Lakers News: All-Star LeBron Rival Picks 2 Players Who Could Surpass Scoring Record

Alex Kirschenbaum | Apr 4, 2024

Apr 3, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) drives for an easy bucket against the Wizards, presumably. / Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

When 20-time All-Star Los Angeles Lakers combo forward LeBron James surpassed former 19-time Lakers' All-Star center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the league's all-time leader in regular season scoring (he had already passed Cap in combined regular season and postseason scoring the year before, to considerably lighter fanfare), it seemed that it would be nearly impossible for anyone to pass James for the all-time scoring mark.

That has only looked more out-of-reach thanks to his health (he's played in 67 of a possible 77 games so far) and prolific output this year. James' total now stands at 40,352 career regular season points, far clear of Abdul-Jabbar's 38,387 career mark. The 39-year-old has a $51.4 million player option to play for a record-tying 22nd NBA season next year, and given how good he remains, it would be crazy for the 6'9" star to step away at least before then.

Now, one of James' (long-since retired) peers has weighed in on whether anyone can ever surpass James.

Amid his 32 Stats of Excellence event via Culture Makers, former six-time All-Star power forward Ama're Stoudemire, best remembered for his stints with the Phoenix Suns and New York Knicks, chatted with Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson about a variety of hot-button NBA topics -- the most pertinent of which, for our purposes, is James' seemingly untouchable record, which he just keeps extending by the day.

"Absolutely [someone will break James' record]!" Stoudemire said. "When I was in high school, I was the top player in the country my junior year, number #1. I get to my senior year, and LeBron James is the top player in the country! How does that work? [laughing]... As a junior he was the top so I kind of had an idea that he was going to be one of the greatest of all time because you see him now having all that weight on his shoulders and to continue to be who he is and who God made him to be; to be a guy who is transcending basketball. We have to cherish these moments with the understanding to watch him and glorify this because we’re never going to see this again. First of all, you will never see a high school player come out of high school and become NBA Rookie of the Year as I did first and then LeBron came second, but he took it to a new level as far as his game."

As far as who would do the deed, Stoudemire believed that two other surefire future Hall of Famers were capable: Dallas Mavericks combo guard Luka Dončić and Phoenix Suns power forward Kevin Durant.

"Luka [Dončić] maybe," STAT said. "Other than that, no. Kevin Durant possibly… but other than that, no I don’t see it. I don’t see it bro. LeBron James is a SPECTACULAR human being first and foremost. Along with the God-given talent that God blessed him with, you understand me? That is what’s remarkable about LeBron James."

Durant, already 35, still looks great when he does play. But he's lost significant ground due to major injuries. He's tenth in all-time regular season scoring (combined for the ABA and NBA) with 28,791 points, far behind James, who's just four years his senior and doesn't seem to be slowing down any time soon. Dončić has been fortuitous thus far healthwise, but he's still got decades to go if he wants to lap James.