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LeBron James broke a record that since 1984 was held by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
LeBron James returned to rewrite NBA history by surpassing a mark that at the time was believed to be impossible to beat, that of the all-time leading scorer in American basketball.
And he did it with a new exhibition to leave behind the almost 40-year record of the legendary Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
James, now a star of the Los Angeles Lakers, scored 38 points in a new loss for his team once morest the Oklahoma City Thunder to surpass the mark of 38,387 points which had been in the possession of Abdul-Jabbar since April 1984eight months before James was born.
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The moment that is already history, LeBron James scoring 2 points to become the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.
It was a historic moment as James soared towards the end of the third quarter and scored two points in front of a roaring crowd that included, among others, the tennis legend John McEnroethe music stars Jay-Z, LL Cool J y Bad Bunnythe boxer Floyd Mayweather and the actor Denzel Washington.
The Lakers’ No. 6 raised both arms in celebration as Abdul-Jabbar, 75, stood courtside clapping.
The celebration
There was a brief pause in the game to celebrate the achievement, and James picked up a microphone to deliver a speech on the pitch.
“I want to thank everyone who has participated with me in this career of more than 20 years, because without you it would not be me. You all have helped me. Your passion and sacrifices have helped me get here,” he said.
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James celebrates with the fans his historic basket.
Abdul-Jabbar in a symbolic gesture handed a football to James to recognize his new record.
“LeBron’s career is that of someone who planned to dominate this game. You have to give him credit for the way he’s played and the way he’s lasted and dominated,” said Abdul-Jabbar, who retired in 1989.
James, a four-time NBA champion, is in his 20th season, having been voted number one in the draft for his hometown team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, in 2003.
image source, Getty Images
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar passes the crown to the new king of the NBA.
The forward joined the Miami Heat in 2010, winning two titles with them, before returning to lead Cleveland to the only NBA title in its history in 2016.
Two years later He came to the Lakers and guided them parto win the 2020 titlein which it was also the fourth time that he has been named MVP (most valuable player) of the NBA finals.
A two-time Olympic champion, James has won four regular season MVP titles and has appeared in the NBA Finals 10 times.
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For many LeBron James is the best player in NBA history.
Asked following the game if he’s the greatest NBA player of all time, James replied: “I’ll let others decide who it is or just talk regarding it, but it’s great barbershop talk, though.”
“Personally, I’m going to choose myself over anyone who has played this sport. But each one will decide who is their favorite.”
Other major milestones
At 19, James became the youngest player to win the NBA Rookie of the Year award following a season in which he averaged 20.9 points, 5.9 assists and 5.5 rebounds.
James scored 56 points once morest the Toronto Raptors, the first of his 14 regular season games with 50 or more points. At the time, he became the youngest player to score 50 points in an NBA game (20 years, 80 days).
- YOUNGEST MVP OF THE ALL-STAR
James became the youngest NBA All-Star Game MVP (21 years, 51 days) by scoring 29 points to help the Eastern Conference beat the Western Conference 122-120 in Houston.
- RECORD STREAK OF 10 POINTS
On January 6, 2007, he began his record streak of consecutive games with 10 or more points in the NBA, which today stands at 1,140 until the games of February 7, 2023. The previous record, of Michael Jordan of 866 games consecutive, he tore it while playing for Cleveland in a game once morest the New Orleans Pelicans on March 30, 2018.
- ALL-TIME SCORING LEADER IN PLAYOFFS
James became the NBA’s all-time playoff scoring leader in Cleveland’s 135-102 win over Boston in Game 5 of the 2017 Eastern Conference finals. James surpassed Michael Jordan, who scored 5,987 points in playoffs.
He is the only player in history to achieve more than 30,000 points, more than 10,000 rebounds and more than 10,000 assists, in addition to being among the top 10 players of all time in assists, steals, defensive rebounds, field goals and triples.
image source, BBC Sport
James has achieved countless records and marks in his 20 years in the NBA.
tributes
Joe Biden, President of the United States: “LeBron, congratulations. With all your heart and soul you have broken an incredible record. You have raised the game. More than that, like Kareem, Bill Russell and others who came before you, you challenged and inspired the nation to be better , to do better and to live up to all our promises.”
Magic Johnson, legend of the Los Angeles Lakers: “I never thought Kareem’s scoring record would be broken by anyone. It means more to me and our fans because he wore purple and gold and broke it as a Laker. This historic moment is so special because we will never see another LeBron James.”
Adam Silver, Commissioner of the NBA: “It’s a towering achievement that speaks to his sustained excellence through 20 seasons in the league. And amazingly, LeBron continues to play at an elite level and his basketball history continues to be written.”
Stephen Curry, escolta de los Golden State Warriors: “His level of play sustained over 20 years, reaching this pinnacle of basketball scoring, is incredible. Later, when we look back on our careers, we may be in a position to say that knowing what it was like to fight at the highest level.”
Kevin Durant, Brooklyn Nets player: “It’s even funny to say that, you know, coming from where you come from, how hard you’ve worked for so long. She’s been an inspiration from day one. Lots of love and keep raising the bar.”
Analysis
Nesta McGregor, BBC Sport
Many thought it was an insurmountable milestone, but it has finally been surpassed.
Lebron ‘The King’ James has added a new jewel to his crown.
For two decades he has been the dominant force in the NBA – playing for his hometown team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Miami Heat and now the LA Lakers – winning a championship with each.
Among all his achievements, eThis can be considered the largest to date. He had already surpassed superstars like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, but for some, breaking Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s record cements James’ status as the greatest ever.
Lebron continues to perform at the highest level. He is still averaging 30 points per game. The big question is how much longer he can keep doing it.
As he celebrates this achievement with his loved ones, James has made no secret that wants to stay long enough to play with – or once morest – his eldest son Bronnyof 18 years.
And who would bet that it won’t?
