Basketball is filled with many great names. From Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon, Kobe Bryant and many more. It’s an exhaustive list but one player that has stood out is LeBron James.
From the moment the Akron native was selected as the first overall pick by Cleveland Cavaliers, straight from high school during the 2003 NBA draft, it was clear he was set out to dominate. James scored 25 points on his debut against the Sacramento Kings, which was the most points from a player who turned pro from high school. Finishing the season in the same stellar fashion as he started, LeBron ultimately won the 2003-04 NBA Rookie of the Year award.
By the 2004-05 season, LeBron was selected into the NBA All-Star game for the first time in his career. In the 2006 edition, He led the Eastern Conference to victory and was named the All-Star Most Valuable Player, his first of three MVP awards in the star-studded event (2008, 2018). Cleveland reached the NBA Finals in 2007, but were swept by the San Antonio Spurs.
LeBron then made ‘the Decision’ during the 2010 offseason to make a free agency move to ‘take his talents down to South Beach’ and join the Miami Heat, a decision that was not well received by many in the basketball community who thought he would remain loyal to the Cavs forever, Cleveland fans especially. James had turned heel, receiving substantial negative press in the media and was villainized at every road he faced shortly after the move. Despite the lack of popular support, James still averaged 26.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 7 assists per game as the Heat reached the 2011 NBA Finals, though they shockingly lost 4-2 to the Dallas Mavericks, led by German power forward, Dirk Nowitzki.
The next two seasons saw LeBron take his game to the another level, finally getting over the hump as he steered the Heat to back to back championships in 2012 and 2013 by beating the Oklahoma City Thunder and Spurs respectively, winning the Finals MVP in both seasons. Miami were in the Finals again in 2014, but lost 4-1 to the Spurs. In that season LeBron remained on top regardless, averaging an impressive 28.2 points and 7.8 rebounds per game in that Finals.
LeBron James has always had love for Cleveland, so his return to his hometown franchise in 2014 was not only predictable but, this time, well-received by the fans. He came back at a period where the Cavs were woeful since his departure four years earlier, with a 97–215 win-loss record in that time frame.
Cleveland’s improvement was instant as LeBron formed a fantastic partnership with Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving, who helped the team reach the 2015 final, where they faced a youthful Golden State Warriors side led by lethal shooter Stephen Curry. The Cavs ended up losing 4-2 after establishing a 2-1 series lead. LeBron – who became the first player in five decades to play in five consecutive for finals – again retained healthy numbers, averaging 35.8 points, 13.3 rebounds, and 8.8 assists per game during the playoffs.
The Cavaliers were not going to be denied the following year when they met the Golden State Warriors again in the Finals. It ended up being one of the most memorable NBA Finals in the history of the sport, with the Cavs pulling off a miraculous comeback. Having gone 3-1 down in the Finals, they rallied back to win 4-3 in a dramatic Game 7 at Oracle Arena to lift their first ever NBA championship and the city’s first professional sports title in 52 years. LeBron was instrumental in that comeback with an average of 29.7 points, 11.3 rebounds and 8.9 assists per game, which crowned him the undisputed Finals MVP.
The Cavs would play the Warriors, who recruited superstar Kevin Durant post-2016 collapse, for the third consecutive year in 2017. The Golden State super team thrashed them 4-1 this time to claim revenge at last. It was a season that saw LeBron blighted by injuries but nonetheless still posted 26.4 points, 8.6 rebounds and 8.7 assists. It was the same match up again in 2018 but this time a 4-0 sweep by the Warriors. Despite James’ injury woes (which affected his form in the finals), he still averaged a remarkable 34 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 10 assists per game.
After four years of championship credentials, LeBron left Cleveland this time with less hatred and moved to one of the NBA’s most decorated teams, the Los Angeles Lakers in June 2018.
His first season in the City of Angels was hampered by injuries, which saw him miss 17 consecutive games and consequently led to the Lakers falling out of playoff contention, a similar tale for the historic franchise who had been struggling since 2014. James was still able to average 27.4 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 8.3 assists per game that season, despite his injuries.
Returning with his health and fitness back up, the Lakers kicked off the 2019-20 season with a 17-2 record. LeBron would go on to surpass Lakers legend Bryant to third on the NBA all-time scoring list, which happened a day before Bryant tragically lost his life in a helicopter crash.
The NBA was suspended in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic but resumed under a ‘Bubble’ in Orlando where the Lakers finished top of the Western Conference and went ahead to claim a 17th championship, (their first since 2010) by beating his former side, Miami Heat 4-2. James averaged 29.8 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 8.5 assists per game during the Finals to lift his fourth championship and fourth Finals MVP award.
