LeBron James has added yet another milestone to his legendary career, becoming the first player in NBA history to score 50,000 combined points in the regular season and playoffs.
The 40-year-old reached the mark in style, draining a 25-foot three-pointer off a Luka Doncic assist early in the first quarter of the Los Angeles Lakers’ 136-115 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night.
James, who is already the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, finished the game with 34 points, pushing his career total to an incredible 60,149 points, a staggering 6,000 points clear of second-placed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
LeBron’s Career-Defining Numbers
Regular Season Points: 41,871 (NBA Record)
Postseason Points: 8,162 (NBA Record)
Total Career Points: 50,033 (First player to reach this milestone)
Reflecting on his latest achievement, James said:
“I’m not going to sugar-coat it – it’s a hell of a lot of points.”
“I’m super blessed to be able to put up that many points in my career in the best league in the world and against the best players in the world – it’s pretty special.”
Lakers Extend Streak, Move to Second in West
The Lakers have been in red-hot form, winning seven straight games and 17 of their last 20, climbing to second place in the Western Conference with a 39-21 record.
Doncic, who has revitalized the team since his arrival, delivered a superb performance with 30 points, 15 assists, and eight rebounds.
Jaxson Hayes stepped up with a season-high 19 points and 10 rebounds, as the Lakers continued to win despite missing key starters Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura.
Meanwhile, Zion Williamson put on a show for the Pelicans with 37 points on 17-of-23 shooting, but it wasn’t enough to prevent his team from slipping to 14th place in the West.
Magic Johnson Leads Tributes to LeBron
Lakers legend, Magic Johnson was among the first to congratulate James, writing on social media:
“Congratulations to the King, LeBron James, for becoming the only player in NBA history to score 50,000 regular season and playoff points!”
Other Notable Takeaways
Doncic’s First-Quarter Explosion: The Slovenian star scored 17 points in the first quarter, his highest in a single quarter this season.
Bronny James Returns to Action: LeBron’s son, Bronny James, played the final 4:01, scoring two points in his first game since February 12.
Key Stat: No other player has even reached 45,000 combined points—let alone 50,000. Abdul-Jabbar remains second with 44,149 points.
What’s Next?
Pelicans: Host the Houston Rockets on Thursday night.
Lakers: Finish their six-game homestand against the New York Knicks.
With LeBron still performing at an elite level in his 22nd NBA season, his record-breaking career shows no signs of slowing down.
