Some of the most imposing records in sports are set in the eleventh hour of a storied career. Fans watch as veterans plod toward milestones — for their pride, their franchise, their league.
The NBA’s all-time scoring title would seem to fit the bill, requiring a combination of ruthless shotmaking and superhuman endurance.
There’s just one snag: the clock is not running out on the current record holder. LeBron James, 40 years old and playing in his 22nd season, seems to exist in a singularity, unaffected by time.
James surpassed 50,000 career points as his L.A. Lakers beat the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night, turning in the type of complete game that he’s made routine: 34 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists. Early on, he sprinted back to block a layup; later, he soared through the lane to dunk a lob pass.
The scoring feat is the newest line on a resume that puts James front and center in discussions about the greatest NBA players of all time. Among active players, Kevin Durant sits a distant sixth with 35,225 career points (which combines regular and postseason scoring).
10 years after a famous prediction, James still shines
James has been so good for so long, there’s a famous running joke about when he might slow down.
“Lebron is 30, this f***ery won’t go on for much longer, thank god,” Golden State Warriors fan @urkle91 tweeted in 2015.
When James’ birthday arrived last December, the same user issued an update: “Lebron is 40, this f***ery won’t go on for much longer, thank god.”
“He’s gonna be real upset when I turn 50,” James said in response, on the Kelce brothers’ New Heights podcast.
This season, James is averaging 24.9 points, 8 rebounds and 8.5 assists per game, and his accuracy from the field is slightly above his career average, according to the Basketball Reference website.
Where does James fit in the GOAT. debate?
James has been seen as an heir to Michael Jordan since he was a teenager. For years, the debate over which superstar is the Greatest Of All Time has been a perennial fixture for NBA analysts. Jordan notched five Most Valuable Player awards
Of course, points matter most in the postseason — and there, James has stood alone for eight years.
James set the NBA’s all-time playoff scoring record in May 2017, nailing a 3-pointer to surpass Jordan’s playoff total as his Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals.
NBA championships are another key metric. Legendary Celtics center Bill Russell holds that record, with 11 titles in a 13-year career as a player and a player-coach. Another center, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, won six; he was the previous points record-holder displaced by James in 2023.
Jordan won six championship rings, and the late Kobe Bryant won five. James has won four, as has Stephen Curry — who should also be in the GOAT debate, according to another four-time NBA champion, Shaquille O’Neal..
For many NBA fans, Jordan’s and James’ skills, athleticism and versatility have made the GOAT competition a two-man race. As experts parse stats, other greats, such as Abdul-Jabbar; Tim Duncan; Karl Malone; Wilt Chamberlain; Larry Bird; and Magic Johnson, are often relegated to also-rans.
At least one prominent analyst, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, says that for him, the Jordan/James question has now been answered.
“I actually think it’s time to not even have the debate anymore because that’s how great LeBron James has been for as long as he has been that great,” Smith said on Wednesday.
Smith noted his continued respect for Jordan’s greatness. But he emphasized James’ success in playing with a range of players, and the astounding fitness that continues to elevate his game at age 40.
After racking up 50,000 points with no signs of slowing down, James “deserves all the props in the world, and I’m gonna give it to him,” Smith said.
