LeBron James has already set countless records in his NBA career, but he’s still not out of milestones to reach. As he closes in on Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s record for field goals made, all eyes will be on the King as he suits up tonight for a chance at history.
LeBron is currently second on the all-time field goals list, with a total of 15,827 shots made in his career. Kareem is first (just barely) at 15,837, meaning James needs just 11 more shots to overtake him for the top spot. The Lakers star averages roughly 7.9 shots per game this season, meaning he’s likely to hit the mark either tonight against the Pelicans or on Thursday against the Nuggets.
James already claimed the NBA’s all-time scoring record back in 2023, overtaking Kareem and setting a new precedent for NBA longevity. Of course, those points came with a lot of three-pointers, much more than Kareem ever took back in his day. That’s why it’s taken over three years for James to surpass him in field goals, and why it’s arguably one of his most impressive feats yet.
While we know that LeBron isn’t playing for records at this point (only titles), he’s closing in on a few other milestones that could give him something more to play for in the final stretch of his career. Currently, he ranks second in free throws made and is sixth in three-pointers made, although it would take several more seasons to move atop those lists.
For now, at least, James can take some pride as he secures another all-time record. Tonight, while the stakes are relatively low against a struggling Pelicans team, the conditions are perfect for him to have the kind of game that we once thought impossible at 41 years old.
As the third option behind Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic, LeBron is clearly not what he used to be, but he continues to defy the natural progression of time by being effective in his 23rd season. In 42 games so far, he’s averaging 21.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, 7.0 assists, 1.6 steals, and 0.7 blocks per game on 41.7% shooting and 29.0% shooting from three.
Somehow, he continues to find ways to adapt his game and keep up with the modern NBA. While retirement is looming for the four-time champion, he still has more than enough in the tank to pursue even more accolades for his NBA resume. More than anything, he’s chasing championships, and anything else after that is secondary on his list of priorities at this stage of his career.
