LeBron James shines on his 38th birthday

LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 30: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during the game against the Sacramento Kings on April 30, 2021 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2021 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Los Angeles Lakers have an ageless wonder one their roster. To many LeBron James of Akron, Ohio is simply known as “The King.” In our list of the greatest players of all-time, we have him at number four.

On Friday, James turned 38 years old and shined on his birthday in a 130-121 win over the Atlanta Hawks. The first overall pick in the 2003 National Basketball Association Draft had an impressive double-double, as he posted 47 points and 10 rebounds in 39 minutes and 39 seconds. James also had nine assists, one block shot, a field goal percentage of .667 (made 18 of 27 field goal attempts), a free throw percentage of .778 (made seven of nine free throws), and a three-point percentage of .667 (made four of six three point attempts).

In the process, James became the fourth player in NBA history to have 45 points or more at the age of 38 years of age or older according to nba.com. The other three players to accomplish the feat were Michael Jordan of Brooklyn, New York, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar of New York, New York, and Jamal Crawford of Seattle, Washington.

Jordan scored 51 points for the Washington Wizards in a 107-90 win over the Charlotte Hornets on December 29, 2001 at the age of 38. He then had 45 points two nights later on New Year’s Eve, 2001, in a 98-76 Wizards win over the New Jersey Nets. Jordan’s third time reaching the scoring mark came on February 1, 2003, 16 days before his 40th birthday. He scored 45 points in a 109-104 Wizards win over the New Orleans Hornets.

Abdul-Jabbar had 46 points while with the Lakers in a 117-95 win over the Houston Rockets on February 6, 1986 at age 38. Crawford had 51 points with the Phoenix Suns in a 120-109 Suns loss to the Dallas Mavericks on April 9, 2019.

With the win on Friday, the Lakers improved to a record of 15 wins and 21 losses. Even though Los Angeles beat Atlanta, they have only won twice in their last seven.

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