Video: Lakers' LeBron James Becomes 1st NBA Player to Score 40k Career Points

Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images

LeBron James has added yet another milestone to his monumental career.

On Saturday, the Los Angeles Lakers superstar and NBA's all-time leading scorer became the first player in league history to reach 40,000 points.

The 39-year-old James is going to finish with the most statistically impressive career in NBA history. Alongside his points record, he came into the night fourth all-time in assists (10,838) and eighth all-time in steals (2,252).

He's been an All-Star 20 times—every season in his career except his rookie campaign—an All-NBA selection 19 times, a champion four times, an MVP four times, an NBA Finals MVP four times and the winner of the scoring title once.

He's reached the playoffs 16 times. And while injuries have affected his availability with more frequency later in his career, his longevity is incredible. There has been no clear regression in his play, even this season. He remains one of the game's elite players.

In the GOAT conversation, LeBron has to be one of the first names mentioned. Maybe you prefer Michael Jordan, or an old-school option like Wilt Chamberlain or Bill Russell. That's personal preference, but James better be in the debate.

"Whenever a sports record is broken—including mine—it's a time for celebration," Kareem Abdul-Jabbar wrote in Feb. 2023 when James broke his scoring record. "It means someone has pushed the boundaries of what we thought was possible to a whole new level. And when one person climbs higher than the last person, we all feel like we are capable of being more."

"LeBron makes me love the game again," he added. "And he makes me proud to be part of an ever-widening group of athletes who actively care about their community."

James' legacy will ultimately extend far beyond what he accomplished on the court. But there's no doubt that few have ever been better at the sport of basketball.