38,390 points by LeBeron James – this NBA record mark speaks for his remarkably enduring career – on the evolution of an exceptional talent.
LeBron James fought back tears when the previous record holder Kareem Abdul-Jabbar symbolically presented him with a basketball. He was sitting on the edge of the field and was one of the first to offer his congratulations when the game was temporarily interrupted. “Being in the presence of someone as unique as Kareem is outstanding. Please give the captain a round of applause. Applause also for my mother, my wife, my children. I wouldn’t be me without your help”said the superstar.
It was a matter of time, now it’s happened: On February 7, 2023, LeBron James replaced the supposedly eternal Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. At 38, he now holds the record for most career points in the NBA.
“Durability” at the highest level
When it comes to the never-ending stream of points James has scored in the NBA for more than two decades, his longevity is often the focus. Rightly so: Never before has there been a player in US basketball who stretched his zenith so far into his 30s – who knows, maybe even 40s.
30.2 points, 8.5 rebounds and 7.0 assists delivers James, meanwhile grey-bearded, on average this season. Ten years ago – with others you would say “in the prime of life” – he had 26.8 points, 8.0 rebounds and 7.3 assists.
He owes this “durability” at the highest level not only to an exceptional body, but also to an exceptional attitude: James has been living very body-consciously for a long time, is advised by various experts and invests enormous sums – according to a confidante 1.5 million dollars a year – in the best possible care of his physical capital.
LeBron james is “Mr. Changeable”
However, to dominate the NBA for 20 years, it takes more. It also takes the ability to continually dictate a game as it changes. James’ record is therefore also a testament to his versatility.
When James scored his first NBA points on October 30, 2003, away in Sacramento, 50 Cent’s “In da Club” was the hottest track of the year. There was no Facebook, no iPhone, the internet was (really) new territory. It was a different world, a different time. And another basketball.
Essentially, the game was slower and less throw-heavy. Large, bulky players dominated the action, which took place mainly within the line of three. At that time, the NBA teams only took 14.9 distance shots per game. Today there are around 34. The so-called pace-Value reflecting game speed increased from 90.3 to 99.3.
LeBron James’ game always remained dominant
Above all, the increased use of “Advanced Stats“, a series of differentiated statistics, has accelerated and streamlined the game. It is now almost entirely tailored to the mathematically most efficient finishes: free throws and three-pointers. This fundamentally changed the statics of the game – not without sacrifices: especially classic ones center How Dwight Howard suffered a blatant loss of meaning, but also guards without a distance throw, for example Dwyane Wadegot in trouble.
James’ game, on the other hand, always remained dominant. It worked in every trend, in every constellation, under all conditions. On the one hand, the 38-year-old was somewhat immune to the changes in the league: too bulky, too athletic, too technically adept and too intelligent to “small ball“, “skill ball“Or any other trend could have thrown him off course. His mix of physical elemental violence and basketball IQ allowed him to drive the NBA before him – not the other way around.
On the other hand, James also had to undergo some developments. But even as an “evolutionary” he fared much better than most of his companions. While many of them were unwilling or unable to adapt, James not only understood and embraced change, he used it to his advantage.
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Evolutionarily good – his development speaks for LeBron James
An example are threes: At the beginning of his career, James took 2.7 – and only hit 29 percent of them. Almost ten years later, in his most efficient season (2012/13), he hit 40 percent in 3.3 attempts. An elite value.
In the years that followed, James’ odds dropped slightly, but only because the volume and difficulty of his three-point attempts increased drastically: In the pre-season, James reached his career high of 8.0 three-pointers per game (rate: 36 percent).
At the same time, with this style of play, he also achieved the highest point average of his career (30.3) – and that in a way that was gentle on his still athletic but increasingly injury-prone body. He has to balance this into the zone much less frequently than before.
Other facets, such as playing with his back to the basket or from the middle distance, drove James continuously to the next level. “Experience is the best teacher“, he told ESPN. “I’ve learned a lot over the years. Meanwhile, I take the litter I want.”
Only this adaptability allowed James to remain productive. Only she allowed him three franchises lead to NBA championships (Miami, Cleveland, Los Angeles), win four championships, reach ten finals. And now to break the supposedly eternal points record.