LeBron James finally passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the leading scorer in NBA history on Tuesday, breaking a 39-year-old record that many across basketball believed would never be beaten. The Los Angeles Lakers star, playing in his 20th season in the NBA, surpassed Abdul-Jabbar’s long-standing total of 38,387 points by nailing a 21-foot shot late in the third quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder. James threw his arms high in relief as the Crypto.com arena erupted in wild celebration at his new record of 38,388 points.
Abdul-Jabbar, sitting courtside, congratulated James first as the game was interrupted to salute an iconic moment in NBA history.
“It means a lot to me to be in the presence of a legend and be as great as Kareem,” James told the crowd before thanking family, friends and fans.
“To everyone who has been part of this run with me over the past 20 years, I just want to say thank you so much because I wouldn’t be who I am without all of your help, all of your passion and all of your sacrifices to get me to this point.”
James also paid tribute to NBA commissioner Adam Silver and his predecessor, the late David Stern.
“Thank you guys so much for letting me be a part of something I’ve always dreamed about, and I’ve never in a million years dreamed of it better than tonight,” James added before signing off with an f-bomb.
– Chasing History –
After a dazzling season that saw him average 30 points per game in a struggling Lakers outfit, James entered Tuesday’s clash with Oklahoma City needing just 36 points to surpass Abdul-Jabbar.
The 38-year-old took his time before hitting his magic number, missing his first two attempts before nailing a 3-pointer midway through the first quarter.
The four-time NBA champion would go on to score eight points in the first quarter, leaving him down 28 as the second quarter began.
James paced the second quarter with 12 quick points with 5:34 left in the half, 16 points away from the halftime record.
A pair of back-to-back three pointers midway through the third quarter put him just eight points away from the record, with 28 on the night, while a driving layup put him within six.
Two more layups put him within two points before he duly converted his long-range attempt to seal the record.
James has been at pains to play down expectations surrounding his record chase this season, insisting that helping the Lakers become a competitive outfit once more is his priority.
However, he has been more expansive when discussing the record in recent days, saying last week that beating Abdul-Jabbar’s mark is comparable to breaking baseball’s all-time home run record.
– ‘Untouchable’ record –
“I think it’s one of the greatest records in sports in general,” James said.
“I think it’s right up there with the home run record in baseball. It’s one of those records that you never see or think is going to be broken.”
Many in the NBA agreed, believing that Abdul-Jabbar’s record was untouchable in the modern era.
“I think most of us at the time thought the record would never be broken,” Golden State coach Steve Kerr said of Abdul-Jabbar’s record last weekend.
“So to see LeBron do this for over 20 years is pretty remarkable and a testament to not only his ability but his durability.
“He’s just a machine. He’s healthy and a physical force night after night.”
Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, who coached James to two of his four NBA championships in 2012 and 2013, said he always assumed Abdul-Jabbar’s record would never be broken.
“I thought it was going to be untouchable,” Spoelstra told NBA.com before James’ record-breaking performance on Tuesday.
Tyronn Lue, James’ former coach at the Cleveland Cavaliers, believes the scoring record is the crowning achievement of his illustrious career.
“It has to be No. 1 considering how long Kareem has held that record (since 1984). I know LeBron has championships and MVPs. But to be the all-time leading scorer in NBA history, considering all the great players that have come through this game? That’s a big-time accomplishment,” Lue told NBA.com.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is generated automatically from a syndicated feed.)
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