Career Timeline
Every major milestone for LeBron James and Michael Jordan, from draft day to the present. 64 milestones across two legendary careers.
Drafted 3rd Overall by Chicago Bulls
Selected by the Bulls with the 3rd pick in the 1984 NBA Draft, behind Hakeem Olajuwon and Sam Bowie.
Olympic Gold Medal — 1984 Los Angeles
Won his first Olympic gold medal with Team USA at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.
NBA Debut
Scored 16 points in his first NBA game against the Washington Bullets.
63 Points vs. Celtics in Playoffs
Scored a playoff-record 63 points against the Larry Bird Celtics in Game 2 of the first round. Bird said: 'That was God disguised as Michael Jordan.'
63Rookie of the Year
Won the 1984-85 Rookie of the Year award, averaging 28.2 PPG in his first season.
5,000th Career Point
Reached 5,000 career points in just his 3rd NBA season.
5,0001st Scoring Title (37.1 PPG)
Won his first of 10 scoring titles, averaging a career-high 37.1 points per game.
37.11st MVP Award
Won his first NBA MVP award for the 1987-88 season, averaging 35.0 PPG with 5.9 APG. Also won Defensive Player of the Year.
Defensive Player of the Year
Won DPOY while leading the league in scoring — the only player to ever accomplish this feat.
10,000th Career Point
Reached 10,000 career points faster than almost any player in NBA history.
10,00015,000th Career Point
Passed the 15,000-point milestone during his 7th NBA season.
15,0002nd MVP Award
Won his second MVP for the 1990-91 season, averaging 31.5 PPG as he led the Bulls to their first championship.
1st NBA Championship
Won his first championship, defeating Magic Johnson's Lakers 4-1. Averaged 31.2 PPG in the Finals and won Finals MVP.
3rd MVP Award
Won his third MVP for the 1991-92 season, averaging 30.1 PPG and leading the Bulls to a second consecutive title.
2nd NBA Championship
Won his second consecutive championship, defeating the Portland Trail Blazers 4-2. The famous 'Shrug Game' happened in Game 1.
Olympic Gold Medal — 1992 Dream Team
Won Olympic gold as part of the legendary 1992 'Dream Team' in Barcelona, widely considered the greatest sports team ever assembled.
20,000th Career Point
Became one of the youngest players to reach 20,000 career points.
20,0007th Consecutive Scoring Title
Won his 7th straight scoring title (32.6 PPG), a streak unmatched in NBA history.
32.63rd NBA Championship — First Three-Peat
Completed the first three-peat, defeating Charles Barkley's Suns 4-2. Averaged 41.0 PPG in the Finals.
First Retirement
Retired from basketball for the first time at age 30, citing burnout and the murder of his father. Pursued a career in baseball.
First Comeback — 'I'm Back'
Returned to the NBA with the famous two-word press release: 'I'm back.' Wore #45 before switching back to #23.
72-Win Season
Led the Bulls to a then-record 72-10 regular season record, the best in NBA history at the time.
4th MVP Award
Won his fourth MVP for the historic 1995-96 season, leading the Bulls to a record 72-9 regular season.
4th NBA Championship
Won his 4th championship after the record 72-9 regular season, defeating the Seattle SuperSonics 4-2.
25,000th Career Point
Reached 25,000 career points during the Bulls' historic 72-win season.
25,0005th NBA Championship — The Flu Game
Won his 5th championship despite the famous 'Flu Game' in Game 5 vs. Utah Jazz. Series won 4-2.
10th Scoring Title
Won his 10th and final scoring title at age 34 (28.7 PPG). No player has won more.
28.75th MVP Award
Won his fifth and final MVP award for the 1997-98 season at age 34.
6th NBA Championship — The Last Shot
Won his 6th and final championship with 'The Last Shot' over Bryon Russell. Went 6-0 in Finals with 6 Finals MVPs.
Second Retirement
Retired from basketball for the second time, this time as a six-time champion with the Bulls.
Second Comeback — Washington Wizards
Came out of retirement at age 38 to play for the Washington Wizards, donating his salary to 9/11 relief efforts.
30,000th Career Point
Became the 4th player in NBA history to reach 30,000 career points, doing so as a Washington Wizard.
30,000Final NBA Game
Played his last NBA game at age 40, scoring 15 points for the Wizards vs. the 76ers. Received a 3-minute standing ovation.
Drafted 1st Overall by Cleveland Cavaliers
Selected with the #1 pick in the 2003 NBA Draft, the most hyped prospect in NBA history. 'The Chosen One' lived up to expectations from day one.
