LeBron James became the NBA’s all-time leading scorer on February 7, 2023, surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s 38,387 points — a record that stood for 39 years.
The Record
Game vs. Oklahoma City Thunder at Crypto.com Arena (Los Angeles). Third quarter, 10:36 remaining: LeBron hit fadeaway jumper over Kenrich Williams for points 38,388 and 38,389.
Game paused. Standing ovation. Kareem (sitting courtside) stood and clapped. LeBron addressed crowd: “To be able to be in the presence of such a legend as great as Kareem, it’s very humbling.”
Final total that night: 38,390 points (now at 40,000+ and counting).
Career Context
LeBron played 1,410 games over 20 seasons (Cavaliers, Heat, Cavaliers, Lakers):
- 4× NBA Champion
- 4× MVP
- 19× All-Star
- Second all-time assists among forwards
- Played all five positions
Kareem’s record (1984-2021): 38,387 points over 20 seasons. Considered unbreakable. LeBron’s longevity and consistency broke it at age 38 while still playing elite basketball.
Legacy
LeBron’s records likely to stand decades:
- Most points all-time (still climbing)
- Only player with 38K points + 10K rebounds + 10K assists
- Oldest player to average 25+ PPG
The King became the Scorer King.
Source: NBA.com