The one NBA record LeBron James still has to break after reaching points milestone
James became the first player to break through the 50,000 career points barrier and is close to another NBA record.
LeBron James became the first NBA player to surpass 50,000 total career points (regular season and playoffs) in the Los Angeles Lakers’ resounding victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday.
The 40-year-old recorded 34 points, along with eight rebounds and six assists, on the night as JJ Redick’s team took early command of the game, which they ultimately won 136-115 at Crypto.com Arena.
Final 📊
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) March 5, 2025
LeBron: 34 pts, 8 reb, 6 ast, 2 blk
Luka: 30 pts, 15 ast, 8 reb, +37
Jaxson: 19 pts, 10 reb
Vando: 12 pts, 8 reb, 2 blk, +27
Shake: 12 pts, 2 ast, 2 stl, +30
Dalton: 13 pts, 4 reb, 3 ast pic.twitter.com/IM132z5bKM
James headed into the clash with the Pelicans on 49,999 points, which meant it was only a matter of time until he got over the line. He inevitably did so early on with a three-pointer in the first quarter, which the Lakers dominated to set themselves on the path to victory.
LeBron James' 50,000 points broken down
The veteran’s 34 points means he now has now scored 50,033 points in the NBA. 41,871 of those have come in the regular season, with the remaining 8,162 in the postseason. Both of those are record tallies. LeBron has bagged nearly 6,000 points more than the man in second place in the overall standings, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (44,149).
Since starting out as a teenager with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003, the four-time NBA champion has averaged 27.3 points per game, along with 7.7 rebounds and 7.4 assists.
Lakers star James on the brink of another all-time record
One of the few longevity records left for James to break is one he currently already shares with Vince Carter. Both men have played a record 22 seasons in the NBA, but while Carter retired in 2020, LeBron signed a new two-year contract with the Lakers in the summer of 2024.
James does have a player option for the second year of the deal, the 2025/26 season, which means he essentially has a year-to-year agreement with the Californians. But given his performances this season, it is hard to imagine him calling time on his career a year early, especially when there is yet another record he can snatch outright.
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