LeBron James's Success and Achievements in Timeline
A success timeline featuring the most significant achievements of LeBron James.
LeBron James, nicknamed "King James", is a professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers and is considered one of the greatest of all time. He is the NBA's all-time leading scorer and has won four NBA championships across 10 NBA Finals appearances, including eight consecutive from 2011 to 2018. James also won the inaugural NBA Cup in 2023 with the Lakers and has won three Olympic gold medals playing for the United States.
1976: Abdul-Jabbar's 30-20-10 Game
In 1976, Abdul-Jabbar last achieved a 30 points, 20 rebounds, and 10 assists game in Lakers franchise history, a feat that LeBron James replicated on January 27, 2024.
1981: Magic Johnson's Consecutive Triple-Doubles
In 1981, Magic Johnson had a streak of consecutive triple-doubles, matching the Lakers franchise record. LeBron James tied this record on November 15, 2024.
1982: Third Reigning MVP to Change Teams
In 1982, Moses Malone became the first reigning MVP since Moses Malone in 1982 to change teams.
April 5, 1984: Abdul-Jabbar Sets Scoring Record
On April 5, 1984, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar set the NBA all-time leading scoring record, which stood until LeBron James broke it.
1987: Magic Johnson's Consecutive Triple-Doubles
In 1987, Magic Johnson had a streak of consecutive triple-doubles, matching the Lakers franchise record. LeBron James tied this record on November 15, 2024.
2003: Drafted by Cleveland Cavaliers & Rookie of the Year
In 2003, LeBron James was drafted first overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers and later won the NBA Rookie of the Year award, marking the beginning of his professional career.
2003: Lakers' Biggest Comeback Since 2003
On February 28, 2024, James spearheaded a 21-point fourth-quarter comeback by the Lakers to beat the Los Angeles Clippers 116–112, marking the Lakers' biggest comeback since 2003.
2004: NBA Rookie of the Year
At the conclusion of the 2003–2004 season, LeBron James received the NBA Rookie of the Year Award, making him the first Cavalier to earn the honor.
2004: First NBA All-Star Game Selection
In 2004, during the 2004-2005 season, LeBron James earned his first NBA All-Star Game selection, marking his rising prominence in the league.
2005: Time's 100 Most Influential People
In 2005, LeBron James was listed among Time's 100 most influential people in the world, marking his initial recognition beyond the basketball court.
2005: All-NBA Team Selection
In 2005, at the end of the 2004-2005 season, LeBron James was named to his first All-NBA Team, solidifying his status as one of the league's top players.
2006: All-Star Game MVP and Playoff Debut
In 2006, LeBron James was named the NBA All-Star Game MVP, and led the Cavaliers to the playoffs for the first time since 1998, where he recorded a triple-double in his postseason debut.
2007: FIBA Americas Championship 2007
In 2007, LeBron James averaged 18.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game at the FIBA Americas Championship. He had a 31-point performance against Argentina in the championship game, which was the most ever by an American in an Olympic qualifier. Team USA went 10–0, winning the gold medal and qualifying for the 2008 Olympics.
2007: Eastern Conference Championship
In 2007, LeBron James led the Cavaliers to their first-ever Eastern Conference championship, earning them a matchup with the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals.
2008: First NBA All-Defensive Team
At the end of the 2008–2009 season, James made his first NBA All-Defensive Team, posting 23 chase-down blocks and a career-high 93 total blocks.
2008: All-Star Game MVP and Scoring Title
In 2008, LeBron James was named All-Star Game MVP for the second time, and he won his first scoring title, averaging 30 points per game.
2008: NBA Scoring Title
In 2008, LeBron James won the NBA scoring title, solidifying his reputation as one of the league's premier offensive players.
2008: 2008 Olympics Gold Medal
In 2008, before being named to the Olympic team, LeBron James was given an ultimatum to improve his attitude. The USA team won the gold medal at the Olympics, their first since 2000. In the final game against Spain, James scored 14 points, grabbed six rebounds, and dished out three assists.
