month for February, becoming the oldest player to ever win the award at 40 years old. During that month, he averaged 29.3 points, 10.5 rebounds, 6.9 assists, and 1.2 steals while leading the Lakers to a 9-2 record.
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James is still at his best, adding stunning stats to his legacy-enriched resume. The 40-year-old Lakers veteran has shown no sign of retirement as of yet, which teased that there are more records to be claimed. Fans of James will certainly hail the King as he made a record that no other player in the league can dream of.