Lakers' LeBron James Celebrated by NBA Twitter After Passing 38,000 Points Milestone

Scott Polacek @@ScottPolacekFeatured Columnist IVJanuary 16, 2023

LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 15: LeBron James #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers smiles during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers on January 15, 2023 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2023 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images)

Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images

Only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has scored more points than LeBron James.

James scored the 38,000th point of his career with a jump shot during Sunday's game against the Philadelphia 76ers. Abdul-Jabbar holds the all-time record with 38,387 points, and the King needed just 11 to become the second player in history to reach the 38,000 mark.

He got there in the first quarter, setting off a reaction on social media:

NBA @NBA
HISTORY MADE 👑 LeBron James becomes only the second player in NBA history to score 38,000 career points. <a href="https://t.co/uqLckZ9LY0">pic.twitter.com/uqLckZ9LY0</a>

ESPN @espn
3️⃣8️⃣K for The King 👑 Next stop: Kareem's all-time scoring record 💪 <a href="https://t.co/ODCuZAysYT">pic.twitter.com/ODCuZAysYT</a>

Kyle Goon @kylegoon
With that first-quarter basket, LeBron James has now eclipsed 38,000 career points. Only he and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (38,387) have ever reached this plateau in NBA history. The home stretch is on for the all-time regular season scoring record.

Bleacher Report @BleacherReport
LeBron has officially passed 38k points 👑 <a href="https://t.co/VeqGAQlWg8">pic.twitter.com/VeqGAQlWg8</a>

Los Angeles Lakers @Lakers
mood ⭐️ <a href="https://t.co/zX32W37h3R">https://t.co/zX32W37h3R</a> <a href="https://t.co/IhG1rOmW41">pic.twitter.com/IhG1rOmW41</a>

NBA History @NBAHistory
Only two players in NBA history have scored 38,000+ career points. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar LeBron James <a href="https://t.co/snUlEnddxu">pic.twitter.com/snUlEnddxu</a>

NBA @NBA
LeBron James is the second player in NBA history to score 38,000 career points. Greatness. <a href="https://t.co/XgvALhcuON">pic.twitter.com/XgvALhcuON</a>

nick wright @getnickwright
The youngest in NBA history to: 1K- LeBron 2K- LeBron 3K- LeBron 4K- LeBron 5K- LeBron 6K- LeBron 7K- LeBron 8K- LeBron 9K- LeBron 10K- LeBron 11K- LeBron 12K- LeBron 13K- LeBron 14K- LeBron 15K- LeBron 16K- LeBron 17K- LeBron 18K- LeBron 19K- LeBron 20K- LeBron (Continued)

nick wright @getnickwright
The youngest in NBA history to: 21K- LeBron 22K- LeBron 23K- LeBron 24K- LeBron 25K- LeBron 26K- LeBron 27K- LeBron 28K- LeBron 29K- LeBron 30K- LeBron 31K- LeBron 32K- LeBron 33K- LeBron 34K- LeBron 35K- LeBron 36K- LeBron 37K- LeBron And now… 38K- LeBron The 👑 & the 🐐

NBA TV @NBATV
38K and counting for <a href="https://twitter.com/KingJames?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KingJames</a> 👑 <a href="https://t.co/QvGljBDHxZ">pic.twitter.com/QvGljBDHxZ</a>

Travonne Edwards @Travonne
38k 10k 10k very tough <a href="https://twitter.com/KingJames?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KingJames</a>

Complex Sports @ComplexSports
The second player in NBA history to reach 38k points 👑<a href="https://twitter.com/KingJames?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KingJames</a> <a href="https://t.co/AsTT6hZqgj">pic.twitter.com/AsTT6hZqgj</a>

Legion Hoops @LegionHoops
LeBron James now joins Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for 38,000 career points. G.O.A.T. 🐐🤯 <a href="https://t.co/m3UsqILsAr">pic.twitter.com/m3UsqILsAr</a>

While James is 38 years old and past the absolute peak of his prime, it feels like just a matter of time before he eclipses Abdul-Jabbar's record. After all, he averaged 30.3 points per game last season and entered Sunday's game posting 29.0 points a night in 2022-23.

It is a testament to his greatness that he is still scoring at such a level even if he has lost a half-step since he was dominating the league as a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat.

James isn't just scoring, as he entered Sunday's game averaging 8.4 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game as well.

He will go down as one of the best players in the history of the sport, and his longevity is quite the argument in his favor for anyone participating in the seemingly endless debate about who is the NBA's greatest of all time.

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Yet his primary focus is surely on winning a fifth championship ring, and his Lakers have plenty of work to do following a 19-23 start.