LeBron James has officially claimed the title for the most field goals made in NBA history, surpassing the legendary Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
The milestone was achieved during the first quarter of a game where the Los Angeles Lakers lost 120–113 to the Denver Nuggets on Thursday. In that match, James scored 16 points, pushing his tally past Abdul-Jabbar's previous record of 15,837 field goals.
This accomplishment marks yet another significant chapter in James's already remarkable career, especially as he plays in his unprecedented 23rd season in the NBA. Earlier, in February 2023, he had already overtaken Abdul-Jabbar as the league’s all-time leading scorer. Additionally, he made history last year as the first player to exceed 50,000 combined points through regular season and playoffs. Currently, he has amassed 43,127 points in regular-season play alone.
Reflecting on his latest achievement, James expressed how it feels to be recognized among basketball's greats.
"It’s always humbling to be mentioned with some of the greatest to ever play this game," he remarked. "Growing up, I idolized many of these legends, and I aspired to be included among them by making my mark in the NBA. It’s an incredible achievement, but it’s still hard for me to fully comprehend what it means."
Lakers head coach JJ Redick commented on James's enduring success, likening it to the renowned musician Bruce Springsteen.
"At the end of their careers, you can appreciate their greatest hits," Redick noted. "LeBron just continues to add to his collection over the years. He plays consistently and maintains an impressive catalogue of accomplishments."
In comparison, while Abdul-Jabbar crafted his scoring record before the three- point shot was introduced, he concluded his two-decade-long career with the Lakers in 1989. He ended with a shooting percentage of 55.9% across 28,307 attempts. Currently, James holds a shooting accuracy of 51.6%.
The four-time NBA champion is on the verge of another milestone, as this game marked his 1,606th appearance in the regular season, placing him only five games shy of Robert Parish’s record.
James, who was named an All-Star for the 22nd time this year, is yet to announce whether he will play another season.
Despite James's historic feat, the Lakers could not secure a victory against the Nuggets. Denver's Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray each contributed significantly by scoring 28 points, which helped their team maintain fifth place in the Western Conference standings, just in front of the Lakers.
In other games, the San Antonio Spurs celebrated their 13th win in 14 matches, with rookie Victor Wembanyama showcasing an outstanding performance, scoring 38 points and securing 16 rebounds in a 121–106 win against the Detroit Pistons, who currently lead in the Eastern Conference.
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