2009: All-Defensive Honors
From 2009 to 2014, LeBron James earned All-Defensive honors every season.
2009: First MVP Award
In 2009, LeBron James became the first Cavalier to win the NBA MVP Award, capping off a season where he led his team in multiple statistical categories.
2009: Point Guard Role
In 2009, LeBron James was forced into a temporary point guard role due to injuries in the Cavaliers' backcourt, maintaining the team's momentum and finishing with the league's best record for the second consecutive season.
2011: NBA Finals Appearance
In 2011, LeBron James began a streak of eight consecutive NBA Finals appearances, showcasing his consistent performance at the highest level of professional basketball.
2012: 2012 Olympics Gold Medal and Leadership Role
In 2012, LeBron James rejoined Team USA for the London Olympics, taking on a leadership role. He recorded the first triple-double in U.S. Olympic basketball history against Australia with 11 points, 14 rebounds, and 12 assists. Team USA won their second straight gold medal, defeating Spain in the final game. James contributed 19 points and became the all-time leading scorer in U.S. men's basketball history. He also joined Michael Jordan as the only players to win an NBA MVP award, NBA championship, NBA Finals MVP, and Olympic gold medal in the same year.
2012: First NBA Championship with the Heat
In 2012, LeBron James won his first NBA championship with the Miami Heat, earning both MVP and Finals MVP honors.
2012: "Month for the Ages"
In February of the 2012-13 season, LeBron James averaged impressive stats and set efficiency records, leading to Sports Illustrated describing his performance as a "month for the ages".
2013: Most popular player in the NBA
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.
2013: Second NBA Championship with the Heat
In 2013, LeBron James secured his second NBA championship with the Miami Heat, once again winning both the regular season MVP and Finals MVP awards.
2013: Highest Paid Basketball Player
In 2013, LeBron James surpassed Bryant as the highest paid basketball player in the world, with earnings of $56.5 million.
2013: Time's 100 Most Influential People
In 2013, LeBron James was once again included in Time's 100 most influential people in the world.
2013: Career-High 61 Points
On March 3 of the 2013-14 season, LeBron James scored a career-high and franchise-record 61 points in a game against the Charlotte Bobcats.
2014: All-Defensive Honors
From 2009 to 2014, LeBron James earned All-Defensive honors every season.
2014: Most popular male athlete in America
In 2014, LeBron James was named the most popular male athlete in America by the Harris Poll.
February 13, 2015: James Elected First Vice President of NBPA
On February 13, 2015, LeBron James was elected the first vice president of the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA).
2015: NBA Finals Consideration
In 2015, Despite the loss to the Warriors, James received serious consideration for the Finals MVP Award, averaging 35.8 points, 13.3 rebounds, and 8.8 assists per game.
2015: Ranked Sixth Highest Earning Sportsperson
In 2015, LeBron James was ranked the sixth highest earning sportsperson.
2016: First Championship for Cavaliers
In 2016, LeBron James led the Cleveland Cavaliers to their first-ever NBA championship, overcoming a 3-1 deficit against the Golden State Warriors.
2016: Ranked Third Highest Earning Sportsperson
In 2016, LeBron James was ranked the third highest earning sportsperson.
2017: Receives J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award
In 2017, LeBron James received the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award from the NBA for his outstanding service and dedication to the community.
2017: Time's 100 Most Influential People
In 2017, LeBron James was named as one of Time's 100 most influential people in the world for the third time.
November 2019: Previous Record for Oldest Triple-Double
In November 2019, LeBron James set a record for the oldest player to record a triple-double in three consecutive games, which he later broke on November 13, 2024.
2019: Time's 100 Most Influential People
In 2019, LeBron James was selected as one of Time's 100 most influential people in the world, marking his fourth inclusion on the list.
