LeBron James continues to solidify his legacy as one of the greatest players in NBA history. At 40 years old, the Lakers icon once again proved why he’s in a league of his own. During a commanding 136-115 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans, James reached a milestone never before achieved in the NBA—50,000 career points.
On this historic night, James led the Lakers with 34 points, eight rebounds, and six assists, adding yet another chapter to his unparalleled career. Already the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, this latest achievement sets a new benchmark in basketball history that may never be surpassed.
After the game, James expressed gratitude for his career and reflected on the significance of the milestone. “It’s a hell of a lot of points, and I’m super blessed to be able to put that many points up in the best league in the world with the best players in the world over my career,” James told Spectrum SportsNet in an on-court interview. “It’s pretty special“.
Despite defying the odds and the passage of time, James remains the cornerstone of the Lakers’ success. Since turning 40, he has been averaging 26.4 points on 54.1% shooting (42.3% from three), along with 8.2 rebounds and 8.1 assists over 28 games.
LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers shoots a 3-point basket to score his 50,002 NBA regular season and playoff career points. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Remarkably, those numbers are reminiscent of James’ 2012-13 MVP season with the Miami Heat when he averaged 26.8 points on 56.5% shooting (40.6% from three), 8.0 rebounds, and 7.2 assists.
Doncic’s reaction to James’ milestone
Luka Doncic, who also had an impressive performance against the Pelicans with 30 points, eight rebounds, and 15 assists, praised James’ monumental feat. Doncic even speculated that LeBron could set an even higher standard.
“It’s amazing. Watching him do this stuff at this age?” Doncic said during his postgame press conference, via ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “50K points… I can’t even explain how insane that is. And he might get to 70K, man. You never know”.
James reveals the key to success at his age
What makes James’ milestone even more extraordinary is that he’s achieving it in his 22nd NBA season at 40 years old. After the Lakers’ victory, James shared the secret to his sustained success and longevity.
“Just not falling out of love with the process,” James said. “Continuing to fall in love with the process, that’s the hardest thing, every single year. You know it’s going to be a long season. It’s 82 games, 41 of them are on the road“.
“It’s a lot of travel. And as you get older, it affects you even differently. If you have a family, it affects you even differently,” he added. “So the process—trying not to fall out of love with the process—is the hardest thing”.
