LeBron James is arguably one of the greatest players to have played the game of basketball. Winning 4 championships while appearing in 10 Finals is not something many players have achieved. James surpassed the great Kareem Abdul Jabbar, in all-time scoring, last season (2022-23). The record was almost impossible to achieve because a player would have to average 27-30 points per game and play 19 or 20 seasons at least, which is no small feat, to say the least.
NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal once said, “If Lebron surpasses the scoring record set by the great Kareem Abdul Jabbar, we need to shut the hell up about who the best player (ever) is.” Another NBA champion and legend Dirk Nowitzki said “If Lebron surpasses Kareem for the scoring record, I’m running out of arguments about Michael.” The NBA world and the legends who played the game are in awe of what James has been able to accomplish in his 20 years in the league.
When he was 35, every analyst predicted that his ability to play the game of basketball at the highest level would eventually slow down. Now, at 39 years old, and in his 21st season, we still have not seen signs of fatigue. The only concern for James going into year 22, is his health. For the last 5 seasons, he has missed a lot of games. James has only played in 223 and has missed 100 games as a Laker. This is surprising because James in his first 15 seasons, only missed 71 games. While time is inevitable and it does eventually come for all the greats, James keeps defying his age and raising our eyebrows every time he steps onto the court. James even gave a speech at the ESPY and said “The day I cannot give everything on the floor, is the day I will be done… Lucky for you guys, that day is not today.”
In March 2024, in a game against the Denver Nuggets, LeBron James set another legendary milestone becoming the first player in NBA history to score 40,000 points. With his speech at the ESPY, we can most certainly say that he will still play 3 or 4 seasons and probably more. This is because he still has aspirations to play with his son, Bronny James, and share the NBA floor with him once. Till then, we can all enjoy the greatness James shows while playing basketball.
LeBron James And-Ones
James has one of the most absurd stats when it comes to his scoring. He has had 1-and-one every game James has played. This means that he has converted a field goal and had an opportunity to score at the free-throw line in every game he has played.
James reportedly has 1364 and-ones in his 20-year career so far. However, this statistic is just for the regular season. When it comes to the postseason, he has so far had 266-and-ones and is averaging 1-and-one in each playoff game too.
These stats are the result of his build and frame. He is one of the strongest players in the game and is a freak of nature, to say the least. When James drives down the lane, it is one of the scariest sights for a defender that is in his way. He is a bully in the paint and can score at will inside. In an attempt to stop his march, James gets fouled a lot but scores regardless and ends up going to the line for an and-one.
Even though James has been an average free throw shooter at best, there is no denying that he can draw fouls and get to the line more often than not.
Other players like James Harden, Joel Embid, and Luka Doncic, have already mastered the ability to get to the free-throw line by drawing fouls. While the NBA does not officially track and-ones by themselves, if one watches a game that involves these superstars, one can easily see just how many they get to the free-throw line.
FAQs
A. He entered the NBA as the first overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft.
A. He has won 4 rings so far and was the Finals MVP in each of those 4 championships.
A. James once scored a career high 61 points against the Charlotte Bobcats, now known as the Charlotte Hornets.
A. Yes, Lebron led the league in assists in the 2019-2020 NBA season.
A. With the amount of accolades Lebron has accomplished and the records he has broken, he is definitely in the top 5 greatest players of all time, and possibly the greatest basketball player ever.