LeBron James has become the first player in NBA history to reach 50,000 combined points, leading the Los Angeles Lakers to a 136-115 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans.
The 40-year-old hit this milestone early in the first quarter after receiving a pass from Luka Doncic and sinking a 25-foot three-pointer.
James, who is already the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, finished the game with 34 points, bringing his total career points to 60,149—6,000 more than second-placed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
His record includes 41,871 regular-season points and 8,162 postseason points, making him the top scorer in both categories.
“I’m not going to sugar-coat it – it’s a hell of a lot of points,” said James.
“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.”
James achieved this milestone in his 22nd NBA season, matching Vince Carter for the most seasons played in league history.
He received strong support from Luka Doncic, who recorded 30 points, 15 assists, and eight rebounds. Their efforts helped the Lakers secure their seventh consecutive win, moving them up to second place in the Western Conference standings.
Lakers legend Earvin Magic Johnson led the tributes to James on social media following the achievement.
“Congratulations to the King LeBron James for becoming the only player in NBA history to score 50,000 regular season and playoff points!” Johnson wrote on X.
Earlier on Tuesday, James was also named the NBA’s Western Conference Player of the Month after he averaged 29.3 points, 10.5 rebounds and 6.9 assists last month, becoming the oldest player to earn the award.