Sports
2 Vikings Land on ESPN’s Top 100 Free Agent List
Free agency is four days away, believe it or not, and according to ESPN, the Minnesota Vikings have two internal free agents on the Top 100 board this go-round: wide receiver Jalen Nailor and defensive tackle Javon Hargrave.
Nailor’s market looks lively, and Hargrave’s future feels unsettled as the Vikings prep for a busy free-agency week.
Hargrave hasn’t been officially released yet, but ESPN had no qualms rolling the dice on recent clues.
Minnesota’s Two Biggest “Keep or Go” Cases before the Market Opens, per ESPN
Vikings’ in-house free agency is pretty quiet this year.
Nailor = 58th-Best Free Agent per ESPN
ESPN’s Matt Bowen sized up the NFL’s Top 100 free agents, and Nailor was not excluded.
“What he brings: Nailor is more than willing to work the middle of the field, and he has the foot quickness to separate on out-breaking routes. With the ability to line up inside or outside, he has proved himself as a solid No. 3 option. He averaged 15.3 yards per catch and scored three touchdowns in 2025,” Bowen opined.
Recent reports suggest that about a dozen teams are interested in Nailor next week, so his market might be robust.
Hargrave at No. 96
Then, Hargrave, who hasn’t been technically released yet, got the nod from Bowen at No. 96.
He wrote, “What he brings: With the Vikings expected to release Hargrave, the veteran defensive tackle just makes our list because of his ability to rush from the interior. He has 49 career sacks, including 3.5 this past season. Hargrave also had 18 pass rush wins in 2025, which tied for 23rd at his position.”
The Vikings will reportedly try to trade Hargrave — which likely won’t amount to anything — and release him if that plan flops.
All in all, Hargrave’s stop in Minnesota will have lasted one season.
Who’s Missing
In addition to Nailor and Hargrave, these are Minnesota’s internal free agents this cycle:
- Ty Chandler (RB)
- Fabian Moreau (CB)
- Matt Nelson (LT)
- Jeff Okudah (CB)
- Ivan Pace Jr. (LB)
- Jalen Redmond (IDL)
- Bo Richter (EDGE)
- Brett Rypien (QB)
- Zavier Scott (RB)
- Justin Skule (LT)
- Ben Sims (TE)
- Harrison Smith (S)
- Taki Taimani (DT)
- Tavierre Thomas (CB)
- Carson Wentz (QB)
- Eric Wilson (LB)
- John Wolford (QB)
- Ryan Wright (P)
Smith likely didn’t factor into ESPN’s calculation because it’s common knowledge that he will either retire or return to Minnesota for Year No. 15.
Otherwise, Wilson probably should’ve earned a nod on Bowen’s list. He was signed as a veteran backup, slated to provide depth and contribute on special teams. By December, however, the situation had drastically shifted. Wilson had become a vital component of the defense. Opponents even began tailoring their game plans to account for him, a testament to his unexpectedly significant role.
Wilson’s performance was statistically dominant, too. He consistently penetrated the line, disrupting plays in the backfield. Among linebackers, he led the league in sacks and pressures and ranked near the top in forced fumbles, showcasing an unforeseen level of aggression.
At 31, the man enjoyed a career year, amassing 115 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, 10 quarterback hits, 6.5 sacks, and four forced fumbles. This production was a stark contrast to the previous year, when he was primarily viewed as a reserve and special teams player; the 2025 season completely redefined his role.
Even as he approaches 32, Minnesota will strongly consider re-signing Wilson for another season or two. Throughout the year, he consistently delivered impactful plays and reliable tackles. Initially brought in to support Cashman and Pace, Wilson ultimately became one of the defense’s most dependable assets.
Vikings Continue to Clear Cap Space
In the backdrop, the Vikings continue to clear cap space for free agency next week. They began the offseason about $40 million underwater, needing to make tough decisions to get salary cap compliant.
So far, reports have indicated that Minnesota will part ways with running back Aaron Jones — who oddly wasn’t mentioned by ESPN — in addition to defensive tackles Jonathan Allen and the aforementioned Hargrave. The older free-agent solutions from the last couple of offseasons did not stick around for long.
It’s also worth noting that Minnesota is operating without an official general manager. The franchise fired Kwesi Adofo-Mensah on January 30th after four years of lousy drafts and the fact that former Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold proved he could reach and win the Super Bowl in Seattle.
Free agency’s “legal tampering” period begins Monday. The Vikings are expected to target help for the defensive secondary, perhaps a center, an off-ball linebacker (if Wilson isn’t re-signed), and maybe a running back to replace Jones.
