Can LeBron become the best scorer to wear a Lakers uniform?
As LeBron James enters the next phase of his career as a Laker, he joins a storied franchise that has won 16 championships since its founding in 1947. James is undoubtedly one of the NBA’s great scorers, seventh in all-time NBA scoring, but can he break Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s record?
Kobe
Bryant
Kareem
Abdul-Jabbar
Wilt
Chamberlain
Shaquille O'Neal
LeBron
James
’69–’89
’96–’16
’59–’73
’92–’11
’03–present
31,038
38,387
33,643
31,419
28,596
Jerry
West
Elgin
Baylor
Magic
Johnson
James
Worthy
George
Mikan
’60–’74
’58–’71
’79–’91, ‘95-96
’82–’94
’48–’54, ‘55-56
25,192
23,149
17,707
16,320
10,156
When they played
A stark difference between the current Lakers and those of previous seasons is the absence of other star players. Many of the Lakers’ greatest scorers had All-Star caliber teammates during their championship-winning seasons.
The Mikan era
“Showtime”
Kobe & Shaq
Wilt & Jerry
Mikan
Baylor
Chamberlain
West
Abdul-Jabbar
Johnson
O'Neal
Bryant
James
’59 −’60
’79 −’80
’99 −’00
’19 −’20
The Mikan era
“Showtime”
Kobe & Shaq
Kobe
Wilt & Jerry
Mikan
Baylor
Chamberlain
West
Abdul-Jabbar
Johnson
O'Neal
Bryant
James
’49 −’50
’59 −’60
’69 −’70
’79 −’80
’89 −’90
’99 −’00
’09 −’10
’19 −’20
They did it differently
Not only do the total points scored by each of the players differ, the pace at which they scored over the arcs of their careers differed. Here is how the Lakers' scoring leaders accumulated their points. Steeper curves correspond to a faster scoring pace, while flatter curves show the players declining.
A record of success
The franchise has won 16 championships since its founding in 1947.
The Mikan era
George Mikan won five championships from 1949 to 1954. After a brief period of retirement in 1954, he returned the following year. Mikan played his entire career with the franchise.
Wilt and Jerry
Although Wilt Chamberlain's scoring slowed pace as a Laker, he won a championship with Jerry West in 1972.
Magic and Kareem
Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar won five rings together during the Lakers' "Showtime" era. Kareem averaged 22.5 points as a Laker. Though his scoring declined later in his career, he played until he was 41 years old.
Kobe and Shaq
Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal won three rings together, and Bryant won two more after O'Neal left the Lakers. Bryant holds the record for most career points as a Laker with 33,643.
It doesn't always work out
Not all great players found success after joining the Lakers late in their careers. Gary Payton and Karl Malone both joined the franchise for one year in 2003 before leaving. Malone then retired after playing 19 seasons in the league, and Payton won a championship with the Miami Heat.
Will there be a LeBron era?
LeBron James entered the NBA at the age of 19 and has never suffered an extensive injury, allowing him to maintain his high scoring pace. LeBron is the youngest player to score 30,000 points, reaching the mark at 33 years of age.
Will LeBron keep up the pace?
The trajectory of LeBron James’ scoring is similar to that of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s, though there is a noticable difference between the first five years of the players’ careers, when Abdul-Jabbar scored more points. Since then, James has been rapidly closing the gap. Comparatively, Wilt Chamberlain was a more prolific scorer for his first 10 seasons. Kobe Bryant scored at a slower pace, especially toward the end of his career as he battled injuries.
Among the NBA greats who have played for the Lakers, those who joined the team after having played elsewhere have seen varying levels of success. Whereas Wilt Chamberlain and Karl Malone’s scoring declined dramatically after joining the Lakers late in their careers, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Shaquille O’Neal produced at high levels while playing in their primes.
At 33, James has shown no sign of slowing down. If James continues at his current scoring pace and continues to avoid injury, he will surpass Abdul-Jabbar’s all-time scoring record as well as the 40,000 point mark.
Sources: Basketball Reference, The Noun Project
Credits: Development by Ellis Simani