LeBron James made NBA history once again on Thursday night, becoming the oldest player to record a triple-double at 41 years and 44 days old. The Los Angeles Lakers star achieved the milestone during a 124-104 victory over the Dallas Mavericks, finishing with 28 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds.
James secured his 10th rebound with 2:06 left in the fourth quarter, prompting a standing ovation as he checked out moments later. It was his 123rd career triple-double, the fifth-most in NBA history. The previous record was held by Karl Malone, who posted his final triple-double for the Lakers at 40 years and 127 days old in November 2003.
“I guess I’m more appreciative of moments like this in my career, understanding where I’m at, at the later stage of my journey,” James said. “You definitely take it in a little bit more.” The 41-year-old had not recorded a triple-double since 1 February 2025, the same day the Lakers acquired Luka Dončić in a seismic trade.
James led the Lakers from the opening tip, scoring or assisting on the team’s first 23 points. He had 14 points and six assists in the first quarter alone, and reached double-digit assists in the third period. His teammate Austin Reaves jokingly took blame for delaying the milestone after beating James to a rebound, drawing shouts from the bench.
Despite missing 18 games this season due to injury, James continues to perform at a high level, averaging 21.8 points, 6.9 assists and 5.7 rebounds. He will appear in his 22nd All-Star Game this weekend, having missed last year’s showcase due to injury. “I think what it represents is pretty cool – the fact that you can go out and have an impact in three facets of the game,” James added.
