More points than Mike, more assists than Magic, more steals than Iverson - dissecting LeBron James' statistical dominance
LeBron James
© Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
With each passing game, LeBron James continues to cement his legacy as arguably the greatest player of all time by setting new records in categories that were once dominated by some of the most iconic players in the history of the game.
No record is safe
Over the course of his career, the Los Angeles Lakers superstar has put up numbers unlike anyone else ever, and it’s resulted in the four-time MVP climbing the all-time ranks in just about every category possible.
On the verge of becoming the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, it’s only right to celebrate James’ sheer mind-boggling accumulation of stats and records along the way.
He’s climbed above them all
Speaking of scoring, James is on track to become the first and only player in NBA history with 40,000 career points. More impressively, he’s surpassed his rival Michael Jordan in the process.
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The Chicago Bulls legend was renowned for his ability to put the ball in the basket, but James has gone beyond MJ’s scoring and stacked up more points than his counterpart in his career.
In addition to points, James has also surpassed Magic Johnson in assists. Johnson was one of the greatest point guards of all time, known for his incredible vision and ability to set up his teammates. James, who is often compared to Johnson due to his size and playmaking ability, has now surpassed him in assists, a testament to his unselfish play and ability to make those around him better.
Next on the list is triple-doubles, in which James has bested fellow small forward Larry Bird. In his day, Bird was regarded as a versatile maestro on the floor, but James has taken versatility to new heights in his career and rewrote what it meant to be a position-less star. “The King” has been a triple threat over two decades and has eclipsed “Larry Legend” in that category.
The beauty of James’ run is it hasn’t been all about offense, highlighted by the fact that the 38-year-old will retire with more steals than Philadelphia 76ers legend Allen Iverson. Iverson led the league in steals in three consecutive seasons from 2001 to 2003, but James has surpassed AI in total thefts too.
Last but not least, LeBron has more career field goals than Wilt Chamberlain. Often labeled the most unstoppable force in league history during his era, Chamberlain scored buckets for fun in his career. It’s a testament to James’ longevity and scoring prowess that he’s been able to outdo Chamberlin in this category, especially considering Wilt averaged 50.4 points per game in 1961 and holds the top four scoring average seasons in NBA history.
Appreciate greatness
It’s hard to fathom the sheer numbers LeBron has put up during his career, but it’s a result of an unprecedented run of excellence. Incredibly, he remains on track to become the first and only player ever to rank in the top 5 in points and assists when it’s all said and done.
It’s likely we will never witness this level of statistical dominance ever again. That alone brings to life why we need to appreciate James while he’s still playing.
