Having completed 23 seasons in the National Basketball Association, the renowned Los Angeles Lakers player, LeBron James, finds himself with increasingly fewer uncharted territories to conquer. He achieved another significant benchmark on Thursday by securing the top spot as the NBA’s all-time leader in successful field goal attempts.
The 41-year-old James established this new benchmark during the opening quarter of the game against the Denver Nuggets, executing a signature fadeaway shot perfected through years of dedicated practice.
However, the evening wasn’t entirely favorable for James, as he suffered what appeared to be an elbow injury in the final quarter.
To the relief of the Lakers, he rejoined the game only moments later. Nonetheless, head coach JJ Redick disclosed that James was unable to participate in the game’s concluding plays due to persistent elbow discomfort.
James concluded the contest with a stat line of 16 points, 8 assists, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals, elevating his career field goal total to 15,842. These efforts proved insufficient to prevent a 120-113 defeat by the Nuggets, bringing an end to the Lakers’ recent three-game winning streak.
This achievement in field goals now positions James ahead of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the historical rankings. Abdul-Jabbar accumulated 15,837 successful field goals throughout his 20-year tenure in the NBA, with a significant portion of those occurring during his time with the Lakers.
This signifies another instance where James has surpassed Abdul-Jabbar to claim the league’s top position in a significant statistical category. James had previously overtaken Abdul-Jabbar in total minutes played, field goals attempted, and — most notably — total points accumulated.
The scoring record, considered the most prominent of his accomplishments, was established by James in 2023 during a 133-130 defeat to the Oklahoma City Thunder. James accomplished this monumental feat without playing the full game, sinking the record-breaking shot with a fadeaway move as the third quarter concluded.
Throughout his 23-year career — which itself is an NBA record — James has fulfilled every expectation, frequently excelling in numerous areas. He boasts 22 All-Star selections, 21 All-NBA team appearances, six All-Defensive team recognitions, the 2007-08 scoring title, the 2003-04 Rookie of the Year award, and four NBA championships. His lasting impact and assured induction into the Hall of Fame were solidified many years ago.
Nonetheless, James has not yet issued a conclusive statement regarding his intentions for retirement. As his current agreement concludes at the close of the 2025-26 NBA campaign, some speculated that James might choose to retire during the current offseason. He has, however, refrained from making any such declaration thus far, thereby allowing for the possibility of returning for a 24th season.
James continues to demonstrate his considerable capabilities, with the seasoned player maintaining averages of 21.6 points, 7 assists, and 5.6 rebounds per contest for the Lakers during the current season.
Beyond the pursuit of an additional championship title, James possesses few remaining objectives in his career. He is already widely regarded as either the greatest or second-greatest NBA player in history, with the iconic Chicago Bulls figure, Michael Jordan, being the sole other individual often debated for the premier position.
James’ professional journey has unquestionably been characterized not only by his exceptional skill on the basketball court but also by his remarkable endurance. It is highly probable that before the conclusion of the 2025-26 NBA season, James will additionally secure the record for the most games played in the NBA.
No other athlete in the history of the league has maintained such a high level of performance for an equivalent duration. James’ multitude of career-long records serves as compelling evidence of this fact and is a primary reason he will be remembered as one of the sport’s greatest — if not the absolute greatest — players.
NBA all-time field-goal leaders
1. LeBron James, 15,842
2. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, 15,837
3. Karl Malone, 13,528
4. Wilt Chamberlain, 12,681
5. Michael Jordan, 12,192
6. Kobe Bryant, 11,719
7. Shaquille O’Neal, 11,330
8. Dirk Nowitzki, 11,169
9. Kevin Durant, 11,075
10. Elvin Hayes, 10,976
