LeBron James flexes 40,000th NBA career points milestone with cold reaction

LeBron James was nonchalant after scoring his 40,000th point in the second quarter on Saturday against the Denver Nuggets. Thousands of LA Lakers fans at the Crypto.com Arena cheered "The King" as he became the first player in NBA history to enter the 40,000-club.

With around 10 minutes left in the second period, James had the ball near the top of the arc. He was defended by Michael Porter Jr., who had almost no chance of stopping history.

The four-time NBA champion seized up Porter and attacked the basket. He spun around the defender before laying it up for his 40,000th point. He also gave the Lakers some momentum after the Nuggets had trimmed their lead.

James was given a standing ovation following a timeout a minute later, letting out a smile. He also sent kisses to his family watching on the stands as they witnessed history. He flexed his accomplishment with a cold picture that would live forever.

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What LeBron James said on the cusp of scoring 40,000 points?

Before Saturday's game as he stood on the cusp of becoming the first member of the 40,000-point club, LeBron James shared his thoughts on the accomplishment.

James felt great about potentially achieving it but doesn't consider it among the biggest achievements of his legendary career

"No one has done it," James said. "And for me to be in this position at this point and time in my career, I think it's pretty cool. But is it one of the top things I've done in my career? No. Does it mean something? Of course. Why wouldn't it?"

James is already the all-time leading scorer in NBA history, and scoring 40,000 points is just the cherry on top. It has been a remarkable career for "The King," and he's just adding to his accolades.

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How many points will 'The King' score once he retires?

Any player will have a tough time catching up to LeBron James' all-time scoring lead. Even Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's record was hard to break, as it took 40 years to get past it. It would take a special scorer to join "The King" in the 40,000-point club.

So, how many points will the four-time NBA MVP score before he hangs it up for good? James hinted at retirement last season and has been discussing his plans for a potential farewell tour at the 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend.

It likely depends on several factors like his desire to play with both Bronny and Bryce James. Potential ownership of an NBA could also send him into retirement, but he's predicted to at least reach 43,000 points by CBS Sports.

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