In 2023, LeBron James did the unthinkable and broke Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s record as the top scorer in NBA history. The former Los Angeles Lakers’ centre scored 38,387 regular-season points over the course of his career and it was more than anyone else had ever scored in the history of the association. His record stood for 34 years and it was unfathomable that anyone would ever overtake him.
That was until LeBron James burst onto the scene, though, and dominated the NBA for over two decades. The King’s longevity has earned him recognition as one of the greatest players of all-time and he surpassed Kareem in 2023 and is currently sitting on 42,184 regular-season points as he prepares for his record-breaking 23rd NBA season.
At 40 years old, James is still operating at an exceptionally high level. His longevity is unlike anything fans have ever seen before and while he remains one of the best players in the world, his lead as the NBA’s all-time leading scorer continues to grow. With that said, he was once asked which current player he thinks has the best chance of overtaking him one day and he had one man in mind.
LeBron James Picked One of His Greatest Rivals
While it’s hard to imagine anyone will overtake LeBron’s record as the leading scorer in NBA history anytime soon, the former Cleveland Cavaliers star believes one man is capable of it. During an interview with ESPN, he was asked to name a player who he felt could do so and, as quoted by AS, he picked Kevin Durant and said:
“KD is the first one that comes to mind. They don’t call him ‘Easy Money’ and ‘Slim Reaper’ for nothing. He scores effortlessly. His ability to shoot the three-pointer, the mid-range shot, and attack the rim. He also shoots 85-90 percent from the free throw line. Those are key elements.”
The two men have been great rivals over the course of Durant’s career. The late 2010s saw them face off in multiple NBA finals, with James on the Cavaliers, while his opponent was a member of the Golden State Warriors. KD is the second-highest scorer in NBA history who is currently active in the league and is sitting in eighth-place all-time with 30,571 regular-season points heading into the 2025/26 season. He’s expected to climb several places this year and could even surpass Michael Jordan before the playoffs arrive next April.
Durant still has a long way to go before he catches up with James, sitting over 10,000 points behind the King, but if anyone has what it takes to reach the top, it’s the Houston Rockets small forward and LeBron himself certainly thinks that could be the case sometime down the line.
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