LeBron James is closing in on being the all-time leading scorer in NBA history. This has caused debate whether James is one of the all-time great scorers in the league. Or is it simply longevity that got him here.

The truth is, it’s both.

Playing as many seasons as James has and staying relatively healthy of course helps him obtain more points.

He got started at 19-years-old, younger than most NBA players. He’s played 19 seasons and counting. More than most of his peers do.

He’s had some bumps and bruises the past couple years that have caused him to miss some weeks. But nothing serious to lose an entire year or significantly slow him down physically.

Lebron James is still a freak athlete at 38-years-old.

But he’s also one of the greatest scorers in league history. That’s not debatable.

Scoring is about putting the ball in the basket, right? That’s still how that’s done?

Whether you dunk it, shoot it, or throw it in the hoop. They all count in the box score.

Even if we say James having the most points ever is based on longevity. He still has the fifth highest points per game average in league history. That’s not due to longevity.

It’s because he’s a great scorer. Sure, James doesn’t shoot threes like Steph, or have the hook shot like Kareem, he can score in multiple ways.

He can drive it, hit the mid-range fadeaway and occasionally spot-up threes. He’s a 34 percent three-point shooter for his career. Not elite by any means, but not horrible either.

James doesn’t need to be regarded as one of the great scorers of the game. He’s one of the best players of all-time. Whether you have him first, second, or in the top five, he’s one of the greats.