LeBron James might be 41 years old with a ton of questions surrounding his future with the Los Angeles Lakers and the NBA in general, but so far, that hasn’t stopped him from putting in strong performances as the oldest player in the league.
Most recently, the all-time leading scorer dropped 31 points, nine rebounds, and six assists in the Lakers’ win over the Memphis Grizzlies, a mark that is now the most points scored by a player age 41 or older.
“James’ 31 points passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s 1988 mark (25 pts) for the most ever by a 41-year-old in an NBA game,” NBA.com staff wrote on his statline on Friday.
With James’ 31 and Luka Doncic’s 34 points, six rebounds, and eight assists, it also marks the first time this season the duo has each scored at least 30 points in the same game. Despite the concerns for the Lakers on the defensive end of the floor, both James and Doncic continue to put in strong performances on offense.
LeBron James Scoring Record At Age 41
Only a few players have ever suited up for an NBA game at age 41, and the fact that James leads the league in scoring and is closing in on the all-time games played mark doesn’t make his new record as surprising, though it is still extremely notable.
It was his second-highest scoring game this season, and now the most points scored in a game by someone his age. Abdul-Jabbar, also known for his longevity in the league, previously held the record, but like so many other NBA records, James has now passed The Captain in the Lakers’ win over the shorthanded Grizzlies.
“He was phenomenal,” Los Angeles head coach JJ Redick said after the game. “There was just a few stretches there where they made runs and the response from him, it’s felt like every time we need a bucket, he just kind of willed, whether it was driving the basketball, getting into the paint, getting to two feet — he was phenomenal tonight.”
Though there have been major questions about the aging James, specifically relating to his impact on defense and the struggles seen with the Lakers on that side of the ball after his return from sciatica, his offensive potential is still clearly there. The team was without rising star Austin Reaves, yet still dropping 31 points, as the oldest player in the league feels like something only James could accomplish at this point in his career.
“It’s fun to watch,” Lakers forward Jake LaRavia, who had a season-high 21 points of his own, said of James. “He’s been doing it for so long…He does such a great job at not only scoring baskets but also connecting and making the right play every time.”
LeBron And Luka Each Had 30 Points For Lakers
Along with James becoming the most prolific scorer in a single game at 41, the win over the Grizzlies marked the first time this season he and Doncic each scored at least 30 points for the Lakers.
When speaking about his connection with the Slovenian, James dropped a football comparison for how the two work together on the court.
“One of the best quarterbacks and I’m a pretty good receiver,” James said, recalling a cross-court pass from Doncic to give him a layup right under the basket. “It’s my job not allow the defense to break that up or steal the ball. And [he] made it a lot [easier] for me.”
For Doncic, offense has come pretty easily for him this season. He currently leads the NBA in scoring at 33.6 points per game, along with an average of 8.1 rebounds and 8.7 assists in the 25 contests he’s played in so far this year.
“Trying to get downhill a lot more than usual for me I would say, but for him, Lebron [is] just playing his game. Attacking whatever he see, being efficient and helping us win the games,” Doncic added on his and James’ standout performances on Friday.
Doncic continues to prove himself as a top player in the league, currently third in the MVP race according to NBA.com. As time goes on, more questions have been raised about James’ future both in the league and ability to continue to contribute to winning, and while the Lakers certainly still have major issues to address as the season goes on, getting a 30-ball from the oldest player in the league is a good sign for the league’s seventh best offense through 32 games this year.
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