LeBron James knocked down a pair of free throws while finishing with 17 points, nine assists and eight rebounds during the Los Angeles Lakers 125-100 win over the Phoenix Suns on Monday. In doing so, LeBron moved past Michael Jordan on the NBA’s all-time list for most free throws made. James has now connected on 7,328 shots from the charity strip throughout his career compared to the 7,327 made by Jordan.
While LeBron has struggled at times from the line, he’s a respectable 74% shooter overall for his career. Jordan, meanwhile, was an 84% free-thrower during his legendary run through the NBA. This season, James ranks in the top-30 in the NBA in terms of free throws attempted and free throws made. Houston Rockets star, James Harden, leads the league in both categories this year by a considerable margin.
More than being a marksman from the foul line, this milestone speaks to LeBron’s longevity along with his ability to consistently get to the basket and put the defense in a compromising position. James has gotten to the line an average of 5.9 times per game throughout his career. While that number is slightly down this season, he’s still shooting roughly four free throws per contest in his 17th year as a pro. At his current pace, he could pass Oscar Robertson for fourth on this list by the end of next season.
