LeBron James continues to make basketball history.

With the 39-year-old forward now closing in on becoming the first player to record 40,000 career points, this milestone joins a long list of accomplishments over his 21 professional seasons.

But where exactly does it rank?

Between the MVPs, All-Star trips, All-NBA nominations, all-time scoring record and more, there’s a lot of competition at the top of James’ résumé.

For this exercise, we’re looking at his individual accomplishments only, not anything team-related. We’re also sticking to the basketball court, as great as some of his off-court work has been as well.

Here’s how James’ greatest career achievements stack up.

10. Winning Rookie of the Year1 OF 10

1. Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images

While Rookie of the Year is handed out every year, James’ freshman season in 2003-04 was truly special.

No player has entered the NBA with the amount of hype and pressure as James, who regularly played his high school games on national TV. He also entered the league at just 18 years of age when it was more common for players to spend two, three or even four years in college.

He responded by joining Michael Jordan and Oscar Robertson as the only rookies in NBA history at the time to average at least 20 points, five rebounds and five assists. He also became the youngest recipient of the award in league history as well.

It’s not like James didn’t have competition, either.

Carmelo Anthony won 40 of the 118 first-place votes and averaged 21.0 points per game for the Denver Nuggets as a rookie. Dwyane Wade gave the Miami Heat 16.2 points and 4.5 assists a night, and Chris Bosh put up 11.5 points and 7.4 rebounds for the Toronto Raptors.

James had to play point guard to begin the season for a terrible Cleveland Cavaliers team while more than doubling their win total (17 to 35) from the year before.

With the world watching, he had an all-time great rookie season.

9. Averaging 25.0 Points Per Game in Year 212 OF 10

1. Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images

While James was doing remarkable things as an 18-year-old, his play 21 years later continues to shatter records.

We’ve simply never seen anyone do what he is doing at this stage in their career.

Now at 39 years old and in his 21st season, James is still averaging 25.0 points per game. This is significant because only six other players in NBA history have even played in a 21st season. These are their scoring averages:

1. 1. • LeBron James, 25.0 points per game
   2. • Vince Carter, 7.4 points per game
   3. • Dirk Nowtizki, 7.3 points per game
   4. • Robert Parish, 3.7 points per game
   5. • Kevin Garnett, 3.2 points per game
   6. • Moses Malone, 2.9 points per game
   7. • Kevin Willis, 2.4 points per game

James is averaging almost more points in his 21st season (25.0) than everyone who’s ever played in a 21st season in the history of the league (26.9) combined.

This kind of longevity by itself is incredible, as so few have extended their careers this far. To be this productive at this stage is unheard of.

8. Scoring 10 Points or More Every Game for 17 Years and Counting3 OF 10

1. David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images

On Jan. 5, 2007 a 22-year-old James scored just eight points in a 95-86 win over the Milwaukee Bucks. Now more than 17 years later, he has yet to record less than 10 points in any regular-season game.

This streak has stretched to 1,202 straight contests and counting as of Feb. 27, easily breaking Michael Jordan’s previous mark of 866. Kevin Durant is the closest active player, yet he isn’t even halfway to James’ mark (564).

No other player from that Cavs-Bucks game in 2007 is even in the league anymore. The same can be said for the Cavs-New Jersey Nets game on Jan. 6, 2007, when James officially began his streak against Jason Kidd, Vince Carter, Richard Jefferson and company.

A certain amount of luck has to be involved as well with James at least getting to 10 before fouling out or suffering an injury. Still, 10-plus points every game for 17 years is tough to wrap one’s head around.

This accomplishment on his list required both skill and longevity, both areas he’s thrived in.

7. Setting the NBA All-Time Playoff Scoring Record4 OF 10

1. Elsa/Getty Images

May 25, 2017 was a special day for LeBron James.

Not only had he led the Cleveland Cavaliers to a Game 5 win over the Boston Celtics and a trip to the NBA Finals, but he also passed Michael Jordan for the most points scored in postseason history.

It was a mark that had stood for 21 years and will likely never be broken again.

While James surpassed Jordan’s 5,987 points that day, he’s since skyrocketed beyond that number, all the way to his current mark of 8,023.

Even as he continues to reach historic levels of scoring, James reminded us that day that putting the ball in the basket isn’t what his game is all about:

“I think the biggest thing for me sitting here today after breaking the all-time scoring record in playoff history is that I did it just being me. I don’t have to score the ball to make an impact in the basketball game. That was my mindset when I started playing the game. I was like, if I’m not scoring the ball, how can I still make an impact on the game? It’s carried me all the way to this point now, and it’s going to carry me for the rest of my career.”

With another potential playoff run this spring and perhaps more in the future, James will only put his scoring record further out of reach.

6. Winning a 4th NBA Finals MVP5 OF 10

1. David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images

Winning an NBA Finals MVP award is perhaps the most coveted individual accomplishment among players, as it signifies being the best player on the biggest stage in the basketball world.

James has already accomplished this four times and counting.

Taking home Finals MVP honors with the Miami Heat in 2012 and 2013 was just the start, as he finally won his first NBA titles by knocking off the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs. His ability to establish himself as the alpha even while playing with a former Finals MVP in Dwyane Wade (2006) and Chris Bosh was a testament to James’ dominance.

