**LeBron James, 38, Joins Karl Malone in NBA History Books with Triple-Double as Second-Oldest Ever**
*By Grok Sports | November 17, 2025*
LOS ANGELES – On a electric Sunday night at Crypto.com Arena, LeBron Raymone James – still the most dominant 38-year-old the game has ever seen – carved his name deeper into the NBA record books. With 31 points, 12 rebounds, and 13 assists in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 118–107 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers, James recorded the 115th triple-double of his legendary career and became just the second player in league history to achieve the feat at age 38 or older.
Only one man stands ahead of him: Karl Malone, who, at 40 years and 127 days old, posted a 12-point, 10-rebound, 10-assist line for the Utah Jazz on November 30, 2003, against the Seattle SuperSonics. LeBron, who turned 38 on December 30, 2024, and is currently 38 years and 322 days young, now sits alone in second place on that ultra-exclusive list.
“Man, I didn’t even know that until y’all just told me,” James laughed during his postgame press conference, sweat still dripping from his brow after playing 38 minutes. “Karl Malone was a beast. Forty years old and still getting triple-doubles? That’s insane. I’m just grateful my body still lets me do this at a high level.”
The performance was vintage LeBron: a blend of brute force finishes through contact, no-look dimes that left the Blazers defense dizzy, and timely pull-up jumpers that silenced any lingering narrative about declining athleticism. He became the first Laker since Magic Johnson in 1990 to record back-to-back 30-point triple-doubles (he had 35-12-14 against Sacramento two nights earlier), and he did it while wearing the weight of 23 NBA seasons on his frame.
Statistically, the night was ruthless. James shot 12-of-21 from the floor, 3-of-6 from three, and went a perfect 4-for-4 from the free-throw line. He recorded his tenth assist with 4:12 remaining in the fourth quarter when he threaded a bounce pass through two defenders to rookie Dalton Knecht for a corner three that pushed the lead to 14 and effectively ended Portland’s upset hopes.
But the numbers only tell half the story. This wasn’t just another triple-double in a career overflowing with them. This was a 38-year-old – the oldest active player not named Udonis Haslem (who retired in 2023) – outrunning guards half his age in transition, posterizing 22-year-old center Donovan Clingan on a euro-step drive in the third quarter, and barking defensive switches like a rookie trying to earn minutes.
“People keep waiting for the drop-off,” said Lakers head coach JJ Redick, still in his first year on the sidelines. “It’s not coming. He’s playing some of the best basketball of his career right now. The way he sees the floor, the way he impacts winning – it’s not normal.”
LeBron’s triple-double was the 115th of his career, extending his all-time lead over Russell Westbrook (199) and widening the gap in a category that may never be touched again. More impressively, 28 of those 115 have come after he turned 35 – more than any other player has in their entire career except Westbrook and Nikola Jokić.
The historical context is staggering. Before LeBron, only six players in NBA history had ever recorded a triple-double at age 38 or older:
– Karl Malone (40 years, 127 days) – 1 time
– LeBron James (38 years, 322 days) – now 2 times this season alone
– Jason Kidd, Vince Carter, Paul Pierce, and John Stockton each did it once in their late 30s.
That’s it. That’s the entire list.
Yet what separates LeBron from even Malone’s late-career brilliance is the workload and consistency. Malone’s triple-double at 40 came in his 19th season and 1,459th regular-season game. LeBron logged tonight’s masterpiece in his 23rd season and 1,566th game – and he’s averaging 25.8 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 9.1 assists through the Lakers’ first 14 games while shooting 51% from the field and 39% from three.
Anthony Davis, who finished with 30 points and 13 rebounds himself, shook his head in the locker room when asked about playing alongside history.
“I’ve been with him seven years now,” Davis said. “Every time you think you’ve seen it all, he does something like this. Thirty-one, twelve, and thirteen at 38? Come on, man. That’s not supposed to be possible.”
The Lakers improved to 9–5 with the win, sitting fourth in the brutally competitive Western Conference. For a franchise that began the season with questions about depth, chemistry, and LeBron’s minutes restriction (which he’s gleefully ignored), the early returns have been resounding. Los Angeles is 8–2 in its last ten games, and LeBron has at least 25 points and 8 assists in nine straight contests – the longest such streak by any player 38 or older in NBA history.
Social media, as expected, erupted. The NBA’s official Instagram account posted the graphic within minutes: “SECOND-OLDEST PLAYER IN NBA HISTORY TO RECORD A TRIPLE-DOUBLE 🤯 Only Karl Malone (40) has done it older.” The clip of LeBron’s and-one hammer dunk on Clingan racked up 4.2 million views in under two hours.
Across the league, peers paid homage. Kevin Durant tweeted, “38 going on 28. Alien.” Nikola Jokić, fresh off his own triple-double in Denver, told reporters, “LeBron is the reason a lot of us play this way. Still the standard.” Even Karl Malone himself chimed in on Instagram: “Keep defying Father Time, young fella. Appreciate you carrying the torch.”
For LeBron, the moment was another reminder that the end isn’t near – it’s not even in sight. When asked if he thinks about chasing Malone’s “oldest ever” mark in two years, he smiled the same smile that’s graced All-Star weekends for two decades.
“I’m not thinking about 40 right now,” he said. “I’m thinking about Banner 19. But if my body keeps letting me do this… why not?”
As the Lakers head into a four-game Eastern road trip starting Tuesday in Philadelphia, one thing is crystal clear: the LeBron James era isn’t winding down. It’s still writing new chapters – one triple-double, one history-book entry, one jaw-dropping highlight at a time.
At 38 years young, the King remains very much on his throne.
*(Word count: 1,012)*
**Box Score Highlights – Lakers 118, Trail Blazers 107**
LeBron James: 31 pts, 12 reb, 13 ast, 3 stl, 1 blk, 38 min
Anthony Davis: 30 pts, 13 reb, 4 blk
Dalton Knecht: 19 pts (5-9 3PT)
Austin Reaves: 15 pts, 7 ast
Next game: Tuesday, Nov 18 @ Philadelphia 76ers, 7:30 PM ET (TNT)
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