LeBron James broke Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s all-time scoring record in February last season. Still operating at a high level at the age of 38, James currently sits at 38,652 NBA points and can reasonably be expected to surpass the 40,000 mark next season. However, that is something his contemporary and Warriors’ new boy Chris Paul knew he would do, beforehand. A close friend of James, Paul has been able to see firsthand his dedication that has led to the Lakers man playing despite his advanced age. Speaking in an interview with Bally Sports, Paul claimed, in 2018, that he thought James would surpass the 40k mark.
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Two of the four members of the iconic Banana Boat crew, James and Paul have been friends since their teenage years. They have continued to remain close over the years and, despite having never played in the NBA on the same team, were part of gold winners Team USA at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
LeBron James’ historic achievement was predicted by his friend years ago
James’ incredible consistency over the years is largely part of his work off the court. The resultant longevity allowed him to break Kareem Abdul Jabbar’s scoring record earlier in February. The incredible achievement means he is now set to get past the 40,000 mark and has cemented his legacy as one of the all-time greats of the game.
Chris Paul, who has been close to LeBro right from the time they were in high school, has always been especially privy to the work he puts in, off the court. That, coupled with his mercurial talent, was enough for Paul to predict that LeBron would finish with more than 40,000 points, back in 2015,
“This is LeBron’s 15th season, he has already hit 30,000, and he shows no signs of slowing down. So, congrats to him, but we are going to be saying this again when he [LeBron James] be getting to 40[000], remember that I said that. Yeah, he is gonna get somewhere up there. I think he will be number one by the time it’s all said and done.”
Paul not only congratulated on James hitting the 30,000 mark but also said that he will be number one by the time he retires. That has all seemingly held true, and James is still a force to reckon with, at 38.
Richard Jefferson thinks LeBron James will score 45,000 points
James’ longevity continues to amaze people outside. However, it seems that his colleagues and friends have long been aware of his dedication, and fitness levels.
His former teammate Richard Jefferson recently predicted that James was on his way to score 45,000 points before the end of his career. That involves a further 3-4 seasons of James producing top basketball.
Jefferson believes that LeBron still has enough to play 65-70 games a season. Whether he ends with 40,000 points are not, the 38-year-old is already one of the greats, and arguably the fittest player to ever play in the league.