His third Finals MVP in 2016 was perhaps his most special, as he led the Cleveland Cavaliers to their first title in franchise history by bringing them back from a 3-1 deficit to knock off the 73-win Golden State Warriors. This award also tied James with Shaquille O’Neal, Tim Duncan and Magic Johnson as the only three-time winners in NBA history. Only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had won Finals MVP with two different franchises before James took home the award.

James’ fourth Finals MVP with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020 was perhaps the most unique, as he and the team battled through COVID-19 restrictions while playing inside the Disney bubble. A fourth trophy moved him beyond O’Neal, Duncan and Johnson and into sole possession of second place, trailing only Michael Jordan’s six Finals MVPs.

By winning with the Heat, Cavs and Lakers, James is the only player in NBA history to be awarded Finals MVP with three different franchises.

5. Winning a 4th Regular-Season MVP6 OF 10

1. Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images

We can debate which is more impressive between regular-season and Finals MVPs, although one encompasses 82 games worth of work while the other can be awarded after as few as four.

For this reason, we’ll give the edge to James’ four non-Finals MVP trophies here.

He was the league’s most valuable player in 2008-09, 2009-10, 2011-12 and 2012-13, taking home two awards each with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat. Only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (six), Michael Jordan (five) and Bill Russell (five) have won the award more than James, who’s tied with Wilt Chamberlain for four such trophies.

The amount of times James has gotten close to winning a fifth title is staggering as well.

The veteran forward has finished in the top five in MVP voting a whopping 14 times, including a streak of 13 straight years from 2005-06 to 2017-18.

There’s a notable collapse whenever James has left a team, as his all-around play has elevated whatever franchise he’s been on for the past two decades.

4. Becoming First Player in History to Score 40,000 Points7 OF 10

1. Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images

As James closes in on 40,000 career points, it’s important to put this number into perspective.

If we even cut this number by 25 percent and shave off 10,000 points, only seven players in NBA history have even reached 30,000 career points, a list that includes Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Dirk Nowitzki, Wilt Chamberlain and Julius Erving.

If we cut this number down to 20,000, only 54 other players in league history have gotten to half of James’ scoring total, including seven who are currently active (Kevin Durant, James Harden, Russell Westbrook, Stephen Curry, DeMar DeRozan, Chris Paul and Damian Lillard).

Curry will soon turn 36, has led the NBA in scoring twice and is still just at 23,180 career points. If he kept up his current scoring average of 27.7 points and James retired with an even 40,000, the Golden State star would have to play another 607 games (roughly seven-and-a-half full seasons) to catch him.

We’ve also seen a number of NBA legends not even hit the 20,000-point mark, a list that includes Scottie Pippen, John Stockton, Isiah Thomas, Magic Johnson and others.

James getting to 40,000 points will be a mark that we will likely never see again.

3. Being Voted to a Record 20 All-Star Games8 OF 10

1. Evan Yu/NBAE via Getty Images

One of his most recent accomplishments, James set the record on February 18 this year by playing in his 20th All-Star game.

This selection moved James out of a tie with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and into sole possession of first place after he previously passed Kobe Bryant (18) and Julius Erving (16) the past few years.

Let’s put this number into perspective.

The last time James wasn’t named an All-Star was in 2004, his rookie season in the league. The iPhone wouldn’t be invented for another three years, Facebook was two years away from public release, and Victor Wembanyama was born in Le Chesnay, Le Chesnay-Rocquencourt, France.

Being named an All-Star is both a testament to one’s individual numbers, team success and popularity, and no player has combined all three quite like James.

His 66.7 million All-Star fan votes easily give him the most since the league started keeping track, with Kevin Durant’s 39.7 million falling a distant second, per HoopsHype.

Only 10 players in NBA history have even played 20 seasons or more. James has reached this total in All-Star appearances alone.

2. Making a Record 19 All-NBA Teams9 OF 10

1. Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Outside of winning MVP, making an All-NBA team is the greatest individual accomplishment a player can receive.

Of course, no player has done this more than James.

While Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan previously shared the record with 15 All-NBA selections, James has now pushed his total to 19, putting a nice gap between himself and the rest of the field. This number could (and should) reach an even 20 this year as well.

James has been named to either a first, second or third All-NBA team every year of his career save for his rookie season, with his 13 first-team selections also a league record. No other player has made more than 11 first teams (Bryant and Karl Malone) while even Michael Jordan (11 total All-NBA teams) ranks far below James.

This speaks to James’ production, longevity and health, as only the top-15 NBA players can take home such an award every year. For James, his spot has consistently been in the top five for the past two decades.

1. Setting the NBA All-Time Scoring Record10 OF 10

1. Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar set the NBA’s all-time scoring record on April 5, 1984 when he passed Wilt Chamberlain’s total.

Coincidentally, this is the same year that James was born, the only player who’s even come close to catching Abdul-Jabbar.

It took 20 seasons, but on February 7, 2023, James took a fadeaway jumper from the free-throw line to officially take the crown as the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. This wasn’t just the most iconic record in the history of the league, it was arguably in all of sports.

“To be in the presence of such a legend and great as Kareem, it means so much to me. It’s very humbling,” James said after breaking the record. “To everybody who’s ever been a part of this run with me the last 20 years, I just want to say thank you so much.”

James had been on this trajectory for decades, regularly being recognized as the youngest player to hit every major points milestone. Still, this accomplishment took 20 years of work and good health for him to finally reach Abdul-Jabbar, and it’s a record that continues to grow.

When making an argument for James as the greatest player of all time, this should be the main reason why.