On the night of February 7 to 8, 2023, LeBron James became the leading scorer in NBA history, with 38,390 points, dethroning Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who had held the record for nearly 40 years. But can it reach the 40,000 mark?
38,390 points. LeBron James managed to dethrone Kareem Abdul-Jabbar at the top of the ranking of the best scorer in NBA history (a record once considered impossible to beat) during a disputed meeting on the night of February 7 to 8, 2023 once morest at the Oklahoma City Thunder on a mid-range shot scored 11 seconds from the end of the 3rd quarter that will forever be remembered.
At the end of the meeting, LeBron James expressed his pride in achieving such a feat that he owes to an exceptional longevity which allows him, at 38, to figure once more and once more among the elite of the NBA. His main goals for the rest of his career are clear: to win a new title (which seems complicated at the moment), and to play long enough to walk the courts with his son, Bronny James. Which means he will have to extend his career at least until the 2024-2025 season. And he seems more than ever motivated to continue.
“It’s a certainty, I know I can still play for a few more years. The way my body has reacted throughout the season… I know it’s just a mental thing. As long as I have the spirit for and that I am motivated to work and to prepare myself, I will continue to play”, he launched following his record.
The 40,000 point mark, and beyond
The question we are now asking is: how far can LeBron James go? Can the bar of 40,000 points be reached, or exceeded? Short answer: yes. And he should even push it a little further. Long answer: LeBron James is currently averaging 30 points per game, so he should add some 600 points or more to his total by the end of the season. And this even if he misses a few meetings here or there on injury or for simple rest.
LeBron James hasn’t played more than 67 games in a season since 2017-18. However, assuming that he only plays around sixty games next season, with an average of 25 points/game, he might add more than 1,500 points to his total, and thus cross the symbolic bar of 40,000 points in the during the year 2024. And if he plays another season with his son, Bronny James, 1,500 additional points are likely to be added, with a total close to or beyond 42,000 points.
It should be noted that among the most difficult records to beat now, that of Wilt Chamberlain at the rebounds (23.924) seems almost untouchable. As well as the two records of John Stockton, who is by far at the top of the classification of interceptions (3.265) and assists (15.806) in career.
