LeBron James has added another chapter to his legendary career, becoming the NBA’s all-time leader in career field goals. James surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar with a turnaround jumper in the first quarter of the Los Angeles Lakers’ 120-113 loss to the Denver Nuggets, according to the Associated Press.
“My name being mentioned with some of the greatest to ever play this game has always been humbling and pretty cool,” James said. “It’s a pretty cool thing. I grew up watching and reading, idolizing a lot of the greats.”
Breaking Kareem’s Mark
King. The most field goals made in NBA regular season HISTORY 👑 pic.twitter.com/KmyOW9msll
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) March 6, 2026
The record-breaking basket gave James 15,838 career field goals, one more than Abdul-Jabbar’s 15,837. Karl Malone sits third with 13,528. James tied the record earlier in the game with an alley-oop dunk from Luka Doncic before drilling the historic jumper over Zeke Nnaji.
James finished with 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting, adding eight assists, three steals, and a block. Lakers coach J.J. Redick praised his star: “He’s been a complete player for 23 years. He’s just a phenomenal basketball player.”
Denver’s Nikola Jokić echoed the sentiment, calling James “definitely a legendary player.”
LEBRON JAMES.
MOST FIELD GOALS MADE IN NBA HISTORY.
— NBA (@NBA) March 6, 2026
Records Keep Piling Up
James already holds the NBA’s career scoring record, surpassing Abdul-Jabbar in February 2023. He is also the all-time playoff scoring leader and last year crossed 50,000 combined points in regular season and postseason play.
Now 41, James continues to set marks for longevity, most recently becoming the oldest player to record a triple-double. Redick even compared his superstar’s career to Bruce Springsteen’s catalog: “LeBron’s greatest hits, right? He just keeps adding to them. He’s got a hell of a catalog.”
Injury Overshadows the Night
Despite the milestone, James left the game briefly after injuring his left elbow on a layup. He returned late but admitted afterward, “It’s pretty sore right now. It feels like a funny bone situation. Hopefully, I wake up tomorrow and it doesn’t feel too much worse.”
James has played 1,606 regular-season games, just five shy of Robert Parish’s record(1,611). With his latest achievement, he continues to redefine what longevity and excellence look like in the NBA.
