Larry Bird vs LeBron James

1of 3 lines

2of 3 lines

Larry Bird and LeBron James compared on their NBA careers: Larry Bird played 13 seasons, 1979-80 to 1991-92, LeBron James 23 seasons, 2003-04 to 2025-26. Larry Bird averaged 24.3 points a game to LeBron James's 26.8. Larry Bird won 3 titles, LeBron James won 4 titles.

Who has the better career numbers?

LeBron James leads in 2 of the 3 lines, Larry Bird in 1. Bold marks the better figure; playing time — games, minutes, at-bats, innings — is not scored.

Larry Bird and LeBron James career per game

—	GP	1,622
—	MIN	37.6
24.3	PTS	26.8, better
10, better	REB	7.5
6.3	AST	7.4, better
—	STL	1.5
—	BLK	0.7
—	FG%	50.7
—	3P%	34.8
—	FT%	73.7
—	TS%	59

Career totals

Larry Bird and LeBron James career totals

21,791	PTS	43,440, better
8,974	REB	12,095, better
5,695	AST	12,016, better
—	STL	2,417
—	BLK	1,185
—	FG%	50.7
—	3P%	34.8
—	FT%	73.7
—	TS%	59

Where each stands all time

Larry Bird and LeBron James all-time places

40th (21,791)	Points	1st (43,440), better
57th (8,974)	Rebounds	22nd (12,095), better
48th (5,695)	Assists	4th (12,016), better
—	3-pointers made	6th (2,636), better
—	Steals	6th (2,417), better
—	Blocks	64th (1,185), better

Among the NBA players with a career line on file, regular season, counting stats only — the same lists the records pages run on.

Titles and awards

Larry Bird and LeBron James titles and awards

3	Championships	4, better
1	Rookie of the Year	1
1	All-Rookie First Team	1
9	All-NBA First Team	13, better
3, better	All-Defensive Second Team	1
1	All-Star MVP	3, better
3	MVP	4, better
2	Finals MVP	4, better
1	All-NBA Second Team	4, better
—	All-Defensive First Team	5, better
—	All-NBA Third Team	4, better

Awards come from the league’s published winner lists; a championship counts a season played for the club that won it.

Season by season

Lined up by career year, not by calendar: each row is the players’ nth season.

Larry Bird and LeBron James season by season

1st	1979-80	21.3, better	10.4, better	4.5	2003-04	20.9	5.5	5.9, better
2nd	1980-81	21.2	10.9, better	5.5	2004-05	27.2, better	7.4	7.2, better
3rd	1981-82	22.9	10.9, better	5.8	2005-06	31.4, better	7.0	6.6, better
4th	1982-83	23.6	11.0, better	5.8	2006-07	27.3, better	6.7	6.0, better
5th	1983-84	24.2	10.1, better	6.6	2007-08	30.0, better	7.9	7.2, better
6th	1984-85	28.7, better	10.5, better	6.6	2008-09	28.4	7.6	7.2, better
7th	1985-86	25.8	9.8, better	6.8	2009-10	29.7, better	7.3	8.6, better
8th	1986-87	28.1, better	9.2, better	7.6, better	2010-11	26.7	7.5	7.0
9th	1987-88	29.9, better	9.3, better	6.1	2011-12	27.1	7.9	6.2, better
10th	1988-89	19.3	6.2	4.8	2012-13	26.8, better	8.0, better	7.3, better
11th	1989-90	24.3	9.5, better	7.5, better	2013-14	27.1, better	6.9	6.3
12th	1990-91	19.4	8.5, better	7.2	2014-15	25.3, better	6.0	7.4, better
13th	1991-92	20.2	9.6, better	6.8	2015-16	25.3, better	7.4	6.8
14th	—	—	—	—	2016-17	26.4	8.6	8.7
15th	—	—	—	—	2017-18	27.5	8.6	9.1
16th	—	—	—	—	2018-19	27.4	8.5	8.3
17th	—	—	—	—	2019-20	25.3	7.8	10.2
18th	—	—	—	—	2020-21	25.0	7.7	7.8
19th	—	—	—	—	2021-22	30.3	8.2	6.2
20th	—	—	—	—	2022-23	28.9	8.3	6.8
21st	—	—	—	—	2023-24	25.7	7.3	8.3
22nd	—	—	—	—	2024-25	24.4	7.8	8.2
23rd	—	—	—	—	2025-26	20.9	6.1	7.2

What the columns mean: PTS · REB · AST