LeBron James History, First Player to Score 50,000 Points in NBA

LOS ANGELES, WEDNESDAY — LeBron James made history as the first player to score 50,000 points in the NBA. The phenomenal achievement was recorded by James when the Los Angeles Lakers played against the New Orleans Pelicans in Los Angeles, Wednesday (3/5/2025) morning WIB.

The 40-year-old reached his 50,000th point and surpassed it with a three-pointer in the first quarter, made even more special by an assist from Lakers rookie Luka Doncic.

The Lakers fans who filled the Crypto.com Arena, the home of the Lakers, who were impatient to witness history, cheered louder every time James controlled the ball. Finally, after a few minutes of the first quarter, James made a long-range shot that went into the basket, becoming points 50,000, 50,001, and 50,002. The fans also saluted by standing for the achievements of the player who has played 22 seasons in the NBA.

James is the only player in NBA history to score more than 45,000 points in both the regular season and playoffs. He is also a distant second to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who scored 44,149 points.

"That's a lot of points. I feel blessed to have scored that many points in the best league in the world with the best players in the world throughout my career. It's really special," James said after the game.

James finished with 34 points in a one-sided game. The Lakers dominated the Pelicans and won the game 136-115.

Doncic also had a great game, posting 30 points, 15 assists and eight rebounds. It was the seventh straight win for the Lakers, who have won 17 of their last 20 games.

Thanks to the winning streak, the Lakers managed to displace the Denver Nuggets from second place in the Western Conference standings with a record of 39-21. Center who replaced Anthony Davis, Jaxson Hayes, recorded his highest achievement this season, with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Hayes became a mainstay after Davis was part of the players transferred to the Dallas Mavericks for Doncic.

James has made history before. He surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's regular season points record of 38,337 in 2023, which had previously stood for 39 years.

James now has nearly 6,000 more points than Abdul-Jabbar, with Karl Malone in third place (41,689 points) and the late Kobe Bryant fourth (39,283 points).

Another legend, Michael Jordan is in fifth place with 38,279 points. Among active NBA players, only Kevin Durant has a record close to those legends with 35,225, or about 15,000 points less than James.

James' record is nearly impossible to beat in the future, especially with the age restrictions on players who can enter the NBA draft. James can enter the NBA directly after graduating from high school, while currently he is no longer allowed.

Lakers legend Earvin Magic Johnson was quick to congratulate James on his historic achievement. “Congratulations to King LeBron James on becoming the only player in NBA history to score 50,000 points in the regular season and playoffs,” Johnson said in a social media post.

James' phenomenal post-All-Star performance earned him the Western Conference Player of the Month award for February, making him the oldest player in history to win the honor. James was dominant that month, leading the Lakers to a 10-2 record while averaging 29.3 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 6.9 assists.

James' performance, coupled with the arrival of Doncic, has made the Lakers increasingly optimistic about being able to compete for their first NBA trophy since the 2020 season. The chemistry between the two players continues to develop even though they have only played together for about a month.

"He's getting more comfortable, not just with the team, with the system, but with everything. The fans, LA. Every day he's getting better with his calf. It's good for the team," James said of his new teammate.

Doncic suffered a left calf injury during the Christmas game that will keep him out for six weeks. While many doubted the Lakers' ability to compete for the title after losing Davis, the duo of James and Doncic immediately made the Lakers one of the favorites. (AP/AFP)