With 10.2 seconds left, Lakers forward LeBron hit a mid-range fadeaway jumper and broke what seemed to be an unbreakable record. With that shot, James became the all-time leading scorer in the NBA.
“I was just playing the game,” James said. “I was able to get to a really good spot on the floor that I’m very comfortable with to get to one of my patented fadeaway shots.”
With 10 seconds left in the third quarter LeBron James became the all time leading scorer in the NBA pic.twitter.com/j3bTAW1p6z
— Amanda Scurlock (@Amandtastic) February 8, 2023
The game came to a halt and a presentation commenced. NBA commissioner Adam Silver came on the court to honor James. The former leading scorer, Lakers legendary center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, ceremonially handed him a basketball.
Abdul-Jabbar’s long-standing record would have turned 39 as of April 5 this year. The Showtime Laker became the NBA all-time scoring leader in 1984, James would be born later that year. Lakers head coach Darvin Ham noted how he was a fan of Abdul-Jabbar growing up.
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“From Power Memorial all the way up to UCLA and Milwaukee, him getting to the Lakers and him playing with Magic,” Ham said. “I know what [Abdul-Jabbar] meant to this league; he was one of the pillars that helped build this league.”
When James took the mic, he asked the sellout crowd to give Abdul-Jabbar a standing ovation with raucous cheers to follow. James noted how some wanted him to do a skyhook as his record-breaking shot.
Tonight, we lit City Hall in honor of @KingJames and @kaj33.
Los Angeles is a city of GREATNESS. pic.twitter.com/VubBJ4ReSM
— Karen Bass (@KarenBassLA) February 8, 2023
“[Abdul-Jabbar] has the most unguardable shot in NBA history and it lets you know how unguardable and how unique it is because nobody has ever even tried it,” James said. “It makes him one of the greatest who’s ever played this game.”
The Akron, Ohio native hit many milestones in his career, he became the youngest player to hit 10,000 career points in February 2008. He passed Michael Jordan to become fourth place on the leading scorer list on March 6, 2019.
“This was not a goal for me, that’s why it’s probably so surreal,” James said. “I never talked about being all time scorer in NBA history. It’s never even been a thought of mine.”
LeBron James finished the night with 38 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals pic.twitter.com/7nEM7vs7wJ
— Amanda Scurlock (@Amandtastic) February 8, 2023
At tip-off of the Lakers vs OKC game, James needed 36 points to break the record. His wife, kids, and mother sat courtside. Friends and loved ones were in attendance. James had no plans of waiting until Thursday to break the record.
“My boys leave on a redeye tomorrow night, I just had the mindset,” James joked. “I would have to pay for another room at the hotel for another night for my boys if I didn’t do it tonight.”
