LeBron James’ 10 Defining Moments With the Lakers
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LeBron James’ eight-season run with the Los Angeles Lakers is over after the 39-year-old forward confirmed he will join the Philadelphia 76ers for what he says will be the final stop of his career. During his tenure in purple and gold, James delivered a championship, broke long-standing records and supplied a series of signature highlights. Below is a recap of the top 10 moments that shaped his time in Los Angeles, ranked from No. 10 to No. 1.
10. Claiming the inaugural NBA Cup
On Dec. 9, 2023, the Lakers defeated the Indiana Pacers in Las Vegas to win the league’s first In-Season Tournament. James scored 24 points in the final and earned tournament MVP honors, leading to a banner commemorating the new NBA Cup hanging at Crypto.com Arena.
9. First player to reach 40,000 career points
James became the NBA’s lone 40,000-point scorer on March 2, 2024, during a home loss to the Denver Nuggets. He enters the 2026-27 season with more than 43,000 points.
8. 56-point outburst vs. Golden State
On March 5, 2022, James poured in 56 points on 19-for-31 shooting, 6-for-11 from beyond the arc and 12-for-13 at the line, lifting the Lakers past a Warriors squad that later captured the 2022 title.
7. First points as a Laker
James debuted for Los Angeles on Oct. 18, 2018, in Portland and opened his Lakers scoring ledger with a breakaway dunk. He finished his stint with the franchise at 12,402 regular-season points.
6. Overtime dagger against Dillon Brooks
In Game 4 of the 2023 first-round series, James drove through contact from Memphis forward Dillon Brooks for a three-point play that sealed an overtime win. Los Angeles closed out the series with a 40-point Game 6 rout.
5. Steering the franchise after Kobe Bryant’s death
One day after passing Kobe Bryant on the all-time scoring list, James addressed fans at Staples Center on Jan. 31, 2020, honoring the late Lakers icon and providing leadership during a period marked by tragedy and, soon after, the COVID-19 shutdown.
4. Sharing the floor with Bronny James
Drafted 56th overall in 2024, Bronny James recovered from a 2023 cardiac arrest at USC to join his father in the NBA. The duo became the league’s first active father-son pair and combined for a pivotal 10-0 run in Game 3 of a 2025 first-round victory over Houston.
3. Play-In game-winner against Golden State
With 58 seconds left in the 2021 Play-In Tournament, James, momentarily blurred by contact to the face from Draymond Green, buried a deep three that secured a 103-100 win and a postseason berth.
2. Surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s scoring record
On Feb. 7, 2023, a fadeaway from the free-throw line vaulted James past Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the NBA’s career scoring lead. Abdul-Jabbar, courtside at Crypto.com Arena, congratulated the new record holder and handed him the game ball.
1. 2020 NBA championship and Finals MVP
James delivered the Lakers’ 17th title inside the Orlando bubble on Oct. 11, 2020, defeating the Miami Heat in six games. He averaged 29.8 points, 11.8 rebounds and 8.5 assists in the series, capturing his fourth Finals MVP award and restoring the franchise to the top of the league.
Source: LakersNation.com
