By Antonio Planas -
NBC News
Dubbed The
Chosen One
on
the cover of Sports Illustrated as a 17-year-old high school student, LeBron James
fulfilled that prophecy by breaking the NBA scoring record with his 38,388 point during his 20th season. illustrious career.
The Los Angeles Lakers forward scored the record basket in front of his crowd Tuesday night (local time) against the Oklahoma City Thunder, surpassing
a milestone that stood for nearly 39 years
and was held by center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar of the Lakers and the Milwaukee Bucks.
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James broke the record with 10.9 seconds left in the third quarter.
The audience erupted and James shared a hug with his mother.
The match stopped in celebration.
The announcer called on the audience to come together in honoring James, and a presentation played on the overhead video screens, showcasing moments from his remarkable career.
James began the game needing 36 points to clinch the record considered unbreakable by some pundits.
The record includes scoring only during regular season games.
Playoff games have their own category.
Abdul-Jabbar, who was at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Tuesday, surpassed NBA legend Wilt Chamberlain for leading scorer on April 5, 1984, more than eight months before James was born.
Abdul-Jabbar scored 38,387 points in a two-decade NBA career before retiring in 1989.
LeBron James throws the ball to break the NBA scoring record during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.Andrew D. Bernstein / NBAE via Getty Images
The 38-year-old James, considered by many to be a pass-first player, rose to No. 4 all-time in NBA assists late last month by eclipsing Steve Nash with his 10,336th assist.
James, a native of Akron, Ohio, who was selected in 2003 by the Cleveland Cavaliers as the NBA No.
James, a four-time league MVP and who has won four NBA titles with three teams (in 2012 and 2013 with the Miami Heat, in 2016 with the Cleveland Cavaliers and in 2020 with the Lakers), said Thursday after a tight victory against the Indiana Pacers that scoring record is something to covet.
[A Kobe Bryant shirt goes up for auction in the United States]
“I think it's one of the best records in the sport, overall,” he
said.
“It's like the home run record in baseball.
It is one of those records that are never seen or believed to be broken.
You see guys like Hank Aaron, who had it for a long time.
You see guys like Sammy [Sosa] and Mark McGwire, and you start to escalate it, and it's like, 'Oh, this could really happen.'
It's fun as an athlete.
It was fun to see those guys chasing him,” he stated.
Even as a grizzled veteran, James hasn't slowed down this season.
As the Lakers battle to clinch a playoff berth, James has averaged about 30 points per game, competing among the league's elite scorers, 20-something superstars like Joel Embiid, Luka Dončić and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Los Angeles Lakers players celebrate LeBron James' scoring record. Allison Dinner / EFE
James has had multiple 40-point games this season.
His 46 points against the Los Angeles Clippers on January 24 set another NBA record, establishing him as the only player in history to score 40 or more points against every NBA franchise.
While James's on-court praise has earned him the nickname
King James
, he has been praised and criticized for his off-court social commentary on topics such as police brutality, voter oppression and the arrest of the star. WNBA Brittney Griner in Russia.
[David Stern, the man who led the transformation of the NBA into a multinational, dies]
James responded in 2021 to criticism from Zlatan Ibrahimovic for his political activism.
“I preach about my people and I preach about equality, social injustice, racism, systemic voter suppression, things that happen in our community,” James noted.
“I know what is still going on, because I have a group of over 300 kids at my school who are going through the same thing, and they need a voice, and I am their voice.
I will use my platform to continue to shed light on everything that is happening in this country and around the world.
I would in no way limit myself to sports, because I understand how powerful this platform and my voice are,” he stated.
Akron's I Promise School, for at-risk students, is supported by the LeBron James Family Foundation.
Although James is now the league's all- time
leading scorer, the NBA's GOAT debate
will continue among fans.
James, however, has said he wants to build on his legacy and hopes to play in the NBA with his sons, Bronny, a senior and Bryce, a sophomore.
Last year, James appeared in Sports Illustrated again, but this time accompanied by his children on a cover that read: "Chosen Sons."