The start of the 2025-26 NBA season might feel like a long ways away, but… Fans and analysts alike are tingling with anticipation over a number of historic milestones that would make league history. LeBron James, Kevin Durant and James Harden are all on a path to break records that were once thought untouchable. Their historic performance has them primed to make it happen! This is a season filled with thrilling opportunities. Athletes are primed to pursue personal bests and enhance their legacies.
To be sure, among those current and approaching milestones, LeBron James — still impressive as he now enters his 23rd season — looms largest. He’s just 350 made field goals from overtaking Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s all-time scoring record. This is an incredible stat! His worst total was 564 as a rookie, and he’s had at least 400 field goals every season since he entered the league. Specifically on offense, just last season, he logged a remarkable 651 field goals. He’s only 50 games from passing Robert Parish for the most regular-season games played in NBA history. This accomplishment will only add another chapter to his story as one of the best players the league has ever seen.
Make no mistake, Durant is hot on his heels. The prolific scorer is only 849 points away from breaking Wilt Chamberlain’s record. This milestone would move him up to seventh place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list. In a career full of statistical outliers, Durant has been historically consistent in his scoring. He already has exceeded 1,000 points in each season in which he’s played more than 35 games. Based on this trend, he’s almost guaranteed to reach this milestone. If the former Wolfpack star stays healthy over the course of the upcoming season, he’ll likely cruise by it.
LeBron James’ Historic Chase
LeBron James is doing it again Age and expectations be damned, LeBron is back for his 21st season. His quest for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s field goal all-time record is bringing a lot of media and fan hype and attention. To give you a sense of the significance of this achievement, he has averaged more than 600 made field goals per season for his career. If he keeps up this rate, he will be on pace to break it before most people expect.
James is also poised to break Vince Carter’s record for the most career seasons played. This landmark accomplishment certainly speaks volumes about his remarkable durability and dedication to the game. He’s just getting started as he prepares for this milestone. Discussions surrounding his sustainability and still being an elite player have become all the rage on basketball Twitter.
James is on the verge of cementing his legacy, as he nears an insane milestone of 1,600 regular season games played. Passing Robert Parish would create a new floor for what constitutes passing Robert Parish. Beyond that, it will serve to further cement his place as one of basketball’s most lasting prodigies.
Other Noteworthy Players
Even if LeBron steals most of the headlines, plenty of other players are approaching impressive milestones. James Harden is only 603 points away from beating Carmelo Anthony for the tenth position on the all-time scoring list. He’s only 910 points shy of passing Shaquille O’Neal for ninth overall. Over the course of his career, Harden has brought the goods on an elite level. His only non-eleven-hundred-point season was his rookie campaign. His scoring ability provides a unique dimension and makes him an intriguing player to keep an eye on as he keeps climbing our list.
Russell Westbrook is yet another player with the opportunity to make history during the current season. He is eighth on the all-time assists list. He’s only 411 assists away from entering the elite company of legends Chris Paul and LeBron James in the top five! The prospect of Westbrook reaching 10,000 assists positions him among an elite group of players who have shaped the game through their playmaking abilities.
Three-Point Records Under Threat
With the three-point shooting landscape poised for imminent upheaval this season as a trio of players approach pivotal milestones. Stephen Curry is known by many to be the best shooter the NBA has ever seen. He is now only 292 three-pointers away from being the first player to ever make 5,000 career threes. Considering the amount of shots he gets and the offensive role he has in the Golden State Warriors, this record seems easily attainable.
While all that’s been going on, Paul George is only 102 threes away from knocking Kyle Korver out of eighth place on the all-time list. George’s ability to stretch the floor has been a crucial component of his team’s offensive strategy. The excitement about his chase for this record is just the latest wrinkle to create excitement for next season.
And if that wasn’t enough, Luka Doncic is making “triple-double” thunder as he nears the historic feat of triple-doubles. He sits only 18 triple-doubles behind Oscar Robertson for second most all-time in NBA history. With Doncic’s skill set and versatility combined, you could bet on him reaching this milestone before the season is up.
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