LeBron James added another historic milestone to his illustrious career during the Los Angeles Lakers’ matchup against the Denver Nuggets. In the first quarter, James nailed a turnaround fadeaway over Zeke Nnaji, marking the 15,838th made field goal of his NBA career — the most in league history.
This achievement moves James past Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who finished his 20-year career with 15,837 field goals. The two legends remain the only players in NBA history to surpass the 15,000 made field goal mark, with Karl Malone sitting third at 13,528. Among active players, Kevin Durant is currently the only one in the top ten.
James, now in his 23rd NBA season, has already surpassed Abdul-Jabbar in multiple categories, including total points (2023), minutes played, and field goal attempts. The milestone demonstrates his remarkable longevity and consistency in the league.
Despite James’ record-breaking performance, the Lakers fell to the Nuggets, 120–113. He finished the game with 16 points, 8 assists, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals. James briefly left the game in the fourth quarter due to an elbow issue but returned before sitting out the final possessions as a precaution.
At 41 years old, James is averaging 21.6 points, 7 assists, and 5.6 rebounds per game this season. With his contract set to expire after the 2025–26 season, his plans for retirement remain uncertain, leaving the door open for a possible 24th NBA season.
With numerous all-time records already under his belt, including scoring, James could soon add most games played in NBA history to his growing list of achievements, further cementing his legacy as one of the greatest players the sport has ever seen.
