How did James break the NBA Record in 2018? Saying THANK YOU to LeBron and the Cleveland Cavaliers for giving back to LA
The accomplishment comes alongside his four NBA championships and four league MVP awards. Silver released a statement congratulating James “on breaking one of the most hallowed records in all of sports.”
Few things in basketball are more thrilling than watching James drive to the basket, barrel past defenders and end the game with a dunk.
The NBA ended the game for an on-court ceremony involving James and Abdul-Jabbar. 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.
I would not be me without you, so I just want to say thank you so much.
Being drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers straight out of high school, James was perhaps the most famous, most marketed and most publicized high school athlete in the history of sports.
“Once every 100 years, you see a guy like that and so I just think he’s an incredible player. I think becoming the all-time leading scorer is just going to just solidify him on the Mount Rushmore in America. Whoever those other three guys are, LeBron’s one of them.
James said he was going to take himself against anyone who had played the game. But everyone is going to have their favorite, everyone is going to decide who their favorite is. I know what I bring to the table every single night and what I can do out on this floor.”
“It’s just all about my mind. If my mind is still into it, if I’m still motivated to go out and try to compete for championships, because I feel like that’s what I can still do for any group of guys, for any franchise. I can go out there and still help win multiple championships or win a championship.”
He credited his teammates and coaches with allowing him to be himself because he never set out to set a goal of his own.
“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.
After Abdul-Jabbar wrested the record away from the man, it was nearly nine months before the son of James and Cynthia was born. Abdul-Jabbar used his sky-hook to keep amassing points until he retired in 1989, at age 42.
“I had a moment when it happened, and I embraced that moment,” James said. It’s very emotional, to see my family and friends since I began this journey to the NBA.
James’ teenage sons, Bronny and Bryce, were shown filming the record-breaking shot, and bursted out of their seats when the points were scored. James’ daughter, Zhuri, and his wife and mother were all seen celebrating.
James was presented with a plaque by Phil Knight. The Miami HEAT and the Cleveland CAverns sent felicitations to James.
“What LeBron has done off the court is more important than what he’s done on the court,” Jabbar said. The kids are sent to school. He’s provided, just leadership, and an example of how to live.”
During his time in the league, James has played for the Miami Heat – the site of his first two NBA titles in 2012 and 2013 – the Los Angeles Lakers and the Cleveland Cavaliers twice, the second stint bearing fruit to arguably his greatest triumph, as he led the Cavs to the Larry O’Brien trophy after falling to an unprecedented 3-1 Finals deficit against the Golden State Warriors in 2016.
Many people, fans and pundits don’t think scoring has ever been his best attribute, is what makes James’ latest feat so impressive.
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. His star teammate Anthony Davis has missed significant time due to a stress injury to his right foot.
Joakim Noah, the two-time NBA All Star who faced James many times over the course of his career, stated that he was as special as it gets. “A great player.
We had a lot of competitive moments, and it was always about getting past that guy. So there were good moments, bad moments, but overall what he’s doing at his age, at 38 years old, and still being able to dominate the game and be that invested in the work and what it takes to be at the top, you’ve got to give a lot of respect to that.
“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.”
Tenth in games played, fourth in assists, ninth in steals, second in field goals made, tenth in three-pointers made and fourth in free throws made are some of the things that the 38 years old ranks tenth in.
“We gave the keys to the whole business to an 18-year-old kid and now he’s 38 years old and he’s still dominating,” Irving told reporters last week.
James has faced nine father- and son duos in his career, of which the most recent one was Jabari Smith Jr. and his father,Jabari Smith Sr.
Such was the unprecedented hype around James while he was playing for St. Vincent – St. Mary High School in his hometown of Akron, Ohio, that he signed a seven-year, $90 million contract with Nike on May 22, 2003, before he had even played an NBA game.
The University of Akron’s arena was often packed for his high school basketball games, and some of them could be watched on pay-per-view.
When basketball meets sports: James and Abdul-Jabbar on the NBA Mount Rushmore, Cleveland, Sacramento, Los Angeles / Los Angeles Lakers and Beyond
“I don’t think we should be surprised. I think we should congratulate him and celebrate him as much as possible. Continue to enjoy the shows that he put on because it’s not going to be for too much longer.
I wish we could have played against one another but nobody knows what will happen when he decides not to play.
He was on the court when the NBA had historic moments, such as the Game 7 of the 2016 Finals, the silencingr, and the pre-dunk celebration.
Irving hit the game-winning shot in the series and he said he saw it. “His ability to prepare himself mentally, spiritually, emotionally, game to game, day to day.
It’s likely many NBA fans would have Abdul-Jabbar as one of the other three players on their NBA Mount Rushmore, with Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain or Bill Russell making up the remaining spots.
While James and Abdul-Jabbar are two vastly different players from very different eras, Dumars says they have similarities as “very intellectual, highly intelligent players.”
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.
In a game against the Los Angeles Clippers last month, he set a career-high in three-pointers with nine and was named to the All-Star game.
With his 46 points in that game against the Clippers, the Akron native also became the first player in NBA history to achieve the frankly ludicrous feat of scoring 40+ points against all 30 teams in the league.
James has made his name synonymous with the sport because he is electric as a basketball player. Tiger Woods, Roger Federer and other sports stars are more than just sports stars, they’re people.
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 may take a while, but can someone come and do it? Yeah, of course 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, that’s right. Can they stay healthy for 20 years? That’s what’s going to determine it.”