LeBron James.AP

LeBron James, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer and an iconic figure in the league’s history, has set a less flattering record by surpassing 5,000 career turnovers during a game against the Phoenix Suns.

Despite the negative connotation, turnovers are an inevitable outcome for players with extensive ball-handling responsibilities over long careers.

James surpassed Karl Malone’s previous record of 4,525 turnovers in 2021, and his new benchmark of 5,000 turnovers may prove challenging for future players to reach.

Other names on the list

LeBron James and Kevin Durant, who have had good chemistry, meet in NBA Seasonal TournamentRoberto Ortega

While turnovers are generally not celebrated statistics, the top players in the all-time turnover leaderboard, including legends such as John Stockton, Jason Kidd, and Magic Johnson, highlight that prolific ball handlers often accumulate such figures.

Although records are made to be broken, the active players closest to James on the turnover list, such as Russell Westbrook and James Harden, may not have the same opportunity to reach 5,000 given their career trajectories.

Comparing turnovers per game (TO PG) averages, LeBron James has an average of 3.50, while Russell Westbrook has 4.06, James Harden has 3.73, and Kevin Durant stands at 3.17.

Notably, LeBron has played significantly more games than the others, with 1,429 games in his 21-season career. Westbrook has played 1,101 games, recently surpassing 1,000, and Harden is a recent member of the 1,000 career game club with 1,002 games.

Durant is approaching this milestone with 994 games played. Despite variations in turnover averages, James’ higher number of games played showcases his enduring presence and longevity in the NBA.