LeBron James is on the precipice of arguably the NBA's single most hallowed individual accomplishment, and sportsbooks are coming along for the ride.
The closest thing to a challenger for the GOAT throne sits just 35 points back of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's career regular-season scoring mark, and LeBron James scoring record odds are all the rage at major outlets.
With King James set to add another tally to his pantheon resume, let's take a look at how bettors can get in on the chase with LeBron's odds to break the NBA career scoring record.
LeBron James scoring record odds
All odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook, as of February 6, 2023.
How will LeBron James break the scoring record?
| Scoring method | Odds |
|---|---|
| 2-point field goal | -150 |
| 3-point field goal | +260 |
| Free throw | +350 |
This market lets bettors get very specific — trying to figure out exactly how LeBron will break the record.
A 2-point field goal sits as the odds-on favorite, with good reason. James still takes a large majority of his shots inside the arc (69% of them this season), and there's the added intangible factor of a meticulously manicured showman like LeBron secretly wanting to break the record with an emphatic dunk.
But, with that said, it's worth noting that King James has evolved with the NBA's 3-point-happy curve, and the proportion of shots he takes from long range had increased each of the past six seasons — to a career-high 36.7% last year — before dipping slightly this season.
Free throws are, understandably, a dog here. Not only has LeBron's free-throw rate sunk noticeably since his, um "prime", he's a notoriously mediocre foul shooter whose .770 mark this season is his best showing over in a decade.
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When will LeBron James break the scoring record?
| Date/Opponent | Odds |
|---|---|
| Feb. 9 (vs. Bucks) | -205 |
| Feb. 7 (vs. Thunder) | +130 |
| Feb. 11 (vs. Warriors) | +850 |
| Feb. 13 (vs. Trail Blazers) | +3,500 |
| Feb. 28 (vs. Grizzlies) or later | +4,500 |
While the Knicks (how convenient) came into the season as the odds leader to share the court with LeBron for the monumental occasion, they missed the mark, and bettors who hit the "After" on that prop can cash in.
The current favorites are games vs. the Thunder and Bucks, the next two games on the Los Angeles Lakers' schedule. LeBron's on a scoring tear — averaging 30.0 ppg this season and 33.8 in January — and will almost certainly put the record to rest in short order, perhaps with a little emphasis after he spent this past weekend spotlit in the aftermath of the Kyrie Irving trade.
Anthony Davis' return obviously curbs LeBron's usage a little bit, but after what we saw from him over the past month, there can be little doubt that King James is fresh for the scoring record's stretch run.