Sports
Sinkhole opens at historic golf course, revealing a stunning find
Golf courses are burial grounds for many things: lost balls, drainage pipes, unrealistic expectations.
At a club in England this week, the ground opened up to reveal something else: a long-sealed wine cellar.
The discovery came at Davyhulme Park Golf Club, outside Manchester, where a sinkhole formed on the 13th hole and exposed a brick-lined chamber beneath. Inside were wine bottles of assorted shapes and sizes, all of them empty but brimming with history.
In a report first published by the BBC, deputy head greenskeeper Steve Hopkins said he encountered the sinkhole during his morning rounds. Assuming a collapsed drainpipe, he fetched a digger to investigate. Instead of infrastructure trouble, he unearthed a relic.
The cellar is believed to have served Davyhulme Hall, a manor dating to the 12th-century reign of Henry II. The hall was demolished in 1888.
“I was basically the first person to go in there for over a hundred years,” Hopkins told the BBC.
Unlike the storied wine cellar at Augusta National Golf Club, this one holds nothing worth uncorking. But it does offer a taste of the club’s past.
The site of the sinkhole sits in a portion of the property known as “The Cellars,” which once served as a workers’ entrance. According to the club’s published history, Davyhulme Hall passed through generations before being inherited in 1844 by Robert Henry Norreys, known locally as Squire Bob.
The club, which proclaims itself the fourth-oldest golf club in England, began as nine holes. By 1931, after acquiring additional land, it expanded to 18, with the design work handled by the club’s professional, Ernest Smith, a character of some note. Smith would later earn a place in the Guinness World Records for playing golf in five countries within 24 hours, flying by light aircraft from Scotland and looping through the U.K. and Ireland in a single day.
In gratitude for his architectural work, the club granted Smith honorary membership, a rare gesture in an era when professionals were rarely welcomed into clubhouses as peers. Two years later, according to the club’s website, he eloped to South America with the daughter of a member to whom he had been giving “lessons.” The club’s history puts that word in quotes before noting, with admirable understatement: “This caused quite a stir.”
So has the cellar.
Per Hopkins’ account to the BBC, members have already begun debating what should become of it. Some have suggested preserving it as a feature of the course. For now, though, it doesn’t appear to be interfering with play.
Sports
Ducks sign forward Ryan Poehling to 4-year deal
Jan 23, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Anaheim Ducks center Ryan Poehling (25) celebrates scoring a goal against the Seattle Kraken during the first period at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images Ryan Poehling is staying put in Anaheim after the forward signed a new four-year contract Ducks on Friday.
Poehling would have become an unrestricted free agent this summer. The Ducks did not disclose financial terms, but multiple media outlets reported that the contract is worth a total of $15 million.
Poehling, 27, signed his current two-year contract with Philadelphia but was traded to Anaheim last June in the deal that sent Trevor Zegras to the Flyers. Through 54 games in his first season with the Ducks, he has tallied 24 points (seven goals, 17 assists).
A first-round draft pick by Montreal in 2017, Poehling has played in 337 career games and amassed 119 points (50 goals, 69 assists) for the Canadiens (2018-20, 2021-22), Pittsburgh Penguins (2022-23), Flyers (2023-25) and Ducks. –Field Level Media
Sports
Former Packers president Bob Harlan dies at 89
Bob Harlan, the Green Bay Packers’ president and CEO for nearly two decades, overseeing the franchise’s return to consistent winning, has died at 89.
The Packers announced Thursday that Harlan passed away in Green Bay after a brief illness. Team historian Cliff Christl said Harlan had recently been hospitalized with pneumonia.
Harlan, father of longtime sports broadcaster Kevin Harlan, joined the NFL’s only publicly owned team in 1971.
He was elected president and CEO in 1989, serving until his retirement in January 2008.

“Bob restored the Packers’ tradition of excellence, winning a Super Bowl and renovating Lambeau Field into the iconic venue it is today,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “He also contributed substantially to our league, helping ensure that all cities, large or small, could be successful.”
During Harlan’s tenure, the Packers had 13 straight winning seasons from 1992-2004, won a Super Bowl during the 1996 season and got back the Super Bowl the following year. Harlan also was the Packers’ president/CEO during the $295 million redevelopment of Lambeau Field.
