LeBron James’ 40K Career NBA Points By The Numbers

BetMGM Sportsbook had the following odds for how James would score his 40,000th career point.

Method of Basket

• Layup: +200
• 3-Point Field Goal: +300
• Other: +325
• Free Throw: +525
• Dunk: +525

According to BetMGM, the most likely method was a layup at 2/1 odds, which makes sense given James’ outstanding ability to attack the basket and finish at the rim. That proved to be the correct outcome.

A 3-pointer had the next shortest odds at 3/1. James’ 40.8% 3-point percentage coming into the game was the highest of his career.

“Other” includes any other type of 2-pointer like a mid-range shot, a hook shot, etc.

A free throw and dunk were tied for the longest odds.

It took James more than two decades and over 40,000 shot attempts to reach 40,000 regular-season points. That requires longevity, consistency and sustained excellence.

Here’s how James got to that point over 21 NBA seasons.

• James went to the NBA straight out of high school and debuted at age 18, giving him a head start. His 23,901 points before turning 30 are the most in NBA history.
• James hasn’t slowed down much in his 30s, scoring more than 16,000 points. He has the third-most points after his 30th birthday, behind only Karl Malone (19,941) and Abdul-Jabbar (19,749).
• Surprisingly, James has only led the league once in points per game (2007-08) and once in total points (2017-18).
• James has averaged 30-plus points per game three times in his career with a high of 31.4 in 2005-06.
• Jame has averaged at least 25 points per game in 20 seasons, with the only exception being his rookie year.
• James has averaged at least 20 points per game in all 21 of his seasons.
• The most points James has ever had in a season was 2,478 in 2005-06. He’s topped 2,000 points in a season 10 times and has only had one full season with fewer than 1,500.
• The most points James ever scored in a single game was 61 against the then-Charlotte Bobcats on March 3, 2014. That was his only game with at least 60 points, but he’s topped 50 points 14 times.
• James has appeared in 1,475 regular-season games (seventh all-time) and has logged nearly 56,000 minutes – second only to Abdul-Jabbar.
• James has never averaged fewer than 33 minutes per game.

James could have retired years ago as a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

James has played for three different NBA franchises in his 21-year career, including two separate stints with the same franchise.

Here’s a look at how James fared with each of his three clubs.

Cleveland Cavaliers

James started his career with the Cleveland Cavaliers, who took the Akron native with the first overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft.

He was one of the most hyped prospects in league history, earning national attention by becoming the first high school underclassman to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated at age 16.

James immediately lived up to the hype, averaging 20.9 points per game in his first season and winning NBA Rookie of the Year honors. His scoring average improved to 27.2 points per game in his second season and a career-high 31.4 points per game in his third.

James led the league in scoring average for the only time in his career in 2007-08 with 30.0 points per game. He did not lead the league in total points, however.

James exceeded 2,100 points in six straight seasons from 2004-05 to 2009-10. He accumulated 15,251 points during his first stint with the Cavaliers, averaging 27.8 points per game.

After a four-year hiatus with the Miami Heat, James returned to Cleveland in 2014. He played four more seasons with the Cavs, helping them win their first NBA title in franchise history in 2016.

James scored 7,868 points during this four-year stretch – nearly identical to his point total from his four seasons with the Heat (7,919). His scoring average dropped to 26.1 points per game, however, and he only had one season with more than 2,000 points.

James led the league in total points for the only time in his career during his final season in Cleveland with 2,251 points in 2017-18.

Overall, James recorded more than half of his career points (23,119) with the Cavs and has more than twice as many points as anyone else in franchise history.

Miami Heat

James tallied 7,919 points and averaged 26.9 points per game with the Heat – his fewest with any team. His scoring numbers dipped slightly during these years as he had to share the ball with fellow superstars Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

That said, James’ scoring numbers were remarkably consistent during these four seasons, as he averaged between 26.7 and 27.1 points each year.

James’ sacrifice paid off, as Miami made the NBA Finals in all four of his seasons and won back-to-back championships in 2012 and 2013.

James also became a more efficient scorer during these seasons, improving his 3-point shot and his post game. James shot 54.3% from the floor and 36.9% from deep with the Heat – both his highest marks with any team.

The improved shooting helped James finish top-3 in MVP voting during all four of his seasons with Miami, including back-to-back wins in 2012 and 2013.

Los Angeles Lakers

James left Cleveland again in 2018 to join his third franchise, the Los Angeles Lakers. After dominating the Eastern Conference for his entire career, James was ready for a new challenge in the Western Conference.

James has spent the past six seasons in LA, winning his fourth title in the bubble in 2020.

His total scoring numbers have declined as he’s lost more time to rest and injuries. James has missed at least 10 games in four of his first five seasons out west (excluding this year) and has yet to score 1,700 points in a season with the Lakers after reaching that benchmark in 13 of his first 15 seasons.

However, James has continued to age gracefully and remained an efficient scorer. He’s averaged 27.0 points per game with Los Angeles, just below his career average of 27.1.

His best scoring average with the Lakers was in 2021-22 when he averaged 30.3 points per game at age 37 – his third season over 30 points per game and first since 2007-08.

James has 8,979 points and counting with Los Angeles.

James is a talented scorer who can score in a variety of ways. His biggest strength has always been driving into the lane, where he can use his size, speed and strength to overpower defenders and finish at the rim.

James’ attacking style has earned him a lot of trips to the charity stripe over the years. He ranks fourth all-time in free throws made and free throws attempted.

He’s also become a much better 3-point shooter after struggling in that area early in his career. Through his first eight seasons, James only shot 32.9% from beyond the arc. Over his last 13 seasons, he’s improved to 35.8%.

Here’s a breakdown of James’ point total:

• Free Throws: 8,296 (20.7%)
• 2-Pointers: 24,578 (61.4%)
• 3-Pointers: 7,143 (17.8%)

The majority of James’ points have come on 2-pointers – more than his free throws and 3-pointers combined.

Coming into the 2023-24 season, James had 2,107 regular-season slam dunks, accounting for more than 4,000 points. James ranks fourth all-time in dunks.

James’ point total does not include his postseason numbers. If it did, he’d have another 8,023 points and would be getting close to 50,000.

James has played the most postseason games in NBA history (282), so it’s not surprising that he’s scored the most playoff points as well. James has played the equivalent of nearly three and a half full regular seasons in the postseason.

James’ playoff high is 51 points, which he scored against the Golden State Warriors in Game 1 of the 2018 NBA Finals. He’s scored at least 40 points in 29 postseason games.

James ranks second for most points scored in the NBA Finals with 1,562, trailing only Jerry West at 1,679.

He’s only missed the playoffs four times in his career. James has appeared in 53 different postseason series, winning four of his 10 trips to the NBA Finals. He’s won four NBA Finals MVPs as well – second behind Michael Jordan.

Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images