LeBron James has become the first player in NBA history to reach 50,000 combined points in regular season and playoff games.
The 40-year-old Los Angeles Lakers star hit the milestone on Tuesday during a game against the New Orleans Pelicans.
James entered the game with 49,999 points after scoring 17 against the Clippers on Sunday. It didn’t take long for him to make history, as he sank a deep three-pointer off a pass from Luka Doncic, pushing his total to 50,002 points. The crowd at Crypto.com Arena erupted in celebration.
James had already surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s all-time regular-season record of 38,387 points in 2023. Now, he sits nearly 6,000 points ahead of Abdul-Jabbar’s combined career total of 44,149. Other top scorers in NBA history include Karl Malone (41,689), Kobe Bryant (39,283), and Michael Jordan (38,279). Among active players, Kevin Durant is the closest to James with over 35,000 points.
Lakers legend Magic Johnson congratulated James on social media, writing, “Congratulations to the King LeBron James for becoming the only player in NBA history to score 50,000 regular season and playoff points!”
James’ record-breaking night came on the same day he set another milestone—becoming the oldest player to win an NBA Player of the Month award. He led the Lakers to a 10-2 record in February, averaging 29.3 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 6.9 assists.
His stellar form has helped the Lakers climb to second place in the Western Conference, as they push for another championship—their first since the 2020 season.
