A success timeline featuring the most significant achievements of LeBron James.
LeBron James, nicknamed "King James," is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers. Widely considered one of the greatest basketball players ever, he is frequently compared to Michael Jordan in debates about the sport's all-time best. James has won four NBA championships in 10 NBA Finals appearances, including eight consecutive appearances between 2011 and 2018. He also won the inaugural NBA Cup in 2023 with the Lakers, and has won three Olympic gold medals as a member of the U.S. national team, and the Olympics MVP in the 2024 Summer Olympics.
1981: Magic Johnson's Consecutive Triple-Doubles
In 1981, Magic Johnson made consecutive triple-doubles for the Lakers.
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April 5, 1984: Abdul-Jabbar set the all-time scoring record
On April 5, 1984, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar set the all-time scoring record, eight months before James was born.
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1987: Magic Johnson's Consecutive Triple-Doubles
In 1987, Magic Johnson made consecutive triple-doubles for the Lakers.
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2004: NBA All-Star Selection
In 2004, LeBron James earned his first NBA All-Star Game selection.
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2006: All-Star Game MVP
In 2006, LeBron James led the East to victory at the All-Star Game and was named the NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player.
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2008: Scoring Title
In 2008, LeBron James' 30 points per game were the highest in the league, marking his first scoring title.
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2009: All-Defensive Honors from 2009
From 2009, LeBron James earned All-Defensive honors every season.
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2009: Wins MVP Award
In 2009, LeBron James won his first MVP Award as a Cavalier.
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2013: Most Popular Player in the NBA in 2013
By 2013, LeBron James' image had mostly recovered and he was reported by ESPN as the most popular player in the NBA for the second time in his career.
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2013: James Scores Career-High 61 Points
During the 2013-14 season, James scored a career-high and franchise-record 61 points in a game against the Charlotte Bobcats, showcasing exceptional offensive prowess.
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2013: Highest Paid Basketball Player
In 2013, LeBron James surpassed Kobe Bryant to become the highest-paid basketball player in the world, earning $56.5 million.
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2014: Lowest scoring output
In 2014, James had the lowest scoring output in the Eastern Conference finals.
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2014: Beats Electronics Profit
In 2014, LeBron James profited over $30 million from Apple's acquisition of Beats Electronics due to his early stake in the company.
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2014: Most Popular Male Athlete in America in 2014
In 2014, LeBron James was named the most popular male athlete in America by the Harris Poll.
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2014: All-Defensive Honors until 2014
Until 2014, LeBron James earned All-Defensive honors every season.
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2015: Ranked Sixth Highest Earning Sportsperson
In 2015, LeBron James was ranked as the sixth-highest-earning sportsperson in the world.
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2016: Highest-Paid Player
In 2016, LeBron James signed a three-year deal with the Cavaliers, becoming the highest-paid player in the NBA for the first time in his career.
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2016: Ranked Third Highest Earning Sportsperson
In 2016, LeBron James was ranked as the third-highest-earning sportsperson, behind Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
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2017: J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award in 2017
In 2017, LeBron James received the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award from the NBA for his "outstanding service and dedication to the community."
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2019: LeBron's Previous Record
In November 2019, LeBron set a record for the oldest player to record a triple-double in three consecutive games, which he later broke.
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July 2020: Rookie Card Record in July 2020
In July 2020, one of LeBron James' rookie cards briefly held the record for the most expensive modern-day sports card when it sold for $1.8 million at auction.
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February 18, 2021: James reached 35,000 career points
On February 18, 2021, James became the third player in NBA history to reach 35,000 career points, joining Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Karl Malone. He was the youngest to reach this milestone.
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2021: Russell Westbrook's Consecutive Triple-Doubles
In 2021, Russell Westbrook made consecutive triple-doubles for the Lakers.
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2022: Celebrated at the 2022 NBA All-Star Game
In 2022, at the NBA All-Star Game held in Cleveland, James was celebrated among the other 74 players for the NBA 75th Anniversary Team and hit the game-winning shot.
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January 9, 2023: James received his 66th player-of-the-week award
On January 9, 2023, James received his 66th player-of-the-week award, doubling the career total of the runner-up, Kobe Bryant.
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February 7, 2023: Became NBA Leading Scorer
On February 7, 2023, LeBron James surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA's leading scorer.
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May 2023: Becomes a Billionaire
In May 2023, according to Forbes, LeBron James became the first active NBA player to achieve billionaire status.
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June 2023: Most Followed Basketball Player on Instagram
As of June 2023, LeBron James is the most followed basketball player on Instagram, with over 155 million followers.
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January 25, 2024: James Named All-Star Starter
On January 25, 2024, James was named an All-Star starter for the 2024 NBA All-Star Game, marking his 20th NBA All-Star selection, surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most All-Star selections in NBA history.
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2024: All-NBA Team Selection in 2024
As of 2024, LeBron James has been named to 20 All-NBA Teams, including 13 times to the First Team, both NBA records.
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January 3, 2025: James Surpasses Jordan
On January 3, 2025, James surpassed Michael Jordan for the most 30-point games in NBA history.
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