Ron Harper says it’s harder to win rings than it is to score 50,000 points in NBA

Los Angeles Lakers star forward LeBron James made history in the team’s blowout win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday. He became the first NBA player to record 50,000 combined points in the regular season and playoffs.

The 40-year-old finished the game with a team-high 34 points while shooting 10-of-18 from the field, 5-of-10 from 3-point range and 9-of-9 from the free-throw line.

But in the eyes of five-time NBA champion Ron Harper, it’s harder to win rings than it is to score 50,000 points in the NBA.

This isn’t the first time that Harper has rained on James’ parade. Back in December, when one X user crowned James as a Lakers legend, Harper responded to that claim by discrediting James’ “bubble” ring that he won with the storied franchise in 2020.

Then, when James passed NBA icon Michael Jordan for the most career 30-point games in regular-season history in January, Harper seemingly wasn’t all that impressed.

But to be fair, Harper has shown James love before and often argues that there’s enough room for more than one player in the G.O.A.T. (greatest of all time) conversation.

The fact that James now has scored 50,000 combined points in the NBA might be as much of a testament to his longevity as it is to his scoring chops. James is in his 22nd season in the league and is tied with NBA legend Vince Carter for the most seasons played by any one player.

But longevity is just one factor. James has long been one of the better scorers in the league. He’s averaging 27.0 points per game for his career in the regular season and even captured a scoring title earlier on in his pro tenure. Back in the 2007-08 season in his first stint as a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers, he averaged 30.0 points per contest to claim that season’s scoring crown.

James will attempt to carry over his play from the Pelicans game into the Lakers’ looming matchup against the New York Knicks on Thursday. The Knicks own the third-best record of any team in the Eastern Conference this season at 40-21 but lost their most recent game to the Golden State Warriors.