March 3, 2024
Who’s The GOAT? LeBron James Becomes First NBA Player To Top 40,000 Points
James has been in the game for 21 years.
LeBron James added another bullet point to his Hall of Fame resume with a driving layup during the second quarter in a contest against the Denver Nuggets on March 2. With that basket, James became the first player in NBA history to eclipse the 40,000-point mark, a testament to his longevity and consistency over his 21-year career.
As ESPN reports, James spoke to reporters after the game about how he feels about his game two decades in. “I feel like I’m still that threat out on the floor and I am still able to do the things that I was doing 10 years ago,” James said. “And some things I was doing 20 years ago, which is weird to say.”
James, a player who seems to be cognizant of his own legacy, spoke to reporters on Feb. 29 about the significance of the accomplishment before he actually did it.
“No one has ever done it,” James said. “And for me to be in this position at this point and time in my career, I think it’s pretty cool. Does it sit at the top of the things I’ve done in my career? No. But does it mean something? Of course. Absolutely. Why wouldn’t it? To be able to accomplish things in this league, with the greatest players to ever play in this league, the NBA, this has been a dream of mine, and to hit feats and have milestones throughout my career, they all mean something to me.”
James concluded, “Obviously, there’s a pecking order of which [accomplishments] are higher than others, but I would be lying to you if I said it doesn’t mean anything. Because it absolutely does.”
In an op-ed for The Athletic, Sam Amick posits that James’s most recent achievement might also shift some perceptions on the age-old debate of who the GOAT is in the pantheon of NBA legends. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain, and Bill Russell are often names whom James is placed in conversation with, and as prolific as they were, none of them scored 40,000 points or were as effective deep in their careers as James currently is.
James, according to The Athletic, is averaging unprecedented numbers both in the context of his age and his number of seasons in the NBA. His season averages of 25.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 7.9 assists, along with shooting 52.3% from the field, 40.3% from the three-point line and 73.6% from the charity stripe puts him in an unparalleled category. Before James, the previous scoring high for a player in year 21 or later of a career was Vince Carter, who averaged 7.9 points a game in a greatly diminished role.
Ahead of the game, Lakers head coach Darvin Ham reminded fans that what is happening with James is something you don’t see often, and it should be cherished in spite of what his milestones might mean for any larger conversations about his career.
“Nothing amazes me anymore with that guy,” Lakers coach Ham told The Athletic. “You just come to assume and expect that these great things that he’s doing. … But just hopefully at some point it sinks in that we’re not gonna see this for a lot longer. And (we) have to appreciate him while he’s here. For all the comparisons to players that have played before him or players that are currently playing … just appreciate him for what he’s given to the game, what he continues to give to the game and his knowledge, his performance. I’m honored to be able to coach him and see it firsthand.”
James, for his part, will keep putting the ball in the bucket as long as his body allows him to. “I never thought about getting the scoring record,” James said. “It just happened organically. I played the game the right way and went out and played the game and let the game come to me and the scoring record happened organically for me. It was never a goal of mine when I came into the league, like I wanted to be the all-time leading scorer. But I’m still playing. And I can still score the ball so it’s going to go up until I’m done playing.”
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