2020: NBA Championship with the Lakers
In 2020, LeBron James won another NBA title with the Lakers and became the first player to win Finals MVP with three different teams.
February 18, 2021: James reaches 35,000 career points
On February 18, 2021, LeBron James became the third player in NBA history to reach 35,000 career points, joining Hall of Famers Abdul-Jabbar and Karl Malone. At 36 years and 50 days old, he was the youngest player to reach this milestone.
2021: Russell Westbrook's Consecutive Triple-Doubles
In 2021, Russell Westbrook had a streak of consecutive triple-doubles, matching the Lakers franchise record. LeBron James tied this record on November 15, 2024.
January 9, 2023: James Receives 66th Player of the Week Award
On January 9, 2023, LeBron James received his 66th Player of the Week award, doubling the career total of runner-up Kobe Bryant.
February 7, 2023: James Passes Abdul-Jabbar as All-Time Leading Scorer
On February 7, 2023, LeBron James surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA's all-time leading scorer. The game was paused, and a ceremony was held where Abdul-Jabbar presented James with the game ball.
June 2023: Most Followed Basketball Player on Instagram
As of June 2023, LeBron James is the most followed basketball player on Instagram, boasting over 155 million followers.
2023: McDonald's All-American
In 2023, Bronny James was named as a McDonald's All-American, 20 years after LeBron James' selection.
2023: Lakers Reach Western Conference Finals
In 2023, LeBron James led the Lakers to the Western Conference Finals, marking their second Conference finals appearance in five seasons, before being swept by the Denver Nuggets.
2023: NBA All-Time Leading Scorer
In 2023, LeBron James surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA's all-time leading scorer, marking a historic milestone in his career.
2023: Won Inaugural NBA Cup with Lakers
In 2023, LeBron James won the inaugural NBA Cup with the Los Angeles Lakers, adding another achievement to his illustrious career.
January 25, 2024: James Surpasses Abdul-Jabbar with 20th All-Star Selection
On January 25, 2024, LeBron James was named an All-Star starter for the 2024 NBA All-Star Game, marking his 20th NBA All-Star selection, surpassing Abdul-Jabbar for the most All-Star selections in NBA history.
2024: All-NBA Team Selection in 2024
As of 2024, LeBron James has been named to 21 All-NBA Teams, including 13 times to the First Team, both NBA records.
2024: James' Career Averages as of 2024
As of 2024, LeBron James' career averages are 27.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, 7.4 assists, 1.5 steals, and 0.7 blocks per game. Throughout the 2010s, he was usually ranked as the best player in the NBA each season by ESPN and Sports Illustrated.
2024: 2024 Olympics: Team Captain, Flag Bearer, Gold Medalist
In 2024, at 39 years old, LeBron James rejoined the national team for the Paris Olympics as Team Captain. Voted by the U.S. delegation, James was named as one of the two Team USA flag-bearers for the opening ceremony. He led the team in rebounds and assists, and recorded his second Olympic triple double in a semi-final comeback win against Serbia. Team USA won their fifth straight gold medal, defeating France in the final game. James was named the FIBA Men's Olympics MVP and was selected to the FIBA Men's Olympics All-Star Five. He became the third male basketball player to win three gold medals at the Olympics.
2024: Olympics MVP
In the 2024 Summer Olympics, LeBron James won the Olympics MVP award, adding to his list of individual honors.
January 3, 2025: James Surpasses Jordan in 30-Point Games
On January 3, 2025, LeBron James surpassed Michael Jordan for the most 30-point games in NBA history with 563, during a win over the Atlanta Hawks.
March 4, 2025: James Surpasses 50,000 Career Points
On March 4, 2025, LeBron James surpassed 50,000 career points across the regular season and playoffs during a win against the New Orleans Pelicans.
2025: Induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
In 2025, LeBron James was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a member of the 2008 U.S. Olympic team (also known as the "Redeem Team"), becoming one of the first NBA players inducted while still active.
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