“Bob was a visionary leader whose impact on the franchise was transformational,” Packers president/CEO Ed Policy said in a statement. “From his inspired hiring of (general manager) Ron Wolf to turn around the club’s on-field fortunes to his tireless work to redevelop Lambeau Field, Bob restored the Packers to competitive excellence during his tenure and helped ensure our unique and treasured flagship NFL franchise was on sound footing for sustained generational success.
“We send our deepest sympathies to his wife, Madeline, and the entire Harlan family.”
Harlan’s selection of Wolf as general manager came in 1991. At the time, the Packers had made just two playoff appearances since winning back-to-back Super Bowls in the 1966 and 1967 seasons.
Wolf reversed the Packers’ fortunes by acquiring Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre in a trade with the Atlanta Falcons and adding Hall of Fame pass rusher Reggie White in free agency.
“Bob Harlan’s leadership of the Green Bay Packers was outstanding,” Favre said in a statement released by the team. “Hiring Ron Wolf and supporting the trade that brought me to Green Bay changed my career. The organization believed in me and gave me the opportunity.
“He was so supportive of me during the challenges I faced in my career. Challenges my family faced, too. He was always there offering his support. He was a great and kind man.”
Sports
Canucks trade Conor Garland to Blue Jackets
Garland is in the final year of a five-year deal that’s worth $4.95 million annually. There is no salary retention by the Canucks in the trade.
“Conor is a versatile player who brings great energy to the lineup every night and we couldn’t be more excited to welcome he and his family to Columbus, said general manager Don Waddell in a statement.
“He has tremendous character, plays a reliable two-way game and will be an important part of our club now and in the future.”

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Garland signed a six-year, $36-million contract extension with Vancouver on July 1, 2025, that is set to kick in for the 2026-27 season.
The 29-year-old had been with the Canucks since being acquired via trade in the 2021 off-season.
In 50 games this season, he has seven goals and 19 assists for 26 points.
Across 535 career games, he has 317 points (129 goals and 188 assists).
Sports
Down goes No. 1! Emerald Ridge stuns top-seeded Mount Si, rolls to 4A semis
Mount Si was the No. 1 seed in the 4A state tournament, but it felt like No. 7 Emerald Ridge wasn’t clued in to that fact. Considering how fast the Jaguars came out of the gate on Thursday, the energy felt as carefree and loose as a January game in South Hill.
Emerald Ridge wasn’t afraid or intimated by the number next to Mount Si’s name. The Jaguars started fast, leading 36-31 at half and controlling the action for most of the game. When Mount Si finally rallied in the fourth quarter, it was too little, too late.
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Emerald Ridge hung to win, 67-62, stunning the top-seeded Wildcats.
“It’s a huge win,” said guard Jordan Bennett, who scored 15 points. “Nobody believed in us coming into this and we just knocked off the No. 1 seed. That shows how much we’ve built as a program and built as a team.”
The fast start was key, according to Jaguars coach Pat Mullen.
“We wanted to make sure that we were the first ones — we didn’t want to react to them, we wanted to make sure we were the ones making them react to us,” Mullen said. “We didn’t want to play on our heels, we wanted to make sure we were playing downhill. Our guys did a good job of that.”
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Emerald Ridge 6-foot-7 forward Jamaize McGriff, the team’s heartbeat, went to the bench early in the second quarter after picking up his second foul, but Emerald Ridge never skipped a beat.
“Next man up, basically,” Bennett said. “We know we can’t play the whole season. Maybe an injury happens. So we know we can’t play that game, just next man up.”
Bouncy Mount Si forward Latt Ford had his moments and scored 23 points, but Emerald Ridge’s guards kept pace. Bennett scored 15, Ellis Mosley scored a team-high 19, Mychal Turner scored 13 and Darius Alexander scored seven. McGriff added nine.
Even before Thursday’s game tipped off, Emerald Ridge had already made history. Wednesday’s win over Redmond was the first state tournament win for the program. Now, new heights, again.
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An entirely different challenge awaits: Defensive-minded No. 5 Gonzaga Prep, the defending state champion, which defeated Puyallup in double overtime in the game before Emerald Ridge’s game.
“Probably one of the top three programs in the state in the last 10 years,” Mullen said. “They’re solid, they do things the right way, they make you work for every possession. So it’s another great challenge for us. We’ve just gotta get ourselves down to earth and come out the way we play.”
Emerald Ridge faces Gonzaga Prep at 7:15 p.m. on Thursday in the semifinals at the Tacoma Dome.
