LeBron James officially became the NBA’s all-time record points scorer as he surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar during the LA Lakers’ game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night.
The action at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles was paused after James scored the 38,388th point of his career with a fadeaway jump shot in the third quarter.
James moved beyond the previous record of 38,387 points set by former Lakers star Abdul-Jabbar, who was on hand to mark the occasion. Both he and NBA commissioner Adam Silver walked onto the court to congratulate the 38-year-old James.
“To be able to be in the presence of such a legend as great as Kareem, it’s very humbling. Please give a standing ovation to the Captain, please,” James said as he paid tribute to Abdul-Jabbar.
James thanked his family and fans for allowing him to “be a part of something I’ve always dreamed about.”
Later in a press conference, the Lakers star said he had “kind of teared up a little bit” when he scored the record-breaking shot, which comes in his 20th season in the NBA.
While it took Abdul-Jabbar 1,560 games to set his record back in April 1984, James has surpassed that milestone in 1,410 appearances.
James attracted significant media attention while still in high school, and scored his first points in the NBA at the age of 18. He has since gone on to win four NBA Championships – two with the Miami Heat, and one apiece with the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Lakers.
Speaking on his plans for the future, James expressed hope that he would be able to play alongside his 18-year-old son, Bronny, who is set to be eligible for the NBA draft in 2024.
Despite James enjoying a record-breaking night as he ended with 38 points, seven rebounds, and three assists, the Lakers went on to lose 130-133 to Oklahoma.