Who can break LeBron James' all-time scoring record in the future?
LeBron James made history on Tuesday night when he finally surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the all-time scoring record. The LA Lakers went up against the OKC Thunder in a 133-130 defeat.
"King" James scored 38 points to beat the record and is now the all-time leader with a total of 38,390 points. It was such a historic moment for a player who's always been known to be a pass-first guy.
Given that LeBron James still has a few more years left in him, it's possible that he could surpass the 38,000-point mark. Considering that James continues to dominate even in his old age, he might even reach 40,000 points, making his record more difficult to beat.
But that doesn't mean his record will never be broken. With that said, who could possibly break LeBron's scoring record?
Luka Doncic could possibly break LeBron James' record in the future
Luka Doncic is one of the youngest players in the NBA today who's already beating and setting records. Last December, Doncic became the greatest Dallas Mavericks player in history when he set the record for most points scored in a game by a Mavs player.
He also holds the franchise record for the most 50-point games. On top of that, Luka is the first NBA player to put up 60/20/10.
With that in mind, it's no secret that Luka Doncic is one of the most lethal scorers in the league today. At 23 years old, Luka "Magic" is nearing 9,000 career points.
When LeBron James was 23, he became the youngest player to score 10,000 career points. Despite Doncic's yet to hit 10k, he's very close to reaching it and could likely achieve it by the time he's 24.
Having said that, Doncic is on the right track in chasing LeBron James' all-time scoring record. However, there are a couple of things to consider. According to Stat Muse, "King" James is averaging 1,917.6 points per season.
Luka on the other hand is averaging 200 points less with 1,706.2 points per season. If Doncic continues at this pace, it could take a couple or more seasons to surpass it.
However, given that Luka has evolved as a scorer each season, it's not impossible for him to increase his points per season. But then there's also a matter of durability.
LBJ beat Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's record mainly due to his durability, longevity, and consistency throughout his career. This is a feat Doncic will have to match if he plans on chasing the record.