The Basketball Legend of 2023: LeBron James surpassed Abdul-Jabbar in the All-time Leading Scorer’s Final

With a mid-range fadeaway bucket, his 36th point of the night against the Oklahoma City Thunder, James surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA’s all-time leading scoring, breaking a 39-year-old record to add another historic achievement to his already storied career.

James scored two more points in the fourth quarter in a 133-130 loss – a disappointment for a team now two games behind the Western Conference’s final slot for the NBA’s play-in tournament. But the night was his, like so many in his career.

The NBA stopped the game for an on-court ceremony with Abdul-Jabbar and James embracing. Abdul-Jabbar held the basketball aloft and handed it to James, a ceremonial passing of the torch. James addressed the crowd and was emotional about what he’d just done.

For the last 20 years, I just want to thank everyone that has been a part of my life, because I wouldn’t be me without you.

James was named “The Chosen One” by Sports Illustrated after his jump from high school to the NBA in 2003 and it is believed that the record has fulfilled one more promise.

“I mean, LeBron is clearly an all-time great,” he told CNN Sport at the 2023 NBA Paris Game. When he’s not just a scorer, he’s also a complete player, so to become the all-time leading scorer is testament to how incredible he is.

James has provided more fodder for the fans of his side of the argument who are against him.

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“I know I can play a couple more years. The way I’m feeling, the way my body’s been reacting to me throughout this course of the season, I know I can play a couple more years.”

He said he never set out to achieve the scoring record and that he was able to do it thanks to his teammates and coaches.

“I want to personally thank you LeBron for trusting & believing in me & the Lakers in 2018 … Everything you said you would do, you’ve done; led the Lakers to a championship, elevated the Lakers brand, & gave back to the city of LA!” Johnson tweeted.

It wasn’t until nine months after Abdul-Jabbar wrested the record away from Chamberlain that King James was born. Abdul-Jabbar was able to accumulate points by using a sky-hook until he retired in 1989.

“I had a moment when it happened, and I embraced that moment,” James said. It was extremely emotional seeing my family and friends, people that have been with me since I started the journey to the NBA.

James’ teenage sons roared out of their seats when the points were scored, while filming the record-breaking shot. James’ daughter, Zhuri, 8, as well as his wife, Savannah, and mother, Gloria, were seen celebrating.

Phil Knight, the CEO of Nike, presented James with a commemorative plaque. The Cleveland Cavaliers and the Miami Heat welcomed James when he was a player.

“What LeBron has done off the court is more important than what he’s done on the court,” Jabbar said. Kids are sent to school by him. He’s provided, just leadership, and an example of how to live.”

Only 10 NBA players have played in at least 20 NBA seasons, and James is one of them. He’s made it to the NBA Finals 10 times, with the last one coming in 2020.

The points record is a testament to an athlete’s scoring ability, but also to their stamina and long-term durability. Statistics show James’versatileness.

This season, James has endured more losing than at most points in his career, with the Lakers mired in the lower half of the Western Conference. Anthony Davis has missed a lot of time due to a stress injury to his foot.

“I mean, he’s as special as it gets,” two-time NBA All Star Joakim Noah, who faced James multiple times over a 13-year career, told CNN Sport. “A great player.

“We had a lot of competitive moments and it was always about trying to get past ‘that guy.’ You have to give a lot of effort to be at the top, but there were some good moments and there were some bad moments.

“What’s unbelievable about that is his scoring is probably not his best thing, you know, he’s a better distributor, he’s a pass-first guy so to be able to lead the NBA in scoring and be a pass-first guy, it says a lot about his dominance.”

The 38-year-old ranks 10th in games played, fourth in assists, ninth in steals, second in field goals made, 10th in three-pointers made and fourth in free throws made.

“We gave the keys to the whole entire business to an 18-year-old kid, and now he’s 38 years old and he’s still dominating,” Kyrie Irving, James’ teammate in Cleveland from 2014 to 2017, told reporters last week.

Incredibly, Jabari Smith Jr and Jabari Smith Sr are the ninth father-and-son duo that James has come up against in his career, the others being Kenyon and KJ Martin, Gary Trent Jr. and Sr, Gary Payton Sr. and Gary Payton II, Rick Brunson and Jalen Brunson, Glenn Robinson Jr. and Glen Robinson III, Adrian Griffin Sr. and Jr., Glen Rice Sr. and Jr. and Samaki Walker and Jabari Walker.

James signed a multimillion dollar contract with Nike prior to his NBA debut on May 22, 2003 in a game against the Miami Heat.

His high school basketball games were always packed to the rafters and regularly moved to the bigger home arena of the University of Akron, while some were even shown on national television and pay-per-view.

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“I don’t think we should be surprised. I think we should congratulate him and celebrate him as much as possible. Continue to see the shows that he puts on because they are not going to be popular very long.

“Whenever he decides to [not] play, but I’m enjoying the show and I wish we could have gotten a chance to play against one another, but who knows what can happen down the line?”

He is a part of many NBA moments, including the “blocked by James” commentary from Mike Breen in Game 7 of the 2016 Finals, and the ‘Silencer’ celebration after a win against Golden State in 2014).

“I definitely saw this when we were playing together,” Irving, who hit the championship-winning shot in Game 7, said. His ability to prepare himself mentally, spiritually, emotionally and day to day.

NBA fans would probably have Abdul-Jabbar as one of the other three players on their NBA Mount Rushmore, which includes Michael Jordan, Billy Russell and Bill Russell.

They both had a desire to be the best in their sport and scored points to make that happen. “So I think intelligence and the drive to win, besides the points, is what is similar about those two guys.”

His current contract with the Los Angeles Lakers runs until the end of the 2024/25 season – James has regularly stated he wants to play at least one year with his son, Bronny, who will likely enter the NBA draft in 2024 – and this year he has continued to set personal and league records.

Against the Los Angeles Clippers last month, he hit a career-high nine three-pointers in a game, while his inclusion in this year’s All Star game takes his number of All-Star appearances to 11, tying Abdul-Jabbar’s all-time record.

He scored 46 points against the Clippers, becoming the first player in NBA history to score 40 points against every team in the league.

James has a lot of things in common with basketball players, most importantly his electric talent as a basketball player. Even non- sports fans know the name of Tiger Woods, even though he’s not a sports player.

Dumars has no doubt that players will come along with the technical ability to break the record once again, but the longevity of James and Abdul-Jabbar, who played until he was 42, means it will still be incredibly unlikely.

“Listen, the game evolves, things change,” he said. They don’t stay. It might take some time, but can someone come and do it? Someone can come and do it. But they’re going to have to be great for 20 years and that’s the thing with LeBron and Kareem, like 20 years.

“You have to be great that long and so are there people who are talented enough to do it? Yes. Can they stay healthy for 20 years to do that? That’s what’s going to determine it.”

The 76ers Sign Mac McClung through an All-Star Celebrity Game with LeBron, Giannis and Fuatmoe

Both teams played to raise nearly $1 million for their selected charities – Big Brothers Big Sisters of Utah for Team LeBron and Raise the Future for Team Giannis.

The All-Star Game had a new record for points by a Celtics player. Tatum was named the MVP of the game.

“I’ll be fine. James took the rest of the night off for precautionary reasons, and said that he doesn’t think it is too much to worry about.

On Friday, the weekend began with an All-Star Celebrity game featuring rapper 21 Savage and actor SimuLiu, as well as tennis star Fuatmoe, singer Nicky Jam, and others.

A week after he was crowned NBA Slam Dunk champ, Mac McClung signed with the Philadelphia 76ers as a two-way contract.