Basketball legend LeBron James made history on Tuesday, becoming the first NBA player to reach an incredible 50,000 career points, cementing his status as the league’s top scorer.
This milestone, achieved during a game against the New Orleans Pelicans, is another testament to James’ enduring dominance on the court, even as he nears 40.
Heading into the matchup, James needed just one point to hit the 50,000 mark, having recorded 49,999 points across regular-season and playoff games. Fresh off a 17-point performance in the Lakers’ win over the Clippers, he entered the court with his sights set on the record.
The historic moment came early in the game when James, receiving a precise pass from Luka Doncic, drilled a deep three-pointer, sending the crowd into a frenzy as his total soared past 50,000.
Earlier this year, James surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s long-standing regular-season scoring record of 38,387 points, a feat untouched for nearly four decades.
With this latest milestone, James now stands nearly 6,000 points ahead of Abdul-Jabbar. Following him on the all-time scoring list are Karl Malone with 41,689 points, Kobe Bryant at 39,283, and Michael Jordan with 38,279.
Among active players, Kevin Durant is the only one in the top 10, with over 35,000 career points—still around 15,000 points behind James.
