LeBron James came tantalizingly close to making NBA history Sunday night, finishing just one point shy of becoming the first player ever to score 50,000 career points. The Lakers superstar needed 18 points against the Clippers to hit the milestone, but ended with 17 in his team’s victory.
The crowd at Crypto.com Arena knew exactly what was at stake. With three minutes left and the Lakers comfortably ahead, fans were on their feet, willing each of James’ shots to fall. But the 40-year-old couldn’t quite get that final bucket to drop.
No worries though – LeBron will get another crack at it Tuesday night when the Lakers host the New Orleans Pelicans. At this point, it’s not if he’ll hit 50,000, but when.
It’s just the latest achievement in James’ incredible career. He’s already the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, and this milestone will put him in a league of his own.
The four-time champion recently made waves when asked about the NBA’s next face of the league. His response? He never asked for that role himself.
"That’s what they got (Victor Wembanyama) for," James said bluntly. He then took a shot at media critics: "Why do you wanna be face of the league when all the people that cover our game on a day-to-day basis s*** on everybody?"
Oklahoma City’s rising star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, often mentioned as a potential heir to LeBron’s throne, had his own take on the matter.
"It comes with responsibility," the Thunder guard reflected after a win in Atlanta. "Now, whether you want the responsibility, it’s up for you to decide. And ultimately, you don’t have any control over it. You can go out there and be a monster every night."
But for now, all eyes are on Tuesday night, when King James is set to add yet another crown jewel to his legendary career.