Sports
Brian Flores Catches Online Jab from Soon-to-Be Cut Defender
Apparently, Javon Hargrave attributes some of his modest production to what defensive coordinator Brian Flores asked of him. Or, at least, that’s one way of interpreting the drama that’s unfolding on Twitter.
Known as Gravedigger — unreal nickname — Hargrave is going to be released after his debut season with the Vikings resulted in just 3.5 sacks. Note that he retweeted a comment that lays part of the production shortage at the feet of Coach Flores. A person said, “If you’re DL and wanna get to the QB, Brian Flores’ system is not for you.” Hargrave shared the idea, possibly confirming the words contained therein.
Brian Flores, Javon Hargrave, & The Vikings’ D-Line
Begin with the context of the back-and-forth playing out online. It’s a decent bit.
ESPN’s Kevin Seifert shared the news of Jonathan Allen being cut soon. Consider what the Vikings writer said: “Add Jonathan Allen to the list of veteran players who will be departing the Vikings, including Aaron Jones and Javon Hargrave. His departure saves $6.5 million in cap space. Vikings are also open to trading Jonathan Greenard. Ryan Kelly’s status is in question as well.”
In response, there’s the post about Coach Flores having a scheme that doesn’t prioritize defensive linemen stacking up stats. Hargrave shared the idea, as mentioned up top. One way of interpreting the social media share is that Hargrave is signalling his agreement that defensive tackles don’t shine with huge stats while playing for Minnesota’s DC.
Seifert noticed the hubbub, sending out another thought: “This is not a new critique. In this 2023 story, Harrison Phillips talked about the role of DL in that version of the Flores scheme but essentially said it was hard to argue with the overall results.”
Want more? Probably not, but here goes nothing.
Matthew Coller responded to the exchange with his own thoughts: “Interesting! Talked with Phillips in ’24 as it related to PFF grades. He said DL are asked to move O-linemen or jump gaps to draw the lineman with them to open up for LBs rushing or edge players looping inside. It doesn’t grade well cuz there’s no ‘pass rush win’ but it works.”
Bringing everything together is that Javon Hargrave retweeted the whole thing. There’s Coller quoting Seifert who is quoting someone named Marcello who is quoting Seifert (my head hurts; Twitter’s version of Inception?). Hargrave retweeted the tweet-inside-a-tweet exchange.
There’s a case to be made that the veteran is taking a jab at the DC on his way out the door. Keep in mind that former co-workers of Flores have shared critiques in the past, such as Mike Pettine earlier in this offseason.
An odd detail within the exchange is that Harrison Phillips (nickname: Horrible Harry) was quite productive in purple. In fact, Phillips had beefy stats in 2023 — Coach Flores had just taken over as the DC — piling up 92 tackles and 3 sacks.
Moving forward, the Vikings are going to rally around Jalen Redmond. He’s young, cheap, and very productive. NFL offensive linemen consistently have trouble corralling him, so he’s going to be leaned on as a foundational piece.
Meanwhile, Hargrave — a good player — is going to find work.
Sports
Scheifele has goal and assist to lead Jets over Lightning
Morgan Barron, Gustav Nyquist and Kyle Connor, into an empty net, also scored for Winnipeg (25-26-10), which extended its home winning streak against Tampa Bay to five games. Connor Hellebuyck made 26 saves.
Brayden Point replied for Tampa Bay (38-18-4). Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 26 shots as the Lightning saw their losing streak reach four games.
The Jets controlled the pace for much of the night and continued a strong trend by scoring the game’s first goal for the 17th time in 23 games in 2026.
Winnipeg appeared to extend its lead to 4-1 earlier in the third period on a Kyle Connor shot, but the goal was overturned after a video review confirmed the play was offside.
Connor eventually got his goal with an empty-netter at 17:59.
Point’s goal 1:52 into the third period spoiled Hellebuyck’s shutout bid. Jake Guentzel picked up an assist on the play, which allowed him to match his total assist (39) output from all of last season.
Jets: Winnipeg continued its dominance over the Lightning at Canada Life Centre, picking up a fifth consecutive home victory against Tampa Bay. The Jets have outscored the Lightning 26-13 in those games.
Lightning: Tampa Bay’s usually high-powered offence struggled to find its rhythm.
After the Lightning cut the lead to 2-1 early in the third period, Nyquist scored his first goal in 41 regular-season games dating back to last season. It restored Winnipeg’s two-goal cushion and halted Tampa Bay’s comeback momentum.
Hellebuyck improved his career record against Vasilevskiy to 8-2-1.
Jets: Host the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday.
Lightning: Visit the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday.
