LeBron James becomes first player to score 40000 points

LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers became the first player in NBA history to reach 40,000 career points in his side's 124-114 regular season loss to the Denver Nuggets in Los Angeles on Saturday.

Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James celebrates his 3-pointer against the Phoenix Suns during an NBA basketball game in Los Angeles, the United States, Dec. 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhao Hanrong)

James got his 40,000th point through a driving layup with 10 minutes and 39 seconds left in the second quarter, with the fans celebrating the milestone at Crypto.com Arena, the 39-year-old also becoming the first player in NBA history to pass 40,000 points, 10,000 rebounds and 10,000 assists.

The all-time NBA regular season scoring leader, who achieved the mark by surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's 39,387 last February, scored 26 points, grabbed four rebounds and dished nine assists on Saturday night, extending his record to 40,017 points.

James is now in his 21st season and no other active players are close to his scoring record. Kevin Durant of the Phoenix Suns, who sits ninth on the all-time scoring table, is the closest with 28,342 points.