Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James became the NBA's all-time leader in regular-season field goals made during a game against the Denver Nuggets. He surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar with 15,838 field goals, achieved via a first-quarter jumper. This marks another longevity milestone for the 41-year-old in his 23rd season.
On Thursday night at Ball Arena in Denver, LeBron James etched another mark in NBA history during the Los Angeles Lakers' matchup against the Denver Nuggets. With 12 seconds remaining in the first quarter, James sank a turnaround 12-foot jumper over Zeke Nnaji, giving him 15,838 career field goals and eclipsing Abdul-Jabbar's previous record of 15,837. Abdul-Jabbar, a Lakers legend and six-time champion, held the mark from his 20-year career that ended in 1989.
James, now 41, first passed Abdul-Jabbar for the all-time scoring lead in February 2023 during a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. He also leads in playoff scoring and has exceeded 50,000 combined regular-season and playoff points. Entering the game, James had attempted 31,274 field goals, including over 7,500 three-pointers, compared to Abdul-Jabbar's 28,307 attempts and just 18 threes. James shoots 51.6% from the field, while Abdul-Jabbar was a 55.9% shooter, renowned for his skyhook.
Lakers coach J.J. Redick drew a parallel to musician Bruce Springsteen before tipoff, likening James's enduring excellence to Springsteen's evolving catalog. "LeBron’s greatest hits, right? He just keeps adding to them," Redick said. "He just plays and plays and plays and the greatest hits, he’s got a hell of a catalog."
This season, James averages 21.6 points, 7 assists, and 5.6 rebounds per game. The Thursday contest was his 1,606th regular-season appearance, nearing Robert Parish's record of 1,611 games. James, a 22-time All-Star and four-time champion, has not announced retirement plans despite his contract expiring after the 2025-26 season. Karl Malone ranks third on the field goals list with 13,528.
