LeBron James, the star player for the Los Angeles Lakers, is expected to be one of the main attractions in the upcoming NBA season. Since his debut in the league in the 2003-2004 season, James has consistently excelled and achieved impressive numbers in various aspects of the game. With every point he scores starting from October 24, he will set a new historical record.
At 38 years of age, James currently has 38,652 points to his name. To reach the milestone of 40,000 points before turning 40, he will need to continue his scoring prowess. This season will mark his 21st in the NBA, and throughout his career, his average points per game has never dropped below 20 points.
In fact, even in his rookie year, James maintained an average of 20.9 points per game and was awarded the Rookie of the Year. He has had remarkable seasons, such as scoring an average of 30.0 points per game in the 2007-2008 season with the Cleveland Cavaliers and averaging 10.2 assists per game in the 2019-2020 season with the Los Angeles Lakers, leading the league in both categories.
James has also been known for his durability and playing time, leading the league in minutes per game on three occasions. He ranked first in the 2004-2005 season with 42.4 minutes, and in the 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 seasons with 37.8 and 36.9 minutes per game, respectively.
With impressive career averages, James holds several historical rankings in the NBA-ABA record books. He is currently tied for 5th in points per game (27.20) with Joel Embiid, ranks 206th in rebounds per game (7.51) tied with Beboit Benjamin, ranks 24th in assists per game (7.33), and ranks 76th in steals per game (1.54).
In terms of overall totals, James is the all-time leader in points scored with 38,652, ranks 35th in rebounds with 10,667, ranks 4th in assists with 10,420, and ranks 10th in steals with 2,186.
Summarizing James’ career in the NBA is a daunting task due to his numerous achievements and anecdotes. With 1,421 games played (1,419 as a starter) and 54,093 minutes of action, he continues to demonstrate his impressive physicality and performance.
In the previous season, James posted outstanding averages of 28.9 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 6.8 assists per game. Notably, he has been a leader in the postseason for every team he has played for, showcasing remarkable statistics including 28.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, 7.2 assists, and 1.7 steals per game.
Throughout his successful career, James has achieved numerous accolades, including Rookie of the Year in 2003-2004, 19 All-Star selections, four NBA championships (two with the Miami Heat, one with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and one with the Los Angeles Lakers), 19 All-NBA team selections, six All-Defensive team selections, four Regular Season Most Valuable Player awards, three All-Star Game Most Valuable Player awards, and four Finals Most Valuable Player awards. He was also named to the NBA Team for the 75th Anniversary.
Fans may be interested to know that the Golden State Warriors came back to defeat the Lakers in LA.