LeBron James, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, added another milestone to his legendary resume on Saturday night, when he became the first player in league history to reach 40,000 career points.
James achieved the feat in the second quarter of the Los Angeles Lakers’ home game against the Denver Nuggets, with a layup that gave him 10 points for the night. He entered the game needing just nine points to reach the mark.
The moment LeBron made HISTORY pic.twitter.com/9rC7VuClGs
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 3, 2024
James, who’ll turn 40 in December, has been averaging 25.3 points per game this season, his 21st in the NBA. He has played more minutes than any other player in league history, and has also ranked fourth in assists and eighth in steals.
James has won four NBA championships, four MVP awards, four Finals MVP awards, and 20 All-Star selections.
James has said that he wants to play in the NBA with his sons, Bronny and Bryce, who are college and high school basketball players, respectively.
After the game, James received praise and congratulations from his teammates, coaches, opponents, fans, and fellow athletes for his historic achievement. He said that he was humbled and honored by the milestone, but that he was more focused on helping the Lakers win games.
“I’m just grateful to be in this position, to be able to play the game that I love, and to have the support of my family, my friends, my fans, and my teammates,” James said after the game. “But at the end of the day, it’s not about the points, it’s about the wins. That’s what I’m here for.”
As you can imagine, NBA Twitter also reacted to LeBron reaching this insane milestone. Here are some of the best Tweets and reactions.
This is what 40,000 points looks like. Congrats, LeBron. pic.twitter.com/yx8xvbmtnE
— Kirk Goldsberry (@kirkgoldsberry) March 3, 2024
Lebron is 40, this fuckery will go on forever.
— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod (@big_business_) March 3, 2024
Congratulations to LeBron James for being the first and only player in NBA history to score 40,000 points! I’m so glad I was here to witness such an incredible feat! @KingJames pic.twitter.com/IdfjsrSLKJ
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) March 3, 2024
To put things into perspective:
– Around 5,000 players have played in the NBA in its history.
– 51 of these 5000 (1%) were able to score 20,000 or more points.
– LeBron just doubled that number to become the first with 40,000+ points.
Longevity unmatched
— Len Werle (@RealLennyCarlos) March 3, 2024
LeBron’s final years being wasted
Meanwhile Darvin Ham and Jeanie Buss: pic.twitter.com/ikBHYm7GqX
— ²³ (@SpeakContext) March 3, 2024
No one else ever getting 40K points. We blessed to witness Lebron in our generation pic.twitter.com/b4iGxT86Ot
— (@WadexFlash) March 3, 2024
I can’t wait until he get 50,000 points
— Davo Migo (@DeeBlockDavo) March 3, 2024
Skip Bayless realizing its only gon be 85 people watching Undisputed when he slanders LeBron James for scoring 40k points pic.twitter.com/Bh6lQUZ8bW
— Coach John (@Sauce_MacKenzie) March 3, 2024
Lakers’ LeBron James is the first NBA player to score 40,000 points.
James scored his first 10,000 points in the exact same number of games as it took him to go from 30,000 to 40,000
– 10K in 368 games
– 10K to 20K in 358 games
– 20K to 30K in 381 games
– 30K to 40K in 368 games pic.twitter.com/mw5nkSizyy— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) March 3, 2024
LeBron’s new Nike ad outside Crypto pic.twitter.com/Q36Quu5us5
— justin bey (@JstnMchl) March 3, 2024
Everything we saw tonight was LeBron in a nutshell: Over-hyped, over-praised, overrated, and losing is always acceptable.
— Opp Recruiter (@CantStopDaRayne) March 3, 2024
Lebron is a basketball player not known for any particular basketball play. 40k points & not 1 memorable shot. 21 yrs & not one shot they’ll play for the ages. Whats he remembered for on the court? Certainly not winning. A block from ’16? This is why longevity stats dont move ppl
— BossHogg (@6Hogg6) March 3, 2024
LeBron James should have at least 7 MVPS and that’s just where the conversation starts
— 73-9 and THEY LIED (@CuffsTheLegend) March 3, 2024
1) Death
2) Taxes
3) Lebron losing in games he achieves longevity milestonesA career microcosm. #StriveForStats
— Particle Man (@JesseGladsaget) March 3, 2024
Skip finding a way to hate on LeBron scoring 40,000 points pic.twitter.com/3fVSJKF9tH
— Josiah Johnson (@KingJosiah54) March 3, 2024
All hate aside, LeBron was the most hyped NBA prospect of all time. At 18 years old he came into the league and in game 1 he belonged. Somehow he lived up to the hype and maybe even surpassed it. Congrats to passing 40,000 points, what an INSANE accomplishment.
Respect pic.twitter.com/ljrAYeP8ng
— Jacob (@Jacobtheclipper) March 3, 2024
LeBron lost when he hit 30k
LeBron lost when he passed MJ
LeBron lost when he passed Kobe
LeBron lost when he passed Kareem
LeBron lost when he hit 40kHis team sells him on some of the biggest days of his career i’m so tired of it
— (@HoodiiBron) March 3, 2024
