As LeBron James approaches his 21st NBA season, several uncertainties arise, with the most crucial being the duration of his remaining time on the court. James stands on the brink of equaling Vince Carter’s NBA record for the most seasons played (22), yet he also secured the all-time scoring record last season.

In response to this, Shaquille O’Neal, another esteemed figure from the Los Angeles Lakers, offered his perspective on the matter, as reported by ESPN.

The initial statement, indicating that “he wants to take [the record],” hints that O’Neal might possess insights into LeBron’s career intentions. Indicating an intention to “take” the record to a level where it remains unbroken for the next 60-70 years suggests that James intends to play for a duration sufficient for achieving such a feat.

Although LeBron James theoretically could achieve top-of-the-league scoring numbers again in his 21st year, the total aggregate of points he accumulates considering the games he’s likely to miss due to injury and rest may not be sufficient to establish a significant lead in the record books.

Even if LeBron were to retire at this moment, it’s highly improbable that anyone would surpass his record for many decades to come. Offensive inflation, driven by teams scoring increasingly more points each year due to the growing emphasis on the 3-point shot and a faster pace of play, will inevitably result in higher scoring averages for select players. However, the likelihood of those same players maintaining such high levels of performance for as long as LeBron has is minimal.

Consequently, it’s unsurprising that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s record, which LeBron recently surpassed, endured from 1989 to 2023. To surpass LeBron’s record, one would need to identify a player capable of consistently producing at a level similar to LeBron’s for a duration likely longer than LeBron’s career (accounting for this season and any future seasons he plays).