Antetokounmpo Aims High: Chasing James’ Scoring Record

Milwaukee, WI — Giannis Antetokounmpo made a bold claim after scoring 29 points in a 116-99 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday night. This victory helped him become the sixth-youngest player to reach 21,000 career points, bringing his total to 21,002 points.

Among active players, only nine have hit this milestone. However, Antetokounmpo has set his sights on an even taller goal: breaking LeBron James‘ all-time scoring record of 42,250 points. Antetokounmpo expressed his ambition, saying, “I think to get to the top of the scoring list is not six, seven, eight years, I think it’s — in my opinion — four years away.”

Antetokounmpo, now in his 13th season, understands the challenge ahead. He would need to average 64.7 points per game over four years or 51.8 points per game over five years to catch up with James, calculations that most experts deem unrealistic.

“Four, five years from now, I might have four other kids. You know, my wife might have left me, who knows?” Antetokounmpo admitted, highlighting the uncertainties of life and career.

The star forward emphasized health as a significant factor. Historically, he has averaged 67.2 games played per season, indicating that staying injury-free will be crucial to achieving his goals. Should he remain healthy and continue to perform at this level, he could reach James’ total in about 10 years by averaging 31.7 points per game.

Alternatively, if he aims for longevity, he could stretch that out to about 11 years, averaging 28.8 points per game — more manageable given his current career average of 24 points per game.

Yet, the reality is complex. With each game James plays, he extends his lead, making it harder for contenders like Antetokounmpo to catch up. Despite the odds, the Greek Freak remains optimistic about his chances, stating, “It’s something that I want to do.”

As Antetokounmpo reflects on his career goals, he knows that achieving this record won’t be easy, especially as he ages and with the physical demands of professional basketball. However, the desire to challenge the greatest keeps him motivated.