LeBron James needs 12,647 more points to catch Kareem

[JohnnySic]

Can it be done?

[Gileraracer]

Depends on his FG%. If he continues to shoot <40% from beyond 5ft there's no way he'll catch Kareem.

[ShaqTwizzle]

Probably not.
Let us give him 1150 more pts for this season... (slightly generous?)

Then lets say he averages 25-ppg over the next 3 years and plays an average of 72 games.
5400 pts...

Following that he'll be 35 years old and in his 17th season... and he'll still need 6000 points.

Lets say he keeps going though and from 35-37 (17th-19th seasons) he averages 23-ppg and plays an average of 65 games.
He'd still be able 1500-2000 points shy of the total.

Maybe he ages better then the above speculation and maintains his volume better but if not... then there is little chance.

[Mawly-G]

Once his athleticism starts to decline within the next couple of seasons, he'll have to rely more on his jumpshot; which is currently non-existent. I just don't see LeBron ever becoming a consistent shooter though. I think as he begins to age, and his athleticism dissipates, he'll become even more of a facilitator.

[VengefulAngel]

Probably not.
Let us give him 1150 more pts for this season... (slightly generous?)

Then lets say he averages 25-ppg over the next 3 years and plays an average of 72 games.
5400 pts...

Following that he'll be 35 years old and in his 17th season... and he'll still need 6000 points.

Lets say he keeps going though and from 35-37 (17th-19th seasons) he averages 23-ppg and plays an average of 65 games.
He'd still be able 1500-2000 points shy of the total.

Maybe he ages better then the above speculation and maintains his volume better but if not... then there is little chance.

He won't pass Kareem but he's got an absolute great shot of 2nd and is almost a lock for top 5.

[Dr Hawk]

Problem is Lebron isn't a bird-fed giant like Kareem

[guy]

He will as long as he can stay healthy just cause he will make it a point to along with getting to top 3-4 in career assists. Hes a stat stuffer and will probably do whatever he can for his legacy to make up for his lack of rings and lesser amount of MVPs (seemed like a forgone conclusion he would surpass Jordan and Kareem but now it's seem like a good chance he won't win another). Pretty sure Kobe would've been doing the same thing if it wasn't for his injuries.

[RoseCity07]

I think Lebron will do it quite easily if he plays to 40. He can probably get there by 38. Jordan would have reached 40 thousands points if he never retired unit 2003. He took off 4 prime years at least.

[ShaqTwizzle]

I think Lebron will do it quite easily if he plays to 40.

Keep in mind Lebron is already in his 13th season.
By time he is 35 he'll be in his 17th season and unlike some other guys who were barely used early on, retired for a year or two mid-career or took years off for injury Lebron has played heavy minutes and missed few games since his Rookie season.

By time he is 35 assuming he stays durable he will have played an absolutely incredible number of minutes career wise.

By time he is 38 let alone 40 he'll be in his 20th season.
How many guys were still productive by then... how many even made it that far without injury?

Kobe is in his 20th season now and he missed the last few years (injury) and wasn't a starter until his 3rd season.

[WayOfWade]

Either way ISH loses, either he breaks the record and the LeBron fam goes nuts, or he doens't and the Kobe fam goes nuts

[Clifton]

No, because Lebron will retire early. He's a businessman and a family man, not a basketball lifer.

Kareem hardly had a life outside of basketball. He liked to keep to himself. Obviously he had other interests (as we've seen from his writing), but they weren't as compelling as financial ventures or a family would be.

I bet Lebron retires before he falls out of the top 5.

[IncarceratedBob]

Problem is Lebron isn't a bird-fed giant like Kareem

Kareem was assisted on 51 percent of his baskets.
Lebron has been assisted so far on 49 percent of his basket

Do some 'search before you speak jackass

[Mass Debator]

Problem is Lebron isn't a bird-fed giant like Kareem

Prime Kareem would kill Lebron 1v1 though

[ShawkFactory]

Kareem was assisted on 51 percent of his baskets.
Lebron has been assisted so far on 49 percent of his basket

Do some 'search before you speak jackass

True but look at the percentage of baskets Kareem was assisted on later in his career once his athleticism declined significantly.

He played several years after that.

[RRR3]

True but look at the percentage of baskets Kareem was assisted on later in his career once his athleticism declined significantly.

He played several years after that.

He pulled those numbers out of his ass, as he is fond of doing.


LeBron has been assisted on 35.5% of his 2point field goals, and 48.6% of his 3point field goals throughout his career. That clearly would be less than 49%