LOS ANGELES -- Very few players can generate the anticipation from a crowd the way LeBron James did with every touch against the New Orleans Pelicans, as fans hoped to witness history with his first basket.
Even fewer receive the kind of standing ovation James got from Lakers fans — an honor reserved for true greatness. And Crypto.com Arena has witnessed its fair share of greatness — arguably more than any other NBA venue over the past 25 years.
James entered Tuesday’s matchup just one point shy of the 50,000 career point mark (regular season and playoffs). With the ball in his hands at 8:34 in the first quarter, the crowd was waiting to exhale. Then, as Zion Williamson closed in, James sank a 25-foot three-pointer off a pass from Luka Dončić.
“I’m not going to sit here and sugarcoat it — it’s a hell of a lot of points,” James said in his postgame interview. “I’m super blessed to be able to put that many points up in the best league in the world, with the best players in the world, over my career. It’s pretty special.”
Remarkably, he finished with a team-high 34 points, bringing his point total to 50,033.
With everything James accomplishes at his age, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for the basketball zeitgeist to deny his claim as the greatest of all time — even if some remain unwilling to admit it. It begs the question: Will we ever?
Spectacularly, James conquered yet another once-unthinkable milestone, continuing to rewrite NBA history. At 40, the league’s oldest player is making history so often it almost feels routine — so much so that, at times, it looks like “The King” has turned back time and recaptured the brilliance of his prime.
Suppose the all-time scoring numbers aren’t enough. In that case, James continues to play at an MVP level — evidenced by the fact that his current stats are nearly identical to his 2012-13 MVP season at age 28: 26.5 points, 8.3 rebounds and 8.1 assists per game (vs. 26.8 points, 8.3 rebounds and 8.1 assists).
Given the field this season, adding another MVP award to his trophy case is a long shot. But even being in the conversation is special nonetheless.
James was named the Western Conference Player of the Month after averaging 29.3 points, 10.5 rebounds and 6.9 assists for February. Once again, he became the oldest player to win the award, the latest in a seemingly endless string of “oldest player to ever” milestones, with no signs of slowing down.
James remains the driving force behind the Lakers’ recent surge. They’ve climbed to the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference — even before Doncic’s arrival. The Lakers closed out February with a 10-2 record and carried their momentum into March, extending their winning streak to seven with a 115-98 rout over the lowly Pelicans.
Doncic, who has been just as spectacular since joining the Lakers, was in awe of James's accomplishments, describing them as “amazing.”
"Watching him do this stuff at this age is unbelievable. Fifty thousand points—I can’t even explain how insane that is," Doncic said.
He followed up jokingly: "He might get to 70K, you never know?"
Seventy thousand is likely out of the realm of possibility, but 55,000? That seems fathomable, right? Would any extra thousand points make him the best ever?
The Lakers look like one of the best teams in the league right now, aiming to finish the season strong and make a deep playoff run in pursuit of a championship. But would another title finally push him over the hump in the debate?
His contributions haven’t gone unnoticed, and head coach JJ Redick acknowledged before the game how vital James has been to the team’s success.
"We wouldn’t be in the position we’re in without him playing at the level he’s been playing at," Redick said. "He’s been the leader of our team by far... giving it everything he could on a nightly basis, and he was much needed."
The answer may simply be no. Nothing he does will ever be enough. In part, James' actions have hurt his legacy, sometimes making himself difficult to warm up to — especially for those who haven’t already done so in his 22 seasons.
Just recently, he denied ever wanting to be the face of the NBA, as if it were an unfair label placed upon him. “Why would anyone want to be that,” he said, “if all the people covering our game… on a day-to-day basis s—t on everybody?” He followed up by calling the responsibility “just weird.”
In doing so, he seemingly dismissed the same responsibility and challenge that Michael Jordan embraced — one that helped transform the NBA into a global phenomenon and ultimately led to James's becoming a billionaire.
And the list goes on. His infamous “Decision” was a televised spectacle that tainted his reputation for years, making him more guarded with the media—except when controlling his own narrative. When that narrative slips beyond his control, he often feels vilified by the press.
The lasting effects of his free agency decision — leaving Cleveland to form a superteam in Miami — set off a domino effect, making star players increasingly feel compelled to join forces.
James is a divisive figure, and just like him, his place in the greatest-of-all-time conversation is as contentious as any debate in professional sports. In a way, he has earned that divisiveness. He has created the most substantial challenge to Jordan’s throne through sheer willpower — more so than any other player in history.
James will never be unanimously loved like Jordan, but that’s okay — because it doesn’t seem to matter to him, even if it once did. Time will ultimately strengthen his case.
But no matter how he is viewed, reaching this milestone is an unparalleled feat that demands not just tenacity, drive, longevity and, most importantly, skill. And the facts remain: he keeps going.
To young players like 24-year-old Lakers center Jaxson Hayes, it’s simple. “He’s the G.O.A.T.,” Hayes said. To the kids in the nosebleed seats holding makeshift “50,000” signs and mini James plushies, he is the greatest in their eyes.
And when all is said and done — when he finally stops defying Father Time, hangs up his crown and rests on his throne — the capacity crowd will have no doubt: they witnessed the G.O.A.T.