LeBron James further etched his name into the record books of the National Basketball Association (NBA) as he became the first-ever player to reach the 40,000-career point mark on Saturday night.
The Los Angeles Lakers hosted the defending champions, the Denver Nuggets, at the Crypto.com Arena, and the 39-year-old entered the game needing just nine points to reach the milestone.
LeGendary pic.twitter.com/k1Ecdslz9d
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) March 3, 2024
James, who surpassed Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA’s all-time leading scorer in February 2023, hit the mark early in the second quarter with a left-handed layup with 10:39 left on the clock after driving past Michael Porter Jr.
The moment King James created the 40,000 Club ???? pic.twitter.com/pEcNPOhIo9
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) March 3, 2024
The four-time NBA champion finished with just five points in the first quarter, hitting a layup and a three-pointer to set the tone for the historic feat. He drove for another layup early in the second quarter to take his tally to seven points. After he reached the 40,000-mark, James received a standing ovation from the mammoth crowd inside the Los Angeles Arena.
The former No. 1 draft pick acknowledged the crowd by holding the game ball above his head before a tribute video was displayed on the jumbotron.
Tough finish. pic.twitter.com/501c9lpu1J
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) March 3, 2024
Although the Lakers lost the game 124-114, James led the 17-time champions in scoring, finishing with 26 points, four rebounds, nine assists, and three steals.
James reached 40,000 points in just his 1,475th career regular season game, and the 21-year-old veteran has reached double-digit points in each of his last 1,205 games, with a career average of 27.1 points per game while averaging 25.3 points per game this season.
