LeBron James is closing in on turning into the primary participant in NBA historical past to attain 40,000 profession factors. The NBA’s all-time main scorer is simply 40 factors shy of the milestone after an otherworldly fourth quarter within the Lakers’ win over the Clippers on Wednesday. He might get there as quickly as Thursday versus the Wizards, however Saturday towards the Nuggets appears extra possible. 

What higher time to take a 40,000-foot view of his unbelievable scoring prowess over time?

Listed below are 40 info on LeBron’s quest to 40K, trying by means of the lens of a number of facets, from his unparalleled longevity, to the distinctive methods he acquired there and naturally, the downright weird, quirky and jaw-dropping stats. 

Longevity

Let’s begin with longevity. In spite of everything, we would not be right here if LeBron did not have one of many longest (if not the longest) primes in sports activities historical past. 

1. LeBron has scored a minimum of 10 factors in 1,203 straight video games, simply the longest streak in NBA historical past, forward of Michael Jordan (866). The final time he failed to attain in double figures was on Jan. 5, 2007.

2. He is ranked prime 20 within the NBA in factors per sport in each season of his profession, by far the longest streak (21 straight seasons) in NBA historical past (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is subsequent with 17 straight seasons), and the longest “scoring prime” in trendy sports activities historical past, as I found final 12 months. 

3. James is the youngest (21) and oldest (37) NBA participant to common 30 factors per sport in a season.

4. He’s the one participant in NBA historical past with a 40-point sport vs. all 30 groups.

5. He has a 40-point sport in all however one season in his profession (2015-16).

6. He’s averaging as many factors per 36 minutes this season (25.7) than in his profession (25.7).

7. He has the 13 highest-scoring video games in NBA historical past by a participant in his twenty first (or later) season. 

8. He’s averaging 25.2 factors per sport this season. No one else has had greater than 7.4 PPG of their twenty first (or later) season. 

9. He scored 2,566 profession factors vs. the Seattle SuperSonics, New Jersey Nets, New Orleans Hornets and Charlotte Bobcats, franchises which have both moved or modified their title — or each. 

10. He’s the one participant in NBA historical past who ranks within the prime 10 in profession scoring common and video games performed. 

11. He’s the oldest participant within the NBA. The final time the oldest participant averaged double figures in scoring was 2002-03 with John Stockton at 10.8 PPG (h/t Tim Reynolds, Related Press).

12. LeBron’s first NBA factors had been scored greater than 20 years in the past (Oct. 29, 2003) vs. the Sacramento Kings, who rostered Jabari Smith, the daddy of present Rockets’ ahead Jabari Smith Jr. (2022 third general choose). FYI, LeBron’s performed vs. a minimum of 10 father-son duos in his profession. 

13. Wanting forward, he could be the primary participant in NBA historical past to attain as a youngster and in his 40s. He turns 40 in December. 

The wow numbers

Now that I’ve whet the urge for food, this is a most important course of gorgeous info. 

14. LeBron has extra factors in his profession than Larry Hen and Magic Johnson mixed (39,498).

15. He might go scoreless in 125 straight video games and nonetheless have a better profession scoring common than Kobe Bryant (25.0).

16. LeBron handed Michael Jordan on the all-time scoring record roughly 5 years in the past (March 6, 2019).

17. If he by no means made a 3-pointer or free throw in his profession, he’d nonetheless have extra factors than Kevin Durant. 

18. He has scored 133 profession factors along with his workforce eradicated from playoff rivalry, or 0.3% of his profession complete (he is missed the playoffs 4 instances in his profession). 

19. He is scored extra factors since he final gained an MVP in 2012-13 (18,879) than Tracy McGrady did in his total profession (18,381). 

20. LeBron has scored over 11,000 factors since he final fouled out in a sport (April 9, 2017).

21. He has the identical variety of profession 50-point video games as all gamers mixed in Celtics historical past (14).

22. He has extra profession 50-point video games (14) than video games with single-digit factors (8).

23. A full season (82 video games) of LeBron’s lowest-scoring video games would equal 12.6 PPG, the identical because the profession scoring common of Corridor of Famer Jason Kidd. 

24. LeBron has by no means scored precisely 49 factors in a regular-season sport (twice within the playoffs).

25. He gained his solely scoring title in 2007-08 (30.0 PPG) when the Seattle SuperSonics had been of their final season of existence (earlier than turning into the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder) with rookie Kevin Durant.

26. LeBron might miss 304 straight pictures and nonetheless have a profession subject aim share of precisely 50.0%. 

27. He doesn’t have the highest-scoring sport vs. anyone franchise in NBA historical past.

28. The primary participant to attain 30,000 factors (Wilt Chamberlain), 35,000 factors (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) and shortly 40,000 factors (LeBron James) all did so in a Lakers uniform. 

29. LeBron has 1,803 profession factors vs the Bulls, his most vs. any workforce in his profession (due to course, it is vs. the Bulls). 

Unbelievable scoring feats

Let’s not neglect LeBron’s many historic scoring feats.

30. LeBron has probably the most factors in a sport in Miami Warmth historical past (61 on March 3, 2014 vs. Charlotte Bobcats).

31. He has probably the most 30-point video games on 50% taking pictures in NBA historical past (429).

32. He has a 13-game streak with a minimum of 25 factors on 50% taking pictures final season, tied for the longest streak by any participant for the reason that 1976-77 merger (Giannis Antetokounmpo, Shaquille O’Neal).

33. He’s the youngest participant in NBA historical past to each 1,000-point milestone (1K, 2K, 3K, 4K, 5K, 6K … 38K, 39K).

34. He averages a minimum of 25 factors per sport vs. each franchise aside from the Pistons (24.1) (this quantity might fall under 25.0 vs the Clippers if he scores 22 factors or fewer on Wednesday).

35. He’s the one participant to common a minimum of 26 factors per sport for 3 totally different franchises (Warmth, Lakers, Cavaliers) in a profession (min. 100 video games for every workforce).

Scoring each attainable method

Effectively, he would not be the primary to 40,000 factors if he was straightforward to protect. For over 20 years, James has confirmed he can rating anytime, anyway, from anyplace.

36. LeBron is the one participant in NBA historical past who ranks within the prime 10 in factors off twos, threes and free throws.

37. LeBron is the fourth within the NBA in each dunks and 30+ footers made within the shot-tracking period (since 1996-97). He’s the one participant who ranks prime 30 in each in that span. 

38. LeBron leads the NBA in factors in clutch time, on fastbreaks and within the paint since these had been all first tracked in 1996-97. 

39. He is led the NBA in clutch-time scoring (ultimate 5 minutes, rating inside 5 factors) an NBA-high thrice since coming into the league in 2003-04 (2007-08, 2009-10, 2017-18).

40. With the Lakers, 25% of his factors are from 3-point vary. He was by no means over 20% in his different three profession stops.