LeBron James now holds the NBA record for the most field goals scored, surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The Los Angeles Lakers suffered a 120-113 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Thursday, despite James’ achievement.
James scored 16 points in the game. He passed Abdul-Jabbar’s previous record of 15,837 field goals during the first quarter.
James Continues to Add to His List of Accolades
The 41-year-old is playing in his 23rd NBA season. James passed Abdul-Jabbar to become the top scorer in NBA history in February 2023.
Last year, he became the first player to reach 50,000 combined points in the regular season and post-season. Currently, he has 43,127 points in the regular season alone.
James, a four-time Most Valuable Player, expressed humility about being mentioned among the greats. He said he grew up watching and idolising many of them, and aimed to be named alongside them by doing things the right way.
Lakers coach JJ Redick likened James’ career to Bruce Springsteen’s, noting the continuous addition of ‘greatest hits’.
A Record Set Amidst Defeat
James passed Abdul-Jabbar’s points record before field goals, as three-point shots were introduced later in Abdul-Jabbar’s career.
Abdul-Jabbar spent the majority of his 20-year career with the Lakers. He retired in 1989 with a 55.9% scoring rate from his 28,307 shots, compared to James’ current 51.6%.
- LeBron James has 15,842 field goals.
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar retired with 15,837 field goals.
- James has a 51.6% career scoring rate.
Other Notable Performances
James is set to potentially claim another record, as Thursday’s game marked his 1,606th in the regular season, placing him five behind Robert Parish.
This year, James earned his 22nd All-Star selection. He has not yet decided if he will continue playing next season.
Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray each scored 28 points for Denver. Denver is fifth in the Western Conference standings, with the Lakers one spot behind.
San Antonio, in second place, secured their 13th victory in 14 games. Victor Wembanyama returned to form with 38 points and 16 rebounds as the Spurs won 121-106 against the Detroit Pistons, who lead the Eastern Conference.
James says he has not decided whether he will continue playing next season.