Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James eclipsed the 38,000-point mark for his career Sunday, accomplishing the feat on a first-quarter jumper from the top of the key against the Philadelphia 76ers.
He joins Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the only players to crack the milestone in NBA history.
LeBron James is the second player in NBA history to score 38,000 career points.
— NBA (@NBA) January 16, 2023
Greatness. pic.twitter.com/XgvALhcuON
With 5:44 remaining in the opening frame, James drifted off James Harden before catching a short pass from Russell Westbrook and promptly burying a long two over an outstretched P.J. Tucker. The shot took him to 38,001 career points after he had already scored 10 well before the quarter's halfway mark.
James, who scored 16 points in the opening quarter, finished the game with 35 on 15-of-23 shooting, along with 10 assists and eight rebounds. That wasn't enough, however, as the 76ers held on to win 113-112 after Georges Niang denied Westbrook's last-gasp attempt at the rim.
Following Sunday's matchup, the 38-year-old James sits at 38,024 regular-season points - 363 back of Abdul-Jabbar's record 38,387. With 39 games still to play for the Lakers this season, James remains on course to surpass the NBA great by the end of the campaign.
Nobody else in the history of the Association has come within even a thousand of 38,000 career points. Utah Jazz legend Karl Malone was the closest but only managed 36,928 over his 19 seasons.
