LeBron James completes incredible NBA scoring feat

Jan 21, 2022; Orlando, Florida, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (6) against the Orlando Magic during the first quarter at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James once again stands alone in NBA scoring history.

During the Lakers’ prime time showdown against the Denver Nuggets on Saturday, James became the lone member of the 40,000-point club

James had the capacity crowd at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Calif. on their feet when he scored his 40,000th point via a spinning layup in the second quarter.

The NBA’s all-time leading scorer needed just nine points on Saturday to reach 40,000. He scored five in the first quarter, which set the stage for the historic moment before halftime.

At 39 years old, James is the gold standard of longevity in the NBA. The 20-time All-Star remains as effective on the court as ever even in his 21st season in the association. James entered Saturday’s contest averaging 27.1 points on 50.5% shooting across 1,474 games for his career.

The 4-time MVP’s record may very well stand for decades — if not the test of time.

Despite a scoring renaissance currently ongoing in the NBA, no player since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has even come close to James’ combination of productivity, availability, and longevity. And even the Captain fell over a thousand points shy of breaching the 40,000 club.

James also doesn’t appear to be on the brink of retirement just yet. The Lakers star has been more open about the topic of his retirement of late. But James still seems to have at least a few more years in him to pad his scoring record.