LeBron James needs 460 points to pass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and set the all-time scoring record. However, according to the four-time MVP, owning the record is not on his mind.
“I don’t know. I didn’t set out to do that,” the 18-time All-Star said during an exclusive interview with ESPN on Friday, when asked where the all-time scoring record stands in his career.
“When I came into the league, it wasn’t like my goal was to make the All-Star team, be Rookie of the Year, first-team All-NBA, first-team All-Defensive, win a championship, be the league’s MVP…”
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LeBron James added, “The scoring record was never in my head because I was always a pass-first guy.” “I’ve always loved seeing my teammates succeed… it’s been the best learning experience of my life, and I think I’ve gotten better in all aspects of my game over the course of my career. There were times when I didn’t have a low post game.
“I wasn’t a low post threat. There were times when I wasn’t a threat from the midrange. There were times when I wasn’t a threat from the outside… I got to the point where I could do what I wanted to do on the floor… I saw it all and was able to use my ability to read coverages – good for myself but more importantly for my teammates to succeed.
Lakers star LeBron James says breaking the NBA’s all-time scoring record is not on his mind.
The Lakers wing currently has 37,928 points. Barring a major injury, the 20-year-old veteran could break the all-time scoring record with multiple 40-point games before All-Star weekend.
Speaking of which, LeBron James and Kevin Durant lead the Western and Eastern Conferences in the first round of All-Star fan voting. Star voting is available until Tuesday, February 16 at 11:59 p.m.
LeBron James is expected to break Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s all-time scoring record in February if he continues to average 29 ppg this season.
2/4 by Pelican
2/7 vs. Thunder
2/9 with the Bucks
2/11 at Warriors pic.twitter.com/xyyb1WGvvF— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) January 7, 2023
Although James said the record was never on his mind, the Lakers are struggling again this season. Los Angeles is 18-21 and ranked 12th in the Western Conference. For this reason, because he is 38 years old, we have some records.
In 30 starts this season, LeBron James is averaging 28.9 points, 8.2 rebounds, 6.7 assists and 1.0 steals per game. He is also shooting 51.1% from the floor and 29.9% from beyond the arc. Not to mention, James recorded 18 double-doubles.
On December 30, James’ 38th birthday, the forward scored a game-high 47 points in 40 minutes of action in the Lakers’ 130-121 win over the Atlanta Hawks. He shot 18-of-27 (66.7%) from the field and made four 3-pointers.