The latter part of the 2020-21 regular season saw injuries return for LeBron as he missed 20 games, the most in his career. Before that, he reached a milestone scoring 35,000 career points, which only Abdul-Jabbar and Karl Malone have achieved before. But LeBron accomplished this feat 36 years and 50 days, making him the youngest player to reach the milestone ever. Sadly, despite James’ individual wins, there was no finals appearance for the Lakers, as they lost to Western Conference champions Phoenix Suns in the first round of the playoffs.
The season to follow, 2021-22 was utterly woeful for the Lakers who missed out on playoff contention. It was, as always, a season of personal highs for LeBron, becoming the only player in NBA history to record at least 30,000 points, 10,000 rebounds, and 10,000 assists. He surpassed 37,000 career points and became the oldest player to have multiple 50-point games in a season.
The ongoing 2022-23 season has not been good for the Lakers, with a 20-25 record and another no show in the playoffs looming if things don’t improve quickly through the second half of the season. Regardless, James’ points tally went up a notch once more, reaching 38,000 career points in a narrow 113-112 Lakers loss by Philadelphia 76ers on January 13.
Now LeBron has surpassed Malone to go second, the multiple MVP didn’t make much fuss about it, but was simply happy to play the game. “[I have] been appreciative of the opportunity to play this game at the highest level,” he said. “I love the game of basketball. I love being a part of the NBA and being able to inspire so many different sets of generations. I guess it’s a pretty big deal.”
In the current season, LeBron James has averaged 29.8 points, 8.4 rebounds and 7.0 assists which is extremely impressive for his age (38). At this point he needs only 284 points to surpass Abdul-Jabbar – a record that is guaranteed to be broken over the course of this present season so long as he remains fit.
Abdul-Jabbar has stated he is waiting for LeBron to surpass his record and will cheer him. “I don’t see records as personal accomplishments, but more as human achievements,” the fellow Lakers legend said. “If one person can do something that’s never been done, that means we all have a shot at doing it…We all win when a record is broken, and if LeBron breaks mine, I will be right there to cheer him on.”
If LeBron does become the highest point earner in the NBA, it will definitely take LeBron’s name further up in the discussion of basketball greats. His leadership, work ethic, intelligence, decision-making among other traits that have made him become exceptional and they don’t seem to leave him even with father time knocking at the door. Above all, LeBron James is a born winner.
These things have set LeBron apart from the rest. It takes immense bravery and courage to go the distance LeBron has traveled, and at 38 year-old doesn’t seem to be done yet. James has personal ambitions to play well into his 40s after signing a two-year $97.1 million contract extension with the Lakers – taking his NBA career earnings to $528 million (all-time high in the sport).
The other milestones he can reach between now and then will only give credence to him being basketball’s unrivaled finest.
Many (young and old) already view LeBron as the sport’s GOAT, surpassing the enigma that is Michael Jordan. The never-ending debate amongst basketball fans is based on fine/intangible margins such as championship rings, difficulty of eras and of course stats. Will the all-time scoring record convert the non-believers? That remains to be unseen.
LeBron James Career NBA Regular Season Records
Most consecutive double-digit scoring games: 1096 games
Most All-NBA First Team selections (13)
Most 20-point games in NBA history (1,135)
2nd most 30-point games in NBA history (516)
3rd most seasons with at least 2,000 points (10)
4th most NBA Most Valuable Player Awards (4)
Only player in NBA history to record at least 30,000 points, 10,000 rebounds, and 10,000 assists.
Only player in NBA history to average at least 25 points per game for 18 consecutive seasons.
LeBron James Career NBA All Star Records
Most points scored (413)
Most field goals made (172)
Most field goal attempts (334)
Most minutes played (509)
Most most starts (18)
Most turnovers (58)
3rd Most assists (106)
3rd Most points per game (22.9)
LeBron James Career NBA Playoffs Record
Most all-time playoff Points (7,631)
Most all-time playoff Wins (174)
Most all-time playoff Games (266)
Most all-time playoff Minutes (11,035)
Most all-time playoff Steals (445)
Most all-time playoff Turnovers (975)
LeBron James NBA Career Finals Record
Most all-time Finals Turnovers (217)
Most all-time Finals Defensive Rebounds (454)
2nd Most all-time Finals Points (1,562)
2nd Most all-time Finals Field Goals Made (588)
2nd Most all-time Finals Field Goal Attempts (1,216)
2nd Most all-time Finals Assists (430)
2nd Most all-time Finals Steals (93)
3rd Most all-time Finals Minutes (2,335)
Most triple-doubles with at least 30 points in the NBA Finals (4).
Only player in NBA history to average a triple double in the NBA Finals.
Only player in NBA history to play in eight consecutive NBA Finals on different teams
