LeBron James becomes NBA's all-time leader in career field goals made, sustains fourth-quarter elbow injury

After 23 seasons in the NBA, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James is running out of new milestones to set. He accomplished yet another massive one Thursday when he became the NBA's all-time leader in career field goals made.

James, 41, set the record in the first quarter against the Denver Nuggets, via a fadeaway shot honed over the course of decades.

The night wasn't all good for James, though, as he went down in the fourth quarter with an apparent elbow injury.

Fortunately for the Lakers, he returned mere minutes later. However, head coach JJ Redick revealed he had to miss the game's final few possessions due to discomfort in the elbow.

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James finished the night with 16 points, 8 assists, 5 rebounds and 3 steals, with his career FGM tally at 15,842. That wasn't enough to a void a 120-113 loss to the Nuggets, snapping a three-game win streak for the Lakers.

With the field goals accomplishment, James passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar o n the all-time list. Abdul-Jabbar accounted for 15,837 field goals made during his 20-year NBA career, most of which came with the Lakers.

It marks yet another record in which James has unseated Abdul-Jabbar to become the league's all-time leader. James previously passed Abdul-Jabbar in minutes, field goals attempted and — most notably — points scored.

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James set the points record, the most notable of the bunch, in 2023 during a 133-130 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. James didn't need the entire game to break the record, hitting the historic shot on a fadeaway at the end of the third quarter.

Over his 23-year career — also an NBA record — James has checked every box, often multiple times. He's a 22-time All-Star, has made 21 All-NBA teams, is a six-time All Defensive team honoree, the 2007-08 scoring champ, the 2003-04 Rookie of the Year and a four-time NBA champion. His legacy and status as a future Hall of Famer was secured long ago.

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Despite that, James has yet to definitively announce retirement plans. With his contract expiring at the end of the 2025-26 NBA season, some believed James could call it quits this offseason. He's made no such announcement just yet, leaving the door open to potentially return for a 24th season.

James has still proven he has plenty left i n the tank, as the veteran is averaging 21.6 points, 7 assists and 5.6 rebounds per game with the Lakers this season.

Other than trying to win one more championship, James doesn't have much left to play for. He's already considered either the first- or second-best NBA player of all time, with Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan as the only other player who holds an argument for that top spot.

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James' career has no doubt been defined by his excellence on the court, but also his longevity. Before the 2025-26 NBA season is done, it's very likely James will also hold the record for most games played in the NBA.

No player in league history has been this good for this long. James' various all-time records are proof of that and one of the many reasons he'll go down as one of the best — if not the best — player ever.

1. LeBron James, 15,8422. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, 15,8373. Karl Malone, 13,5284. Wilt Chamberlain, 12,6815. Michael Jordan, 12,1926. Kobe Bryant, 11,7197. Shaquille O'Neal, 11,3308. Dirk Nowitzki, 11,1699. Kevin Durant, 11,07510. Elvin Hayes, 10,976