Barring something unforeseen, Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James is expected to pass NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on the all-time scoring list sometime this season.
If and when it happens, it’ll be a massive accomplishment for the 18-time All-Star, and it’ll definitely add to his legacy.
James is entirely aware of how big of a deal the record is, though he recently admitted that he’s never made it a goal of his to accomplish the feat.
“It’s a huge thing, I believe,” James told the Los Angeles Times. “I think it’s one of the most sought-after records in sports. And me personally, I’ve never even like set a goal of doing it. It makes zero sense to me. But it’s something that’s bigger, and bigger than people think.”
Entering the 2022-23 season, James has 37,062 points to his name. Abdul-Jabbar finished his career with 38,387 points, so the difference is currently 1,325.
Last season, James appeared in just 56 games, and he was still able to score 1,695 points. Therefore, if he stays healthy in the 2022-23 campaign, he shouldn’t have a problem passing Abdul-Jabbar’s record.
Abdul-Jabbar put together a wonderful NBA career. The Hall of Famer earned 19 All-Star selections, six MVP awards and six NBA titles. He’s widely regarded as one of the greatest players to ever step foot on a basketball court.
James is in that conversation as well. The 37-year-old has 18 All-Star selections, four MVP awards and four NBA titles.
While it will be a very cool moment if and when James catches Abdul-Jabbar’s record, the superstar’s top goal this season is presumably to get the Lakers back in the title mix.
As all Lakers fans likely know, James put together an extremely impressive 2021-22 season from a statistical standpoint. He averaged 30.3 points, 8.2 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game while shooting 52.4 percent from the field and 35.9 percent from beyond the arc.
Unfortunately, his squad struggled. Los Angeles finished with a 33-49 record and missed the postseason.
The Lakers made some solid additions over the offseason, but it’s unclear whether the roster is different enough today from the way it was last season for the team to contend in the upcoming campaign.
Lakers fans won’t have to wait long to get an answer, as the team will open its season on Tuesday against the Golden State Warriors on the road.
