LeBron James hit a major milestone in his basketball career on Saturday night, becoming the first player ever in the NBA to score 40,000 points.
In his 21st season in the NBA, James is showing no signs of slowing down as he aims to set an unreachable record for future players.
“LeBron James reached the 40,000 points mark during the Los Angeles Lakers’ game against the Denver Nuggets, driving past Michael Porter Jr. and sinking a layup with 10:39 remaining in the second quarter.”
The crowd erupted into a standing ovation as James achieved this historic feat, with coach Darvin Ham offering him congratulations with a reassuring pat on the chest.
A special video presentation honored James’s accomplishment, with the star himself lifting the ball triumphantly over his head.
LeBron James scores the bucket to become the first player in league history to score 40,000 career points 👑
DEN-LAL Live on ABC pic.twitter.com/I84Xd5hiWf
— NBA (@NBA) March 3, 2024
“Despite starting the game with an airball, James quickly rebounded, scoring his first points with a layup in transition and prompting the Nuggets to call a timeout.”
After sinking a corner three-pointer, James briefly took a break from the game before returning in the second quarter to make the historic basket.
This achievement adds to his impressive resume, having already surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s career scoring record on February 7, 2023, and reaching the 39,000 points mark on November 21 in a game against the Utah Jazz.
Coach Darvin Ham, who once admired Abdul-Jabbar’s record, expressed his admiration for James’s dedication to maintaining his health and performance at the highest level.
“But here we are,” Ham remarked before the game. “It’s a testament to Bron, just the time and resources he spends on himself, making sure not only he is healthy but he’s healthy at a high level.”
At 39 years old, James has not only accumulated an impressive number of points but also holds records for regular season and playoff minutes played.
He stands alone as the only NBA player with over 10,000 points, 10,000 rebounds, and 10,000 assists.
Nuggets coach Michael Malone, who worked with James during his time with the Cleveland Cavaliers, remains in awe of James’s enduring greatness.
“I don’t get caught up in the number per se, but you just have to marvel at the continued greatness,” Malone said.
“Just to do what he’s doing at this stage of his career, and it doesn’t appear like he’s slowing down at all, which is even scarier.
Really, when you take a step back, you just have to marvel at the longevity.
But he’s just not playing at this. He is playing effectively.”