Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James etched his name deeper into the history books on Sunday (February 23, 2026), becoming the first player ever to score 43,000 career regular-season points.
The milestone came midway through the third quarter of the Lakers’ contest against the Boston Celtics, when James converted a layup to reach the historic mark.
All-Time NBA Regular-Season Scoring List (as of Sunday’s game, ongoing):
- LeBron James – 43,000*
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – 38,387
- Karl Malone – 36,928
- Kobe Bryant – 33,643
- Michael Jordan – 32,292
*Game still in progress
James achieved the feat in his 1,600th regular-season game. He now needs just 12 more appearances to surpass Robert Parish for the all-time NBA record in games played (1,611).
LeBron’s 2025-26 Season So Far
The 41-year-old earned his 22nd All-Star selection earlier this month — extending his own record for most All-Star nods in NBA history.
Entering Sunday’s game, James was averaging:
- 21.7 PPG
- 7.2 APG
- 5.7 RPG
- 1.1 SPG across 37 appearances this season.
Despite the elite production, James’ remarkable 21-year All-NBA streak will come to an end this season. He will fall short of the NBA’s 65-game threshold required for All-NBA eligibility (due to earlier missed time with sciatica and now minor knee soreness).
Legacy Context
- First to 43,000 points
- Most All-Star selections ever (22)
- Still producing All-Star level numbers at 41
- On pace to climb higher on the games-played list
Even with the All-NBA streak ending, James continues to rewrite record books in real time — proving age is just a number when you’re the greatest scorer the league has ever seen.
Lakers fans: Where do you think LeBron finishes his career points total? 45,000? 50,000? Comment your predictions below and share if you’re watching history unfold live!