LeBron James Passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

LeBron James Passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Credits: Jordan Greer

LeBron James is a 38 Years Old Machine

When Kareem Abdul-Jabbar retired in 1989, he left the NBA with a record that many felt would never be broken. The Hall of Famer ended his playing career with 38,387 points, putting him alone atop the league's all-time scoring list.

More than three decades later, another Lakers star is nearing Abdul-Jabbar's incredible mark. LeBron James is on pace to pass Abdul-Jabbar and widen the gap between the two basketball legends before the end of the 2022-23 season.

How many more points does James need? And when is he projected to become the NBA's all-time leading scorer? Let's run through the latest numbers.

When will LeBron James pass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on all-time scoring list?

  • Abdul-Jabbar career points: 38,387
  • James career points: 38,352
  • Points needed to pass Abdul-Jabbar: 36
  • Current scoring average: 30.0 points per game
  • Games needed to pass Abdul-Jabbar: 2

At his current scoring average, James would pass Abdul-Jabbar on Thursday, Feb. 9, when the Lakers face the Bucks in Los Angeles. At his career scoring average of 27.2 points per game, James would pass Abdul-Jabbar on that same date.

However, it's worth noting that James has been listed on the Lakers' injury report throughout the season with ankle soreness. James could potentially miss games and alter that projection.

Lakers Upcoming Schedule

The Lakers have five more games on their schedule before NBA All-Star Weekend. They return to Los Angeles for a two-game homestand after a five-game road trip.

Date Opponent Time (ET)
Feb. 7 vs. Thunder 10 p.m.
Feb. 9 vs. Bucks 10 p.m.
Feb. 11 at Warriors 8:30 p.m.
Feb. 13 at Trail Blazers 10 p.m.
Feb. 15 vs. Pelicans 10 p.m.

 

NBA All-Time Scoring List

James passed Karl Malone to move into second place on the all-time scoring list in March 2022. The only other active player in the top 10 is Carmelo Anthony, who is currently a free agent.

Kevin Durant is sitting at No. 14, but he could pass multiple players ahead of him by the end of the regular season if he stays healthy.

Rank Player Points
1. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 38,387
2. LeBron James 38,352
3. Karl Malone 36,928
4. Kobe Bryant 33,643
5. Michael Jordan 32,292
6. Dirk Nowitzki 31,560
7. Wilt Chamberlain 31,419
8. Shaquille O'Neal 28,596
9. Carmelo Anthony 28,289
10. Moses Malone 27,409
11. Elvin Hayes 27,313
12. Hakeem Olajuwon 26,946
13. Oscar Robertson 26,710
14. Kevin Durant 26,684
15. Dominique Wilkins 26,668

 

LeBron James Career Scoring Average

After averaging 20.9 points per game as a rookie with the Cavaliers in 2003-04, James has posted at least 25 points per game in every other season of his career.

He won the scoring title in 2007-08 when he averaged 30 points per game. He has cleared the 30-point threshold in three other seasons (2005-06, 2021-22 and 2022-23).

Season Points per game Total points
2003-04 20.9 1,654
2004-05 27.2 2,175
2005-06 31.4 2,478
2006-07 27.3 2,132
2007-08 30.0 2,250
2008-09 28.4 2,304
2009-10 29.7 2,258
2010-11 26.7 2,111
2011-12 27.1 1,683
2012-13 26.8 2,036
2013-14 27.1 2,089
2014-15 25.3 1,743
2015-16 25.3 1,920
2016-17 26.4 1,954
2017-18 27.5 2,251
2018-19 27.4 1,505
2019-20 25.3 1,698
2020-21 25.0 1,126
2021-22 30.3 1,695
2022-23 30.0 1,290
Career 27.2 38,325
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