When Will LeBron James Pass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in Scoring?

Although his greatest skills are considered to be his passing, IQ, and leadership, LeBron James is still one of the greatest scorers in NBA history. He has averaged 27.1 points per game during his career, scoring a total of 37,062 points over his 19 year career. LeBron ranks second overall in all-time points scored in NBA history.

LeBron is very close to passing another great scorer. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the NBA scoring leader. He scored a total of 38,387 points during his 20-season career. That means that LeBron James is only 1,326 points away from becoming the all-time leading scorer.

When will LeBron James pass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in scoring? In this article, we explore in detail when LeBron might be able to catch up to the scoring leader.

This Season?

There is a very good chance that LeBron James passes Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in scoring this season. Although LeBron has been injured more in previous seasons than earlier in his career, his health should not stop him from breaking the scoring record this season.

Assuming he averages his career scoring numbers, it will take LeBron 49 games to become the all-time leading scorer in NBA history. If he averages 25 points per game, his lowest season average since his rookie year, then it will take him 54 games to break the record. Even if he averages the 20.9 points per game he averaged his rookie season, it will only take him 64 games to break Kareem’s record.

LeBron has played at least 45 games every season, and last season he played 56 games. It is worth noting that LeBron was rested for the last few games last season after the Lakers missed the playoffs.

Assuming LeBron James can stay healthy for a reasonable amount of games this season, he will break the record this year. That will also depend on if LeBron can sustain his level of play. After all, he is entering his 20th season and will turn 38 years old this season. However, considering the way LeBron has preserved himself by taking care of his body his whole career, that shouldn’t be a problem.

Which Game?

Considering his league averages and his recent battles with health, it is likely that LeBron James will break the scoring record later into the season.

You heard it here first. LeBron James will break the scoring record on March 12, 2023 against the New York Knicks. The Lakers will host the Knicks for their 68th game of the season. That leaves some room for flexibility in case LeBron misses some games this season. Assuming he can match his scoring average and miss no more than 18 games prior to playing the Knicks on March 12, he should be able to break the record that night.

There is another reason why LeBron will break the scoring record on March 12. Coincidence or not, the Knicks have a reputation for being on the receiving end of NBA history. For example, they were the opposing team when Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points in one game. They also hosted the Warriors when Stephen Curry broke the three-point record last season.

LeBron James has performed pretty well in his career against the Knicks. He has averaged 26.6 points per game against New York, which included a memorable 50-point game. LeBron James has a chance to have another memorable moment against the Knicks in March. Let’s see if he can make it happen.