Source: Ronald Martinez / Getty / LeBron James
The pride of Akron showed up to Crytpo.com dressed in all black, signaling he was about to take care of business against the Oklahoma City Thunder and pass legendary Lakers big man and Hall-of-Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Instead of a skyhook to cement his status as the greatest scorer the NBA has ever seen, it was a 14-foot fadeaway jumper that eclipsed Jabbar’s nearly 40-year-old record of 38,387 points, giving Bron 38,388.
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The record-breaking shot came late in the third quarter with just 10.9 seconds left. After hitting it, James raised both hands and looked skyward. Photographers quickly swarmed around him to immortalize the moment digitally. At the same time, the sold-out crowd of Lakers fans and every celebrity you can think of, including
JAY-Z, Floyd Mayweather Jr,
Shannon Sharpe, and more, gave him a standing ovation.
A Moment To Celebrate Greatness
The game was stopped for about 10 minutes allowing James to celebrate with his wife, three children, and his mother. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and now former all-time leading scorer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar held a brief ceremony on the court.
“A record that has stood for nearly 40 years,” Silver said. “Many people thought it would never be broken. LeBron, you are the NBA’s all-time scoring leader. Congratulations.”
Abdul-Jabbar handed Bron the game ball to signify a passing of the torch. Bron and Abdul-Jabber embraced, and with tears in his eyes, the new scoring king addressed the crowd.
“I just want to say, thank you to the Laker faithful. You guys are one of a kind,” James told the fans. “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 also thanked his family, Commissioner Silver, and the late David Stern.
“I thank you guys so much for allowing me to be a part of something I’ve always dreamed about,” James said.
Bron finished with 38 points on a very efficient 13-of-20 shooting (4-of-6 from 3) to go along with 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals in a 133-130 loss to the Thunder.
“I had a moment when it happened, and I embraced that moment,” James said following the game. “Seeing my family and friends, the people that’s been around me since I started this journey to the NBA, definitely very emotional right there. Just a kid from a small town in Ohio. I had a moment there, but I don’t think it’s really hit me what just transpired.”
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Had Glowing Words For LeBron James
Abdul-Jabbar, who at one time
was critical of James for some comments he made, had nothing but praise for the new all-time scoring leader.
“LeBron’s career is one of someone who planned to dominate this game,” Abdul-Jabbar said during an interview with TNT. “And it’s gone for almost 20 years now. You have to give him credit for just the way he played and for the way he’s lasted and dominated. He has that indefinable essence that they call leadership.”
James right now sits at 38,390 points. He will continue to add to that total as the season progresses, putting it out of reach for years to come.
Congrats King James.
You can see more reactions to the historic night for James in the gallery below.
Photo: Ronald Martinez / Getty
