Is LeBron James the GOAT? Basketball Legend Hits Unmatched 50,000-Point Milestone in NBA History

The Lakers’ 40-year-old superstar, LeBron James, became the NBA’s first 50,000-point man Tuesday night.

James came into the Lakers’ game against the New Orleans Pelicans needing a point to reach 50,000 combined points for his career in the regular season and postseason. He reached the milestone on his first shot, connecting on a 3-pointer from the left wing off a Luka Doncic feed to put the Lakers up 13-6 with 8:34 remaining in the first quarter.

During an ensuing timeout, Lakers public address announcer Lawrence Tanter called out the accomplishment, telling the crowd, “Ladies and gentlemen, we all have just witnessed history.”

James finished with 34 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists in Los Angeles’ 136-115 win. The Lakers have won 17 of 20 to move into second place in the Western Conference at 39-21.

James is the league’s all-time leader in regular-season and postseason scoring — with 41,871 points in the regular season and 8,162 in the playoffs.

“It’s a hell of a lot of points, and I’m super blessed to be able to put that many points up in the best league in the world with the best players in the world over my career,” James told Spectrum SportsNet in an on-court interview after the game. “It’s pretty special.”

In 28 games since turning 40, James is averaging 26.4 points on 54.1% shooting (42.3% from 3), 8.2 rebounds and 8.1 assists.

James recently shared a graphic on Instagram showing how those averages compare favorably to his last MVP season in 2012-13, when he averaged 26.8 points on 56.5% shooting (40.6% from 3), 8.0 rebounds and 7.2 assists for the Miami Heat.

“I’ve had the opportunity to play the game that I love, and I’ve always been true to it, so I’m going to always try to give back,” James said Tuesday night.