Sports
Igor Tudor confident he can keep Tottenham in Premier League
Igor Tudor claimed to have more belief Tottenham would stay up despite a 3-1 home loss to Crystal Palace piling the pressure on the interim boss.
West Ham’s win at Fulham on Wednesday started a disastrous 24-hour period for the north London club with this fifth straight defeat for Spurs meaning they are only one point above the Premier League relegation zone with nine fixtures left.
Dominic Solanke’s 34th-minute opener looked to have turned the tide for Tottenham, but stand-in captain Micky van de Ven was inexplicably sent off four minutes later and they conceded three times during the remainder of the first half.
Plenty of Spurs fans headed for the exit doors at half-time and while Tudor’s depleted group showed some spirit in the second half, this latest defeat extended the club’s winless run to 11 matches, which is a new club record in the Premier League.
Tudor was hired last month to provide an upturn in results, but instead has become the first Tottenham manager in the Premier League era to lose his first three matches and had to face questions over his future after full-time.
Asked if he expected the Spurs hierarchy to let him carry on, Tudor responded: “I don’t think in that direction. I have my job to do and that’s all.
“Of course I understand the fans. It’s a normal thing that happens in football. They are disappointed. They wanted more. We are aware of that.
“We also wanted to give more. Unfortunately this is the moment that we pay everything. One red card change everything.
“I will tell you now maybe it will sound strange, but I believe more after this game than I believed before. I saw something.
“I need to choose the right guys because the boat is going in the direction that I want to go and needs to go and who is in the boat can stay. Otherwise they can bow down, or how do you say that, leave the boat.
“So, when the other players will come back and choosing the right (players), I’m sure we will have a good team and the victories will come back. It’s not easy to accept the moment where we are now but it is how it is.”
It was a different story for Crystal Palace and they are now 10 points above the bottom three after an Ismaila Sarr brace was sandwiched between a fine strike by Jorgen Strand Larsen.
Sarr could have walked away with a hat-trick had his 29th-minute effort not been ruled out for offside, which VAR images showed was due to his nose.
Oliver Glasner said: “We played a very good first half in total. Started very well, did well, scored a goal and we all felt we were 1-0 up. Then it is disallowed and I said to Ismaila your nose is too long!
“Then all of a sudden two minutes later one poor defending after a set-play and we are 1-0 down, but I really loved the reaction of the group.
“All of a sudden the crowd and stadium was loud, it looked like it gave them a little bit of belief and then immediately we are on the front foot again.
“We get the penalty, the red card and then score another two fantastic goals before half-time so really great.”
Sports
Major records set in Wankhede thriller as India beat England to reach second straight T20 World Cup final | Cricket News
NEW DELHI: India pulled off a thrilling seven-run victory over England in the semi-final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at the iconic Wankhede Stadium on Thursday, booking their spot in the final for the second consecutive edition.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!It was a run-fest in Mumbai, with both teams combining for a total of 499 runs, the second-highest aggregate in Men’s T20Is after South Africa and West Indies posted 517 runs at Centurion in 2023. Remarkably, three of the top four highest T20I match aggregates involve India, including a 496-run thriller against New Zealand in Thiruvananthapuram earlier this year.
