When the NBA’s Opening Night arrives on Tuesday, it will mark the 81st season in the League’s history.
Being an octogenarian means lots of history, stats, records, and milestones have piled up, and there are several more on the horizon. These involve the league’s biggest stars, several head coaches, and even franchise milestones that are potentially on the line.
LeBron James: Most Game-Winning Buzzer Beaters
It comes as no surprise that Michael Jordan has the most game-winning buzzer-beaters in NBA history—both regular-season and postseason—with nine.
There are three players who have eight, with sadly only two still alive and just one still active. Kobe Bryant, Joe Johnson, and LeBron James each have eight buzzer beaters that have won games; James, who may never catch Jordan’s six rings, can match His Airness with a ninth game-winner.
Nikola Jokic: Most Career Triple-Doubles
Oscar Robertson’s record for most career triple-doubles stood for 59 years before Russell Westbrook surpassed it.
That was just in 2021, as Westbrook’s spot atop the mountain may last just five years as Jokic is only 12 away from topping Westbrook. Jokic enters the 2026–27 NBA season with 198, Westbrook at 209, and the Serbian center has essentially averaged a triple-double in every other game over the last two seasons, putting him on pace to achieve the record just before Christmas.
James Harden, Steph Curry, DeMar DeRozan: Points Plateaus
Harden may not score the 2,081 points needed to pass Wilt Chamberlain on the all-time scoring list, but he should surely get the 661 points needed to reach 30,000 career points.
He’d become the ninth player of that club, while a couple of his peers are knocking on 27,000 career points. DeRozan needs 289 points to reach that mark, while Curry is just 472 points shy of 27,000. They would become the 15th and 16th players in NBA history to record that many regular-season points.
Lauri Markkanen: 10,000 Points and No Playoffs
Not every milestone is one to be celebrated, which Markkanen is about to realize.
With 677 points this season, which could come in roughly 30 games, he’ll reach 10,000 career points. While that’s a nice round number, Markkanen has never seen the postseason as he enters his 10th NBA season.
Just one other player has ever scored 10,000 points without a playoff appearance, and that’s Tom Van Arsdale, who has the most points (14,232) without ever appearing in the playoffs.
Rick Carlisle: Games, Wins, Playoff Victories
This season marks the 25th season Rick Carlisle has led a team, making him the 10th coach in league history to reach that milestone.
He’s just 31 wins away from passing Rick Adelman (1,042) for most regular-season wins, which would put Carlisle in the top 10 all-time.
If the Pacers can make the postseason and an NBA Finals run, as they did just two years ago, then Carlisle can make more history. He needs 14 playoff wins to reach the 100-win club in the postseason, a feat accomplished by only seven other coaches, and Indiana won 15 playoff games in the 2025 postseason.
Washington Wizards: 3,000 Losses
With Trae Young, Anthony Davis, and No. 1 overall pick, AJ Dybantsa, in tow, expectations are high in the nation’s capital. But if the team doesn’t live up to those expectations, then it could join a dubious club.
The Wizards franchise enters the year with 2,944 losses, which means a 26–56 record, or worse, would thrust it into the 3,000-loss club.
Only five others have 3,000 losses (Kings, Pistons, Warriors, Knicks, Hawks), and it’s certainly inevitable that Washington will eventually get there. But after losing 64-plus games each of the last three seasons, the Wizards would prefer to join the club later rather than sooner.
Draymond Green, Rudy Gobert: Most All-Defensive Selections
There are 26 players in league history who have garnered at least 10 All-NBA Team selections. However, reaching double-digit All-Defensive Team selections is an even more exclusive club.
Just five have at least 10 nods: Tim Duncan (15), Kevin Garnett (12), Kobe Bryant (12), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (11), and Scottie Pippen (10).
Two active players are knocking on that door, with Green and Gobert each having nine selections.
Gobert has made an All-Defensive team in each of the last three years, while Green has just one such selection over the last three seasons. Both could conceivably reach No. 10 this year, but it’s likely they’re competing for votes, and only one will become the club’s sixth member.