NBA Debut — 25 Points
Scored 25 points in his first NBA game against the Sacramento Kings at age 18, announcing his arrival immediately.
25Rookie of the Year
Won the 2003-04 Rookie of the Year award, averaging 20.9 PPG, 5.5 RPG, and 5.9 APG at age 19.
1st All-Star Selection (Age 20)
Selected to his first NBA All-Star Game at age 20, beginning a record streak of All-Star selections.
5,000th Career Point
Reached 5,000 career points at age 21 in his 3rd NBA season.
5,00010,000th Career Point
Became the youngest player in NBA history to reach 10,000 career points at age 23.
10,000Olympic Gold Medal — 2008 Beijing
Won Olympic gold with Team USA at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, redeeming the 2004 bronze medal.
1st MVP Award
Won his first NBA MVP for the 2008-09 season, averaging 28.4 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 7.2 APG while leading the Cavaliers to a 66-16 record.
15,000th Career Point
Reached 15,000 career points at age 25, the youngest player ever to do so.
15,0002nd MVP Award
Won his second consecutive MVP for the 2009-10 season, averaging 29.7 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 8.6 APG.
The Decision — Joining Miami Heat
Announced his move to the Miami Heat in a nationally televised special called 'The Decision.' The most scrutinized free agency move in sports history.
3rd MVP Award
Won his third MVP for the 2011-12 season with the Heat, averaging 27.1 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 6.2 APG.
45 Points in Elimination Game vs. Celtics
Scored 45 points with 15 rebounds in Game 6 of the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals against Boston, one of the greatest elimination game performances ever.
451st NBA Championship
Won his first championship with the Miami Heat, defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder 4-1. Averaged 28.6 PPG in the Finals and won Finals MVP.
Olympic Gold Medal — 2012 London
Won his second Olympic gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics.
20,000th Career Point
Became the youngest player to reach 20,000 career points at age 28.
20,0004th MVP Award
Won his fourth and final regular season MVP for the 2012-13 season, one of the most efficient MVP campaigns ever (56.5% FG, 40.6% 3PT).
2nd NBA Championship
Won his second consecutive championship with Miami, defeating the San Antonio Spurs 4-3 in an epic series capped by Ray Allen's legendary Game 6 three.
Return to Cleveland — 'I'm Coming Home'
Announced his return to the Cleveland Cavaliers in an essay titled 'I'm Coming Home,' promising to bring a championship to his home state.
3rd NBA Championship — 3-1 Comeback
Led the Cavaliers back from a 3-1 deficit against the 73-win Warriors. His chase-down block on Iguodala in Game 7 is the most iconic defensive play in Finals history. Led both teams in all five major statistical categories.
25,000th Career Point
Reached 25,000 career points, the 7th player in NBA history to do so.
25,00030,000th Career Point
Became the youngest player (33 years old) to reach 30,000 career points, the 7th player to do so.
30,000Youngest to 30,000 Points
At 33 years old, became the youngest player in NBA history to score 30,000 career points.
30,000Signing with the Los Angeles Lakers
Signed with the Lakers in free agency, bringing his talents to Hollywood and one of the NBA's most storied franchises.
4th NBA Championship — 3rd Franchise
Won his 4th championship with the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Bubble, defeating the Miami Heat 4-2. Became the first player to win Finals MVP with three different franchises.
35,000th Career Point
Reached 35,000 career points, only the 3rd player in NBA history after Kareem and Karl Malone.
35,000NBA All-Time Scoring Record — 38,388 Points
Passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA's all-time leading scorer with 38,388 career points. Scored 38 points in the game. A record many thought would never be broken.
38,388Passed Jordan on All-Time Scoring List
Earlier in 2023, LeBron passed Michael Jordan for 4th on the all-time scoring list, before going on to pass Kareem for #1.
10,000th Career Assist
Reached 10,000 career assists, becoming one of only 6 players in NBA history to achieve this milestone. The only player with 10,000+ points AND 10,000+ assists.
10,00020th All-Star Selection
Selected to his 20th NBA All-Star Game, the most in NBA history (tied with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar).
40,000th Career Point
Became the first player in NBA history to reach 40,000 career points, a milestone once thought impossible.
40,000Progression of Career Stats
Cumulative career totals plotted by games played. Using games instead of years normalizes for Jordan's two retirements and shows the true accumulation pace.
Career Points Progression
Cumulative career points by games played. Using games played (not years) normalizes for Jordan's two retirements and LeBron's longer career.