LeBron James has now played the most minutes of any player in NBA history, surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to seal another incredible all-time record.
One of the Los Angeles Lakers’ top players has recently returned to the team after being sidelined due to injury and personal matters. This talented superstar is now back in the starting lineup, ready to contribute to the team’s success.
On Thursday he started against the Sacramento Kings, and while on the court passed Abdul-Jabbar’s record of 57,446 minutes on court.
Incredibly, that totals over 957 hours of basketball, just shy of 40 days of James’ life.
The top five list includes legendary players who have retired from professional basketball, underscoring the challenge of surpassing LeBron’s achievements. Given LeBron’s ongoing stellar performance, it may be a while before anyone comes close to his legacy.
Behind Abdul-Jabbar in the all-time list is Karl Malone (54,852), Dirk Nowitzki (51,368) and Kevin Garnett (50,418).
LeBron James (pictured on Thursday) has now played the most minutes in the NBA ever
He is back in the Lakers lineup after taking some time out for injury and ‘personal reasons’
In a notable milestone last year, LeBron surpassed one of Abdul-Jabbar’s longstanding records to become the all-time leading scorer in NBA history. This remarkable achievement was witnessed by Abdul-Jabbar himself, who was observing the game from courtside.
Incredibly, James will turn 40 at the end of this month but is still averaging 22.8 points a game and is carrying the Lakers on his back.
Fans will be delighted to have him back on the court after his mysterious recent absence, which was first revealed by coach JJ Redick.
Speaking to reporters last Wednesday, he said: ‘LeBron is not with the team right now. He’s out for personal reasons, excused absence.’
He added that the veteran is ‘taking some time’ and did not have a timeframe for when James would return to the team.
Last year, LeBron broke the all-time scoring record – another held by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
James’ absence also came after he has been shrouded in trade rumors.
The Golden State Warriors are said to be monitoring the veteran as they search for a second star to join Steph Curry, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported last week.
‘The Warriors have dreamed of pairing LeBron with Steph Curry and Draymond Green since last year,’ he said on the network’s ‘Get Up.’
‘They’ve made an inquiry and it got shut down last February. That was before LeBron played with Steve Kerr and Steph Curry and won the gold medal over the summer.
‘So, they will definitely monitor the situation, and I don’t think they do anything without knowing this door is locked, but I would just say with LeBron, it’s up to him. He has a no-trade clause and he has given no indication he wants the Lakers to do anything but upgrade the roster they’ve got, not that he wants to go anywhere.’
James fulfilled his dream of playing alongside his son, Bronny, in the NBA this season when the 20-year-old was selected by the Lakers in the second round of the 2024 Draft.
LeBron (right) fulfilled a dream this season by playing alongside his son Bronny on the Lakers
They became the first-ever father-son duo to suit up alongside each other in an NBA game during the Lakers’ season opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves on October 22.
However, James Jnr. was assigned to the Lakers’ G-League affiliate earlier last month and is expected to move between LA and South Bay this season.
James expressed a desire earlier this season to play in all 82 games, but both he and the Lakers are now being practical with the inevitable minor injuries that arise during any season.
However, earlier this week, Redick also said that he is in constant communication with both James and his athletic trainer, Mike Mancias, about managing the four-time MVP’s workload as his 40th birthday looms.
