Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James has added yet another remarkable milestone to his legendary career after surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most field goals scored in the history of the National Basketball Association (NBA).
The historic achievement came during the first quarter of the Lakers’ 120–113 defeat to the Denver Nuggets on Thursday night. James finished the game with 16 points, pushing his career total beyond Abdul-Jabbar’s long-standing record of 15,837 field goals.
The latest accomplishment further strengthens James’ legacy as one of the most dominant and influential players the sport has ever seen. Even in his 23rd NBA season, the four-time NBA champion continues to rewrite the league’s record books while maintaining a level of performance rarely seen in professional basketball.
At 41 years old, James remains one of the most productive players in the league, combining scoring ability, leadership and longevity in a way that has defined his extraordinary career.
The record also highlights the consistency that has characterised James’ time in the NBA. Since making his debut as a teenage phenom in 2003, he has remained a central figure in the league for more than two decades, evolving his game while maintaining elite performance levels.
James surpassed Abdul-Jabbar’s record with a routine field goal during the opening quarter, prompting recognition from fans and analysts who have followed his record-breaking journey over the years.
The achievement comes just two years after James overtook Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, a historic moment that occurred in February 2023.
That record ended one of the longest-standing milestones in basketball history and further cemented James’ place among the sport’s greatest players.
Last year, James also became the first player in NBA history to surpass 50,000 combined career points across the regular season and playoffs, another unprecedented achievement.
Currently, he has accumulated more than 43,000 points in regular-season play alone, placing him comfortably at the top of the league’s all-time scoring list.
Despite the magnitude of these accomplishments, James continues to express humility when reflecting on his place among basketball’s legends.
Speaking after the game, the Lakers star admitted that being mentioned alongside the sport’s greatest names is something he still finds difficult to fully comprehend.
“Being mentioned with some of the greatest to ever play this game has always been humbling,” James said.
“I grew up watching, reading about and idolising a lot of the greats. If I was able to be part of the NBA, I wanted to put myself in a position where I could be named with them by doing something right.”
James added that while the milestone is special, it remains difficult for him to fully grasp the scale of his achievements.
“It’s a pretty cool feat, but it’s hard for me to kind of wrap my head around it or what it looks like,” he said.
Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick also praised James’ longevity and sustained excellence, comparing his career to the legendary catalogue of an iconic musician.
Redick likened James’ body of work to the musical career of Bruce Springsteen, noting that the basketball star continues to add new achievements even after decades of success.
“You get to the end and you’re like, ‘this guy’s greatest hits are insane,’” Redick said.
“LeBron’s greatest hits—he just keeps adding to them. He just plays and plays and plays, and the greatest hits, he’s got a hell of a catalogue.”
James’ career achievements become even more remarkable when considering the differences in eras between him and Abdul-Jabbar.
Abdul-Jabbar set many of his scoring records before the three-point shot was introduced into the NBA during the latter part of his career.
The six-time NBA champion concluded his 20-year career with the Lakers in 1989, finishing with an impressive 55.9 percent shooting rate after converting 15,837 field goals from 28,307 shot attempts.
James currently maintains a shooting percentage of approximately 51.6 percent, a figure that reflects both his scoring efficiency and the evolving style of modern basketball.
While Abdul-Jabbar dominated the game with his iconic skyhook shot and interior scoring ability, James has achieved his records through a versatile style that combines driving to the basket, mid-range shooting and three-point scoring.
Beyond scoring records, James is also approaching another historic milestone in terms of career longevity.
Thursday’s matchup against the Denver Nuggets marked his 1,606th regular-season appearance in the NBA.
That total leaves him just five games behind Robert Parish, who holds the league record for most regular-season games played.
If James continues playing at his current pace, he could soon claim yet another historic record in the coming weeks.
The Lakers star was also selected to his 22nd NBA All-Star Game this year, another achievement that highlights his remarkable durability and influence in the league.
Despite continuing to break records, James has not yet confirmed whether he plans to extend his career beyond the current season.
Speculation about his eventual retirement has increased in recent years, especially as he continues to play alongside younger stars and even shared the court with his son, Bronny James, earlier in the season.
For now, however, the basketball icon remains focused on competing and helping the Lakers pursue another championship.
Although James achieved a historic milestone during Thursday’s game, the Lakers ultimately suffered a 120–113 defeat to the Denver Nuggets.
Denver’s victory was led by strong performances from Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray, who each scored 28 points to help their team maintain fifth place in the Western Conference standings.
The result leaves the Lakers trailing closely behind Denver in the competitive playoff race as the regular season continues.
Elsewhere around the league, the San Antonio Spurs continued their impressive run of form with a dominant 121–106 home victory over the Detroit Pistons.
Rising star Victor Wembanyama delivered an outstanding performance, recording 38 points and 16 rebounds to lead the Spurs to their 13th victory in their last 14 games.
The Pistons, who currently sit at the top of the Eastern Conference standings, struggled to contain Wembanyama’s size and scoring ability throughout the game.
As the NBA season progresses, LeBron James’ latest record serves as yet another reminder of the extraordinary longevity and influence he has maintained throughout his career.
With more than two decades of elite performance behind him, the Lakers superstar continues to shape basketball history while inspiring a new generation of players around the world.
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