10 Records LeBron James Can Break As He Returns for 21st NBA Season

We've run out of superlatives to describe LeBron James. The Los Angeles Lakers veteran continues to defy the odds in his NBA career. He recently announced he will be returning for his 21st NBA season after months of speculation that he may retire.

The 38-year-old already holds many NBA records, but if he plays into his 40s at the same level he played in the 2022/23 season, he will be on track to break many more.

In February this year, the four-time NBA champion became the NBA's all-time leading scorer, passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's record that had stood since 1984.

Earlier this year, he earned his 19th All-Star selection, tying him with Abdul-Jabbar in the NBA's record books for the most selections in league history.

The former Cleveland Cavaliers star turns 39 in December, and it will be interesting to see if he can play at the highest level. After the Lakers were eliminated from playoff contention in May, James hinted at retirement. Sports Brief looks at some of the records James can break as he continues playing.

10 records James can break

Points, rebounds, and assists at 39

In his 20th NBA season, James averaged 28.9 points per game. If he repeats that next season, no 39-year-old will ever come close to that. Karl Malone averaged 20.6 points in the 2002/03 season, the most by a 39-year-old. Michael Jordan averaged 20 points per game that same season. No other NBA player has averaged 20 points at 39 years old. James is on track to average more than that.

He could also join the two icons as the only players to average 33 or more minutes at 39 or older. If he averages seven rebounds, he'll join Malone, Robert Parish, and Tim Duncan as the only player to do that at 39 or older.

He could also join John Stockton as the only player to average six or more assists at 39.

20th All-Star selection?

James already has 19 All-Star selections, and unless he is injured, he will be a 20-time All-Star starter next year. No player has made the All-Star team as a starter at 39 years old.

All-NBA accolades

The Lakers star holds the record for the most All-NBA selections with 20. Abdul-Jabbar, Duncan, and Kobe Bryant are next with 15 each, per CBS Sports.

Most minutes?

Abdul-Jabbar currently holds the record for most minutes played in NBA history with 57,446. James has played 54,092 regular-season minutes in his career. He is 760 away from Karl Malone's career total. He could surpass the Utah Jazz legend early next season for second. However, he'll have to stick around for a while to pass Abdul-Jabbar.

Free throws made

James is fourth on the all-time free throws made list, with 8087. Malone leads the list with 9787, while Moses Malone and Bryant are second and third, respectively. James is 291 shy of Bryant's career total. Karl Malone's record might be out of reach, but he could catch Bryant if he continues to play for the next few seasons.

Defensive rebounds

James is among 10 NBA players who have grabbed 9000 defensive rebounds. Kevin Garnett leads the list with 11,453 defensive rebounds. James is 10th on the list with 9001, meaning if he averages 7.1 per game as he did in 2022-23, he could catch Moses Malone and Abdul-Jabbar, who are 8th and 9th, respectively.

3-pointers made

James is not an elite shooter, but his longevity has seen him climb to 9th on the three-pointers made list, with 2,261. He's only 21 behind Jason Terry and 29 behind Vince Carter. He could move up a few spots next season if he averages 2.2 threes like he did last season.

Playoff three-pointers

The former Miami Heat star is third on the all-time threes made in the playoffs list behind Stephen Curry and his teammate Klay Thompson. If James makes 40 threes in next season's playoffs, he'll have 500 threes in the playoffs, joining the Golden State Warriors Splash Brothers. The four-time MVP is the all-time playoff leader in games played, minutes, points, field goals made, field goals attempted, free throws made, free throws attempted, defensive rebounds, and steals.

Field goal attempts

The four-time Finals MVP has attempted a total of 28,044 field goals, 263 fewer than Abdul-Jabbar. Last season, he attempted 22.2 shots per game, and if he repeats that, he will surpass Abdul-Jabbar early next season.

Total steals

James is 9th on the all-time steals list in the NBA. with 2,186, 21 fewer than Clyde Drexler. Therefore, he could pass him next season. Still, James' physical decline means he won't have the energy to play elite defense.

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NBA

James has nothing to prove in the NBA. He is arguably the greatest basketball player of all time. Before breaking Abdul-Jabbar's scoring record, James declared himself the GOAT.

James on his record

The Lakers star said that Kevin Durant is the most likely player to outdo him because of his versatility on the court. Durant is currently 15th on the all-time scoring list and may climb up before he retires.

He also added that the likes of Luka Doncic, Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Irving have a chance if they stay healthy.