Highest match aggregates in Men’s T20Is
- 517 – SA vs WI, Centurion, 2023
- 499 – IND vs ENG, Mumbai WS, 2026
- 496 – IND vs NZ, Thiruvananthapuram, 2026
- 489 – IND vs WI, Lauderhill, 2016
- 488 – NZ vs AUS, Auckland, 2018
- 488 – Bulgaria v Serbia, Sofia, 2022
Asked to bat first, India posted a massive 253/7, with Sanju Samson leading the charge with 89 off 42 balls, including eight fours and seven sixes. Support came from Shivam Dube (43 off 25) and Ishan Kishan (39 off 18). Late blitzes from Tilak Varma (21 off 7) and Hardik Pandya (27 off 12) propelled India to the highest total in a T20 World Cup knockout match.England fought back fiercely. Jacob Bethell produced a stunning maiden T20I century, scoring 105, becoming the first player to score his first-class, List A, and T20 centuries in international cricket. He was well supported by Will Jacks (77-run partnership with Bethell), but England fell short at 246/7, just seven runs shy of the target.The match smashed multiple T20 World Cup records: 34 sixes and a total of 73 boundaries (including 39 fours), both the highest ever in a T20 World Cup match. Most sixes in a T20 World Cup match
- 34 – IND vs ENG, Mumbai WS, 2026 SF
- 31 – WI vs ZIM, Mumbai WS, 2026
- 30 – NED vs IRE, Sylhet, 2014
- 28 – IND vs ZIM, Chennai, 2026
- 25 – ENG vs ITA, Kolkata, 2026
England’s campaign was powered by a record 226 runs from the No.6 or lower position across the edition, led by Will Jacks (SR: 176.56).Most runs from No.6 or lower in a T20 WC edition
- 226 – Will Jacks in 2026 (SR: 176.56)
- 218 – Misbah-ul-Haq in 2007 (SR: 139.74)
- 175 – Cameron White in 2010 (SR: 149.57)
- 171 – Michael Hussey in 2010 (SR: 172.72)
- 167 – Sam Curran in 2026 (SR: 120.14)
Other historic milestones included three of the top five highest individual scores in T20 World Cup knockouts in this tournament: Bethell’s 105, Finn Allen’s 100, and Samson’s 89. Highest individual scores in T20 World Cup knockouts
- 105 – Jacob Bethell vs IND, Mumbai WS, 2026
- 100* – Finn Allen vs SA, Kolkata, 2026 SF
- 96* – Tillakaratne Dilshan vs WI, The Oval, 2009 SF
- 89* – Virat Kohli vs WI, Mumbai WS, 2016 SF
- 89 – Sanju Samson vs ENG, Mumbai WS, 2026
Team India now joins Pakistan (2007 & 2009) and Sri Lanka (2012 & 2014) as teams playing consecutive T20 World Cup finals, while making it to their fourth T20 WC final overall, the most by any team.India will now face New Zealand in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday, aiming to defend their title and cap off a record-breaking campaign.
Sports
LeBron James breaks Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s NBA record for career field goals
DENVER — LeBron James has surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most field goals in NBA history.
James hit a turnaround 12-foot jumper over Zeke Nnaji with 12 seconds left in the first quarter of the Los Angeles Lakers‘ game against the Denver Nuggets on Thursday night.
The bucket gave James 15,838 career field goals in his unprecedented 23rd NBA season. Abdul-Jabbar had 15,837 baskets when the skyhook-wielding big man ended his 20-year career in 1989 as the NBA’s career scoring leader. Karl Malone is a distant third with 13,528 field goals.
James passed Abdul-Jabbar to become the top scorer in NBA history in February 2023. James was already the top scorer in NBA playoff history, and he surpassed 50,000 career points in the regular season and postseason combined a year ago.
James has already attempted more field goals than any NBA player — 31,274 entering Thursday night, including more than 7,500 3-pointers.
Abdul-Jabbar, the low-post virtuoso who made more than 50% of his shots in 19 straight seasons to start his career, attempted only 28,307 field goals — and just 18 of them were 3-pointers after the shot was introduced to the league midway through his career.
Abdul-Jabbar was a career 55.9% shooter, while James has hit 51.6% of his shots.
James tied Abdul-Jabbar’s record with his second basket of the game, an alley-oop dunk from Luca Doncic that cut Denver’s early lead to 16-7.
Now 41, James regularly sets NBA records for longevity and career achievements — most recently becoming the oldest player to get a triple-double last month.
Before tipoff, Lakers coach J.J. Redick compared his superstar to another iconic American virtuoso: the Boss.
“Yeah, I’m a big Bruce Springsteen fan, and I would probably say his early albums really, really get me going,” Redick said. “There’s a youthfulness to him, you know, in energy. ‘Nebraska’ is actually my favorite album of all time. And that’s very different from what he had done that far in his career. And then you can kind of see the evolution of him as a singer-songwriter. and then he comes out with the greatest hits. And you’re like, ‘Wow, this is pretty good.’
“And then after that he comes out with ‘The Rising,’ which is one of the most important albums of the 2000s. So, you get to the end and you’re like, ‘Holy man, this guy’s greatest hits are like insane.’ And LeBron’s greatest hits, right? He just keeps adding to them. He just plays and plays and plays and the greatest hits, he’s got a hell of a catalog.”
Even more history awaits James later in March, barring injury: The Lakers’ visit to the Nuggets was the 1,606th regular-season game of his career, putting him just five games behind Robert Parish (1,611) for the most in NBA history. James already holds the league’s career record for playoff games with 292.
James says he hasn’t decided whether to return to the Lakers next season, but he believes he could keep playing at a high level indefinitely. He was selected for the All-Star Game for the 22nd time in his career despite missing 18 games due to injury, precluding him from consideration for the postseason All-NBA teams.
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