Lakers star LeBron James has played against more than 33% of all NBA players in history after loss to Trail Blazers
LeBron James has faced more than a third of all players who have ever played in the NBA.
The Los Angeles Lakers star faced his 1,822nd player – Portland Trail Blazers center Yang Hansen – on Sunday night at the Moda Center, who is a remarkable figure in his own right over his 23 seasons in the NBA. According to Stathead, James has now played against 33.8% of all players who have ever appeared in an NBA game.
Although that seems like a lot, and indeed it is, the baseline figure of about a third is actually lower than it was a few years ago.
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After a game against the Dallas Mavericks during the 2023-24 season, the Lakers revealed that James had actually played against 35% of all players in NBA history. James called it “crazy” on social media at the time.
James also broke the record during this season, when he played against his 1,669th opponent. So while Saturday night’s number is cool to see, it’s nothing new for the man many consider one of, if not the best, players in NBA history.
James finished just short of a triple-double in Sunday night’s 132-116 loss to the Trail Blazers, which dropped the Lakers to 24-16 on the season. He had 20 points, nine rebounds and eight assists in this contest, which marked his 23rd game of the season. The 41-year-old averaged 22.6 points, 6.9 assists and six rebounds per game this season.
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James, who was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2003 NBA draft, can only miss one more game this season to remain eligible for All-NBA honors and playoff accolades. He has dealt with several injuries this season, including the first 14 of the season due to sciatica.
While there are other accolades that James likely cares more about in his career — like the four MVP awards, his all-time leading scorer title or his four championships, among others — Saturday night’s stat is just the latest wild number showing how long James has dominated professional basketball.
