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Lakers' LeBron James Has Played Against Shocking Percentage of All Players in NBA History

Originally posted on Los Angeles Lakers on SI
By Sam Garcia | Last updated Aug 30, 2025 3:00 PM ET

LeBron James could be entering the final season of his historic NBA career this year.

He exercised his player option for the 2025-26 season in June with the Los Angeles Lakers. But the four-time NBA champion did not sign a contract extension, which marks the first time he will go into a season on an expiring contract.

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James could elect free agency after this season and continue his career or decide to wrap up what will be a record-breaking, 23-season long career.

Regardless of the route James chooses after this season, he has accomplished every feat in the NBA. He has won a championship with every team he has been on, he’s a multi-time All-Star, an Olympic Gold medalist and even became the first father-son duo to play on the same team at the same time in the NBA.

James is the only player in NBA history to score more than 40,000 career points. And through his double-decade career, James has played against 35% of all players in NBA history.

That 3rd nugget on Lebron is wild man pic.twitter.com/tCFDcO0YLA
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) July 13, 2025

The NBA was founded in June 1946 in New York City. James was born 38 years later on December 30, 1984.

He was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the No.1 overall pick in the 2003 draft straight out of St. Vincent-St. Mary High School.

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James went on to win the 2003-04 NBA Rookie of the Year Award and played five seasons with the Cavaliers before taking a four-season hiatus from the team to compete with the Miami Heat starting in 2010.

James returned to Cleveland for the 2014-15 season and played four more seasons with his hometown team before joining the Lakers in 2018.

James' Lakers Run

Since playing for Los Angeles, James has led the Lakers to an NBA championship in 2020, his fourth title. He became the face of the franchise for multiple seasons but is now in the process of passing that torch over to 26-year-old superstar Luka Doncic.

The Lakers traded for Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks in February. He immediately made an impact on the court and has influenced the franchise's front office decisions.

Doncic signed a three-year, $165 million contract extension with Los Angeles in August. And the five-time NBA All-Star said he wants to be the next guy to lead the Lakers to championship in the future.