# LeBron James at 40: Rewriting NBA Longevity with Unprecedented Milestones
**By Jordan Lawson, Sports Analyst**
*November 30, 2025 – Los Angeles, CA*
LeBron James is well on his way to rewriting every previous definition of basketball longevity, and the 40-year-old star is now racking up numbers the NBA has never seen before. James became the first player in league history to reach 50,000 combined regular-season and playoff points on March 4, 2025, during a dominant 136-115 Lakers victory over the New Orleans Pelicans, sinking a corner three off a Luka Dončić assist to etch his name deeper into the record books.<grok:render card_id=”9a6080″ card_type=”citation_card” type=”render_inline_citation”>
<argument name=”citation_id”>46</argument>
</grok:render> This milestone, blending his 41,000-plus regular-season points with over 8,000 in the playoffs, underscores a career that defies age, logic, and precedent.<grok:render card_id=”1fdaad” card_type=”citation_card” type=”render_inline_citation”>
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As the calendar flips to late 2025, James—now in his 23rd NBA season—continues to shatter expectations. Born December 30, 1984, he turned 40 last year, joining an elite club of just 24 players to suit up at that age deep into a season.<grok:render card_id=”12c149″ card_type=”citation_card” type=”render_inline_citation”>
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</grok:render> But unlike predecessors like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar or Robert Parish, who tapered off in their twilight years, James remains a force. Averaging 23.5 points, 9 assists, and 7.9 rebounds through 28 games this season, he’s not just participating—he’s leading.<grok:render card_id=”1dedfc” card_type=”citation_card” type=”render_inline_citation”>
<argument name=”citation_id”>6</argument>
</grok:render> His return from a sciatica injury on November 19, after missing the first 14 games, saw him drop 11 points and 12 assists in a 140-129 win over the Utah Jazz, proving his seamless integration into a 10-4 Lakers squad.<grok:render card_id=”fa1e96″ card_type=”citation_card” type=”render_inline_citation”>
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James’s longevity isn’t merely about endurance; it’s about excellence sustained at an elite level. On January 21, 2025, he notched a triple-double (21 points, 10 rebounds, 13 assists) in a 111-88 rout of the Washington Wizards, becoming only the second player—after Karl Malone—to achieve the feat at age 40 or older.<grok:render card_id=”37e5d0″ card_type=”citation_card” type=”render_inline_citation”>
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</grok:render> Malone was 40 years and 127 days old for his; James did it at 40 years and 23 days, fresh off a cross-country flight to support Ohio State.<grok:render card_id=”3b23d4″ card_type=”citation_card” type=”render_inline_citation”>
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</grok:render> This wasn’t a fluke—James followed with another triple-double streak, making him the oldest to record three consecutive ones at 39, a record he extended into his 40s.<grok:render card_id=”805bee” card_type=”citation_card” type=”render_inline_citation”>
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Scoring feats further highlight his defiance of Father Time. On February 7, 2025, James erupted for 42 points, 17 rebounds, and eight assists in a 120-112 win over the Golden State Warriors, becoming the oldest player to score 40-plus points in a game at 40 years and 38 days—surpassing Michael Jordan’s mark by 34 days.<grok:render card_id=”f0b6b7″ card_type=”citation_card” type=”render_inline_citation”>
<argument name=”citation_id”>7</argument>
</grok:render> He didn’t stop there; by February 20, he became the first to log multiple 40-point games at 40, outpacing Jordan, who had just one.<grok:render card_id=”d64d1e” card_type=”citation_card” type=”render_inline_citation”>
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</grok:render> These outbursts recall his younger days, like scoring 46 with nine threes against the Clippers on January 23, 2023, but now they’re historic benchmarks.<grok:render card_id=”e4e242″ card_type=”citation_card” type=”render_inline_citation”>
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Statistically, James’s resume is a tapestry of “firsts” and “oldests.” He’s the oldest to average 25-plus points per game, a feat he accomplished at 37, and the youngest to do so at 20.<grok:render card_id=”90fdd9″ card_type=”citation_card” type=”render_inline_citation”>
<argument name=”citation_id”>0</argument>
</grok:render> He’s averaged at least 25 points, five rebounds, and five assists in 16 seasons, more than anyone.<grok:render card_id=”48af7d” card_type=”citation_card” type=”render_inline_citation”>
<argument name=”citation_id”>1</argument>
</grok:render> His 21 All-Star selections eclipse Abdul-Jabbar’s 19, though foot soreness sidelined him from the 2025 game, snapping a 20-start streak.<grok:render card_id=”12c6d0″ card_type=”citation_card” type=”render_inline_citation”>
<argument name=”citation_id”>0</argument>
