Odds Suggest LeBron James Will Pass Michael Jordan By January 16th
- LeBron James has Michael Jordan in his crosshairs after becoming the fifth highest scorer in NBA history
- Can King James avoid injury and fatigue and pass his Airness by January 16th?
- Will LeBron be remembered as the greatest player of all time?
Michael Jordan’s GOAT status could be dealt a crushing blow on January 16th.
That’s the date that books believe LeBron James will pass Jordan to become the fourth highest scoring player in NBA history.
Odds LeBron James Passes Michael Jordan’s Career Points Total by January 16th
| Will LeBron James Pass Michael Jordan’s Points Total by January 16th? | Odds |
|---|---|
| Yes | -140 |
| No | +100 |
LeBron moved one step closer to that milestone on Wednesday night when he passed Wilt Chamberlain to move into fifth place. Consider that for just one moment. LeBron nudged past a player who once averaged 50.4 points per game despite the fact that scoring isn’t even James’ greatest skill. It’s a mind boggling accomplishment, and a true testament to LeBron’s unrivalled ability to dominate all facets of the game.
LeBron James passes Wilt Chamberlain in #PhantomCam! #LakeShow pic.twitter.com/vb1zghzRhi
— NBA (@NBA) November 15, 2018
There’s no question that LeBron will eventually leap over Jordan as well, but is January 16th a realistic date? Let’s crunch some numbers and find out.
The scoring elite in NBA history has a new member.@KingJames passes Wilt for 5th all-time. pic.twitter.com/v5DobAVUZp
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 15, 2018
The Lakers have 31 games between now and mid January. Assuming LeBron appears in all of those games, he will need to average 28 points per contest to edge past Jordan’s career total of 32,292.
It’s worth noting that LeBron is averaging a hair under 28 points at the moment (27.6), and has scored 28 points or more in seven of his first 14 games. He’s also appeared in every game the Lakers have played this season, and hasn’t missed a game since April 12th, 2017 when he sat out the Cavaliers’ final tip off of the year to rest before the playoffs.
Is LeBron a Safe Bet?
LeBron has made a habit of breaking records since entering the NBA, but the oddsmakers have given him very little room for error.
The Lakers have six back-to-backs between now and January 16th, and it’s easy to imagine LeBron sitting out one or more of those games for rest. If he misses as few as two games, he’ll need to average 29.9 points per contest to move past Jordan. The last time LeBron averaged that many points was during the 2007-08 season when he was 23 years old.
LeBron James is knocking on Michael Jordan’s door next. ? pic.twitter.com/bPJEh65etn
— NBA Memes (@NBAMemes) November 15, 2018
Of course, health is just one factor. LeBron will also have to avoid a shooting slump, remain free of mental and physical fatigue, and stay locked in on a nightly basis. That’s a lot to ask of any player, particularly a soon-to-be 34-year-old playing during the least important months of the NBA season.
King James plays for championships, not betting props.
LeBron knows he’ll pass Jordan eventually, and he won’t be motivated to unlock a new gear in mid-December just to hit a date proposed by a sportsbook. King James plays for championships, not betting props. Given everything that can go wrong, we’re playing it safe and putting our money on “No.”
This prop is only available until November 22nd, so act quickly if you’d like to make a wager.
Ryan worked as an Editor and resident Lead NBA and MLB Writer for SB from 2017-19. He has authored his own weekly columns for Fox Sports and AskMen, and has created successful campaigns for the WWE, the NHL, and the NFL. Ryan's critically acclaimed stories have been published in 20 books.
