LeBron James is the man of the hour, making another major move in his case to be considered the GOAT after he finally broke Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s all-time scoring record. LeBron’s greatness cannot be taken for granted anymore, he has broken a record that many thought would never be reached again, and he will likely set the new one at a mark that will be even more impossible to reach.
Team success and individual success have both been a part of LeBron James’ career; he has taken his teams to the NBA Finals 10 different times. While he has also lost more than half of those, 4 championships are still more than many other players in the league’s history. While Michael Jordan still has many proclaiming him to be the GOAT, LeBron James is undoubtedly the greatest player of the 21st century at this point.
LeBron James’ dominance individually is on a level by itself as well. He has more points than Michael Jordan and more assists than Magic Johnson. It’s mind-boggling to think about. And James is Top 10 in 4 major statistical categories in NBA history.
His scoring is without comparison. LeBron James will likely become the first NBA player to reach 40,000 career points. He is less than 2,000 assists behind Jason Kidd in 2nd place, and while he won’t catch up to John Stockton, he could very well end up 2nd on that list where he’s currently 4th.
He is also just 337 behind Michael Jordan on the list for steals all-time and could very well end his career in 3rd place on that list. Three-pointers made is a stat he won’t keep his spot in for too long, probably with the way the game has changed, but that he is Top 10 by the end of his career is truly commendable.
All-Time Points Leaders:
1. LeBron James – 38,390
2. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – 38,387
3. Karl Malone – 36,928
4. Kobe Bryant – 33,643
5. Michael Jordan – 32,292
All-Time Assists Leaders:
1. John Stockton – 15,806
2. Jason Kidd – 12,091
3. Chris Paul – 11,283
4. LeBron James – 10,354
5. Steve Nash – 10,335
All-Time Steals Leaders:
1. John Stockton – 3,265
2. Jason Kidd – 2,684
. Michael Jordan – 2,514
4. Chris Paul – 2,504
5. Gary Payton – 2,445
9. LeBron James – 2,179
All-Time 3-Pointers Made
1. Stephen Curry – 3,302
2. Ray Allen – 2,973
3. James Harden – 2,694
4. Reggie Miller – 2,560
5. Kyle Korver – 2,450
9. LeBron James – 2,237
LeBron James Should Have Won More MVP Awards
The GOAT case, for example, depends a lot on the number of accolades a player can collect. LeBron James has 4 MVP awards to his name, but he was the best player in the league for many more seasons than that. His points totals for the award every season make this amply clear.
At this point, though, to seriously change the majority’s mind, LeBron James needs another championship at the very least. If he can do that remains to be seen, although things don’t look too promising for the Los Angeles Lakers. One way or the other, the King’s legacy is solidified. No one can question his absolute dominance anymore.