</grok:render> On December 19, 2024, he passed Abdul-Jabbar for most regular-season minutes played.<grok:render card_id=”78ed74″ card_type=”citation_card” type=”render_inline_citation”>
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</grok:render> By January 3, 2025, a 30-point, eight-assist performance against Atlanta pushed him past Jordan for most 30-point games (563).<grok:render card_id=”64a11b” card_type=”citation_card” type=”render_inline_citation”>
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Beyond numbers, James’s physical prowess astonishes. Social media buzzed over a November 29 reverse alley-oop dunk from Dončić, vintage bounce at 40.<grok:render card_id=”353391″ card_type=”citation_card” type=”render_inline_citation”>
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</grok:render> Days later, he blocked 25-year-old Kobe Brown’s shot, prompting awe: “40 years old LeBron James block 25 years old Kobe Brown.”<grok:render card_id=”aad17d” card_type=”citation_card” type=”render_inline_citation”>
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</grok:render> Fans marveled at his left-handed jam over Dereck Lively II, calling it “pure dominance.”<grok:render card_id=”1176e3″ card_type=”citation_card” type=”render_inline_citation”>
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</grok:render> Even critics concede: “LeBron James hooping at 40 years old will never not be amazing.”<grok:render card_id=”3a30a4″ card_type=”citation_card” type=”render_inline_citation”>
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This sustained brilliance stems from meticulous self-care. James invests millions annually in his body—cryotherapy, hyperbaric chambers, personal chefs—yielding results. While peers like Kevin Durant eye 20 seasons, James chases Abdul-Jabbar’s win shares record (he’s second at 271.38 to Kareem’s 273.41) and could play longer.<grok:render card_id=”68bfb0″ card_type=”citation_card” type=”render_inline_citation”>
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</grok:render> His 50,000-point milestone, reached in his 22nd season, cements untouchable status.<grok:render card_id=”e70cca” card_type=”citation_card” type=”render_inline_citation”>
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Comparisons to legends amplify his uniqueness. Abdul-Jabbar scored 1,941 points post-40; James is on pace to obliterate that.<grok:render card_id=”1adcb9″ card_type=”citation_card” type=”render_inline_citation”>
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</grok:render> Malone had one triple-double at 40; James has multiple.<grok:render card_id=”53095f” card_type=”citation_card” type=”render_inline_citation”>
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</grok:render> Jordan’s 43 at 40 was singular; James has multiples.<grok:render card_id=”700499″ card_type=”citation_card” type=”render_inline_citation”>
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</grok:render> As one analyst put it, “LeBron James is the best 40-year-old NBA player ever and it’s not even close.”<grok:render card_id=”9166dc” card_type=”citation_card” type=”render_inline_citation”>
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Off-court, James’s influence endures. A billionaire entrepreneur, philanthropist via the I Promise School, and family man—playing alongside son Bronny last season—he embodies holistic success. Yet, on-court, he’s still the King, fitting seamlessly with Dončić and Anthony Davis in a Lakers team eyeing another title.
As 2025 winds down, James’s trajectory suggests more records await. He’s the oldest to make an All-NBA team (at 39, surpassing his own mark).<grok:render card_id=”43f5d2″ card_type=”citation_card” type=”render_inline_citation”>
<argument name=”citation_id”>5</argument>
</grok:render> With good health, 40,000 regular-season points loomed earlier; now, it’s about legacy expansion.<grok:render card_id=”52d2dd” card_type=”citation_card” type=”render_inline_citation”>
<argument name=”citation_id”>50</argument>
</grok:render> In a league of fleeting careers (average 4.5 years), James’s 23 seasons stand alone.<grok:render card_id=”db0f22″ card_type=”citation_card” type=”render_inline_citation”>
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Critics once dubbed him “washed”; now, they applaud. “GOAT James is special to watch. Dude is 40, a billionaire, and yet he still goes out there each season with absolute dedication.”<grok:render card_id=”8822c7″ card_type=”citation_card” type=”render_inline_citation”>
<argument name=”citation_id”>9</argument>
</grok:render> As one X user quipped, “LeBron James now that he’s finally getting real opportunities to stand in the corner and catch his breath at 40 years old.”<grok:render card_id=”b3687e” card_type=”citation_card” type=”render_inline_citation”>
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</grok:render> His story inspires: from Akron kid to global icon, rewriting longevity one milestone at a time.
In an era of load management and injury woes, James’s consistency—playing deep into seasons, chasing rings—redefines possible. As he approaches 41, the NBA watches, wondering: How much longer can the King reign? If history’s any guide, longer than anyone imagined.
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