LeBron James is one of the greatest basketball players of all time. He currently ranks 2nd on the NBA’s all-time scoring list with 37,062 career points. The only player ahead of LeBron is Karl Malone, who scored 36,928 points during his Hall of Fame career. This has led many fans and analysts to wonder – how many more points does LeBron James need to catch Karl Malone on the scoring list?
Quick Answer
As of October 31, 2023, LeBron James needs 867 points to pass Karl Malone and become the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.
LeBron James’ Career Scoring Numbers
Over 19 seasons in the NBA, LeBron James has established himself as one of the most dominant offensive forces in league history. He has won 4 NBA championships and 4 MVP awards while averaging 27.1 points per game for his career.
Here is a look at LeBron’s total points scored by season:
| Season | Points |
|---|---|
| 2003-04 | 1,654 |
| 2004-05 | 2,478 |
| 2005-06 | 2,190 |
| 2006-07 | 2,478 |
| 2007-08 | 2,250 |
| 2008-09 | 2,304 |
| 2009-10 | 2,258 |
| 2010-11 | 2,111 |
| 2011-12 | 1,985 |
| 2012-13 | 2,036 |
| 2013-14 | 2,902 |
| 2014-15 | 1,940 |
| 2015-16 | 2,194 |
| 2016-17 | 2,251 |
| 2017-18 | 2,251 |
| 2018-19 | 1,989 |
| 2019-20 | 1,695 |
| 2020-21 | 1,952 |
| 2021-22 | 1,929 |
| 2022-23 (so far) | 470 |
| Career Total | 37,062 |
As the table shows, LeBron has steadily climbed the scoring charts over his 19 seasons. He has averaged over 2,000 points per season for his career thanks to his consistency and durability. LeBron has only failed to average at least 20 points per game in one season (his rookie year).
Karl Malone’s Career Scoring Numbers
Karl Malone was a scoring machine during his 19 seasons with the Utah Jazz. He averaged 25.0 points per game for his career and topped out at 31.0 points per game during the 1989-90 season.
Here is Karl Malone’s career scoring breakdown by season:
| Season | Points |
|---|---|
| 1985-86 | 1,932 |
| 1986-87 | 2,008 |
| 1987-88 | 2,257 |
| 1988-89 | 2,635 |
| 1989-90 | 2,848 |
| 1990-91 | 2,543 |
| 1991-92 | 2,487 |
| 1992-93 | 2,099 |
| 1993-94 | 2,169 |
| 1994-95 | 2,035 |
| 1995-96 | 2,008 |
| 1996-97 | 1,907 |
| 1997-98 | 1,739 |
| 1998-99 | 1,968 |
| 1999-00 | 2,012 |
| 2000-01 | 2,195 |
| 2001-02 | 1,954 |
| 2002-03 | 1,582 |
| 2003-04 | 1,451 |
| Career Total | 36,928 |
Malone was a model of consistency throughout the 1980s and 1990s. He averaged over 2,000 points in 11 straight seasons from 1987 to 1997. Even late in his career from ages 37 to 40, Malone still produced over 1,500 points each season.
Comparing LeBron James & Karl Malone’s Scoring
Based on their career totals, LeBron James currently trails Karl Malone’s scoring mark by 866 points:
| Player | Career Points |
|---|---|
| Karl Malone | 36,928 |
| LeBron James | 37,062 (as of Oct 31, 2023) |
LeBron has closed the gap considerably in recent seasons. At the end of the 2018-19 season, he trailed Malone by 1,333 points. But over the last 4 seasons, LeBron has outscored Malone by 467 total points to slice the deficit to under 900 points.
Based on his scoring average last season (30.3 PPG), LeBron is on pace to break Malone’s record sometime in mid-February 2023, assuming he stays healthy and plays in most games.
Here is a projected timeline for LeBron passing Malone, assuming LeBron maintains his 30 PPG scoring average from last season:
| Date | Projected Points | Needed to Pass Malone |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 1, 2022 (today) | 37,062 | 866 |
| Jan 1, 2023 | 38,012 | 916 |
| Feb 1, 2023 | 38,732 | 196 |
| Feb 15, 2023 | 39,002 | LeBron passes Malone |
So if LeBron stays relatively healthy, he’s on pace to become the NBA’s new all-time scoring leader in mid-February 2023. It could take 15-20 more games for him to score the 866 points needed to surpass Malone.
How Many Seasons Does LeBron Have Left?
The next natural question becomes – how much longer can LeBron James keep playing at an elite level to pad his scoring lead over Karl Malone?
LeBron will turn 38 years old in December 2022, which puts him in rarefied air as one of the oldest active players in the NBA. But he has shown few signs of slowing down in recent seasons.
In Year 19 last season, LeBron posted:
- 30.3 PPG (2nd in NBA)
- 8.2 RPG (most since 2018-19 season)
- 6.2 APG
He played in 56 games out of a possible 82. His scoring average was his highest since 2007-08, and his field goal shooting (52.4%) was one of the best marks of his career.
As long as LeBron avoids major injury, he appears capable of playing at least 2-3 more high-level seasons. His current contract with the Lakers runs through 2023-24 when he will turn 39. But it’s not hard to envision LeBron extending his career into his early 40s a la Tom Brady in the NFL.
Given his continued excellence, it’s reasonable to project LeBron averaging 25-30 points per game for the next 2-3 seasons. Here is a hypothetical scenario for LeBron’s scoring over the remainder of his career:
| Season | Age | Projected PPG |
|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | 38 | 28 |
| 2023-24 | 39 | 26 |
| 2024-25 | 40 | 22 |
| Totals | +4,500 points |
Over the next 3 seasons, LeBron could realistically score over 4,500 more points to extend his all-time lead over Karl Malone. Even if he retires at 40, his career total would end up over 41,500 points – nearly 5,000 points ahead of the previous record held by Malone.
LeBron’s Case to Become The NBA’s Greatest Scorer Ever
When all is said and done, LeBron James will have made perhaps the strongest case of any player to be crowned the NBA’s greatest scorer of all time. Here are some key facts and statistics that bolster his case:
- Projected to finish with 41,500+ career points – nearly 5,000 more than previous record holder Karl Malone
- Could join Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as only players to score 30,000+ points with multiple franchises (Cleveland, Miami, Lakers)
- 10+ seasons averaging 25+ points per game – only Kareem (15 seasons) has more
- Scored 2,000+ points in 15 seasons, including 13 straight from 2004-05 to 2016-17
- Scored 600+ points in 17 consecutive postseason runs from 2005 to 2021
- All-time postseason scoring leader with 7,631 points
- 4 seasons averaging 30+ PPG (Malone had 2)
- Scoring leader for 18 straight All-Star games
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar still has a case for the “GOAT” scorer thanks to his longevity (20 seasons) and career average of 24.6 PPG. But LeBron’s overwhelming totals and unprecedented scoring consistency for 19+ seasons gives him an argument – especially if he plays into his 40s at a high level.
Conclusion
It’s only a matter of time until LeBron James unseats Karl Malone to become the NBA’s new all-time scoring king. At his current pace this season, LeBron is projected to break the record sometime around mid-February 2023.
How long LeBron can extend his scoring lead over Malone comes down to his health and longevity. But based on his stellar production at age 37, LeBron appears capable of playing 2-3 more seasons at an All-Star level. He may retire with over 41,500 career points – nearly 5,000 more than Malone scored.
When LeBron’s incredible 19+ year run of 25+ PPG finally comes to an end, he will have made perhaps the strongest case of any player to be called the greatest scorer in NBA history.
