Julius OkorieAmerican basketball super star, LeBron James, made history on Tuesday by becoming the first player in NBA to reach the 50,000 career points, thus sealing his position as the league’s all-time leading scorer. He achieved the feat in the game against the New Orleans Pelicans. James had amassed a total of 49,999 points, accounting for both regular-season and postseason performances.
This was following a notable 17-point contribution in the Lakers’ recent victory over the Los Angeles Clippers. It was clear from the outset of the game that James was focused on making history, and it didn’t take long for him to achieve the solitary point needed to break the 50,000-point barrier.
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James had received a precision pass from fellow superstar Luka Doncic. He then unleashed a remarkable 25-foot three-pointer, pushing his career total to 50,002 points. The arena erupted in enthusiastic cheers, celebrating the extraordinary feat of an athlete who has redefined the limits of basketball excellence.
Recall that earlier this year; LeBron James surpassed the legendary Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s long-standing all-time regular-season scoring record of 38,387 points, a benchmark that had remained unchallenged for 39 years.
Currently, James boasts a staggering lead over Abdul-Jabbar’s total career points – nearly 6,000 points ahead with a tally of 50,002. Following him on the all-time scoring list is Karl Malone, in third place with 41,689 points, and the iconic Kobe Bryant, who ranks fourth with 39,283 points. Michael Jordan, another basketball legend, sits in fifth place with 38,279 points.
Among active players in the NBA, only Kevin Durant finds himself in the top 10, with a career total of just over 35,000 points, which puts him roughly 15,000 points shy of James.
Lakers next face Knicks on Friday with James likely to accumulate more points. Knicks in their last game going into Friday’s clash with Lakers lost 102 to 114 to Warriors.
Julius Okorie is Chief Sports and Entertainment Correspondent for Prime Business Africa. He began his journalism career with the Champion Newspaper and Sporting Champion and later moved on to Daily Independent and the Nation Newspapers. Okorie joined Prime Business Africa in 2024 bringing on board 20 years of experience in writing investigative news on Sports and Entertainment. His well researched and highly informative articles on Sports Business and general entertainment are followed by a wide range of audience.
