NBA Survival Guide: LeBron James and the records that will fall in 2024

LeBron James became the NBA's first 40,000-point scorer last season, but among the milestones he will reach this season is a less distinguished institution. The Los Angeles Lakers legend will set the record for most career missed field goals, and he is on pace to become the first player ever to miss 15,000 shots.

James' sixth miss of the season will break Kobe Bryant's record of 14,481. Bryant ranks fourth in points but first in misses. James will be the all-time leader in both as soon as opening night, when L.A. hosts the Minnesota Timberwolves. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, by contrast, ranks second in points and eighth in misses.

CAREER

POINTS

FG

FGA

FG%

eFG%*

LeBron James

40,074

14,837

29,313

50.6

54.7

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

38,387

15,837

28,307

55.9

56.0

Karl Malone

36,928

13,528

26,210

51.6

51.8

Kobe Bryant

33,643

11,719

26,200

44.7

48.2

Michael Jordan

32,292

12,192

24,537

49.7

50.9

*eFG%: Effective Field-Goal Percentage. Adjusted for 3-point attempts. ((FGM + (0.5 * 3PM)) / FGA

All things are not equal. Malone benefited from attempting 1,326 more free throws than anyone else. James plays at the peak of the 3-point boon. Abdul-Jabbar scored the vast majority of his points within eight feet of the basket. All great scorers, all different skills and all but impossible to compare across eras.

The takeaway? Though James will eclipse Bryant for the NBA's most misses ever, he remains the superior scorer both by volume and efficiency. Still, James would surely prefer to celebrate his other milestones.

Speaking of which, James needs ...