This article summarizes LeBron James’ recent accomplishment of surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. James achieved this milestone during a game against the Philadelphia 76ers, during which he scored a historic basket that put him ahead of Abdul-Jabbar. The article discusses the significance of this achievement and the praise James has received for it.
LeBron James is the NBA’s new career scoring leader.
With a stepback jump shot 10.9 seconds ahead in the third quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night, James boosted his career-high 38,388 points and broke the record held by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for nearly four decades.
James stretched out his arms, threw both hands up in the air, and then smiled. Abdul-Jabbar rose from his seat and clapped. The game was interrupted as some members of James’ family, including his mother, wife and children, took the floor to appreciate the moment.
Abdul-Jabbar — one of many celebrities and sports stars who made sure they were there to see history — became the league’s all-time leading scorer on April 5, 1984, finishing 1989 with 38,387 points. It was a record that some minds would hold forever, and very few even came close. Karl Malone retired 1,459 points behind Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant was 4,744 points behind and Michael Jordan was 6,095 points away.
James passed them all and then caught Abdul-Jabbar as well. He did it in his 20th season. Abdul-Jabbar also played 20 NBA seasons.
And now King James — a nickname he’s had since high school — is the NBA’s top scorer.
Abdul-Jabbar held the ball up and then passed it to James, the ceremonial passing of the torch. They posed for photos with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, then with each other. James wiped tears from his eyes and then addressed the crowd.
“I just want to say thank you to the Laker faithful. You are one of a kind,” said James. “To be in the presence of such a great legend as Kareem is very humbling. Please give the Captain a standing ovation, please.”
James then thanked his family and those who supported him, including Silver and the late NBA Commissioner David Stern.
“Thank you so much for allowing me to be a part of something I’ve always dreamed of,” James said.
At least 16 different players were technically the all-time top scorers in the history of the league – most of them in the opening month of the league’s existence in 1946, when everyone started from scratch and nine different players topped the scorers chart in the top 16 days.
But only six have officially finished a season as all-time leaders: Joe Fulks, George Mikan, Dolph Schayes, Bob Pettit, Wilt Chamberlain and Abdul-Jabbar.
James will be the seventh name on this list, and he’s likely to stay there for a long time. No active player has come closer than 10,000 points to James, who has another two years under contract and is on track to become the league’s first 40,000-point scorer sometime next season.
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AP NBA: and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Tim Reynolds, The Associated Press
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