LeBron James makes history as the oldest player to achieve a triple-double in the NBA during the Lakers’ victory.

LeBron James Sets Record with Triple-Double at 41

LOS ANGELES — LeBron James made history on Thursday night, becoming the oldest player in NBA history to achieve a triple-double at 41 years and 44 days. This milestone came during the Los Angeles Lakers’ 124-104 win against the Dallas Mavericks.

He secured his 10th rebound with just over two minutes left in the game, finishing with 28 points and 12 assists. The crowd erupted in a standing ovation as he completed his 123rd career triple-double, placing him fifth on the all-time list.

Interestingly, this wasn’t just any triple-double; it marked the Lakers’ last one, which James had recorded at 40 years and 127 days. That broke a record that had stood for 22 years.

James reflected afterward, stating, “I think I’ve come to appreciate moments like this more in my career and understand where I’m at in the later stages of my journey.” He also seemed to embrace the significance of the achievement.

While James continues to perform well in his 23rd NBA season, this was his first triple-double since February 1, 2025, against the Knicks.

This night is particularly memorable in Lakers lore due to the surprising trade that brought Luka Doncic to the team.

Prior to James, the record for oldest player achieving a triple-double was held by Karl Malone, who did so back in November 2003 during his final season.

In fact, James has been close to breaking this record several times over the past year, finally reaching it in a game just before the All-Star break.

He shared, “I think what it represents is pretty cool, which is the fact that you can go out and impact three aspects of the game. Rebounding. Assisting, which is what I love most. And, of course, scoring. It’s pretty amazing to touch all three areas of the game.”

With Doncic sidelined due to a minor hamstring issue in the previous game, James came out strong after battling his own injury.

James was energetic from the start, contributing 14 points and six assists in the first quarter alone, effectively accounting for the Lakers’ first 23 points.

By halftime, he had tallied 18 points, eight assists, and four rebounds.

He reached double-digit assists in the third quarter, but was pulled in the fourth, needing just three more rebounds for the triple-double.

There was a near miss earlier in the game when teammate Austin Reeves collided with him, drawing some playful reprimands from the rest of the team. Reeves explained, “I don’t usually look at the stats during the game, so when I went to the bench, everyone filled me in. I felt bad; I looked at LeBron and said, ‘Shoot, it’s my fault.’”

Despite missing 18 games this season due to injuries, James will be making his 22nd All-Star appearance this weekend. However, this absence means he won’t be eligible for the 22nd All-NBA team by season’s end.

As of this game, James averaged 21.8 points, 6.9 assists, and 5.7 rebounds per game. The Lakers find themselves in a competitive spot for the Western Conference playoffs, even though James, Doncic, and Reeves have only played together in ten games this season.