38,390 and Counting

LeBron James after he broke the all-time scoring record (Image: Getty Images)

LeBron James has surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the all-time leading scorer in NBA history. James scored 38 points against Oklahoma City Thunder to break the record. The moment arrived in the third quarter and with just under 11 seconds to go, James hit a 14-foot fadeaway jumper that moved him to the number one spot.

The record stood for nearly four decades. Abdul-Jabbar broke Wilt Chamberlain’s record of 31,419 in 1984 with his iconic ‘skyhook’ against the Utah Jazz. The Lakers’ legend finished his career with an astonishing 38,387 points.

At the time, no one thought the record could be broken. Until an 18-year-old kid from Akron, Ohio burst onto the scene in 2003. James came into the league with unparalleled expectations and from day one, he was under the microscope. No one could deny his talent but could he back it up and live up to the heights of all the NBA greats that came before him?

His first step to greatness came in February 2008 when James reached 10,000 career points. He became the youngest player to reach this milestone. He was 23 and more than a year younger than the late Kobe Bryant when he hit 10,000 points. Just five years later and he took another step towards basketball immortality by becoming the youngest player to reach 20,000 points.

James hit 30,000 points at age 33 and he once again passed Bryant as the youngest player to achieve this feat.

James is arguably the most consistent and versatile player the league has ever seen. He has averaged a remarkable 27.2 points per game with a 50.5 field goal percentage for 20 seasons.

He is a four-time champion, with four finals MVPs and four regular season MVPs. He has been a first team all-NBA player 13 times and he was rookie of the year in 2003.

James after winning his fourth championship in 2020 (Image: Getty Images)

James is a born winner; many people view James as one of the top three players to ever step on a basketball court. While this record is so incredibly unique, what stands out as even more profound is that James, Abdul-Jabbar and Chamberlain all wore the famous purple and gold while becoming the all-time leading scorers in their respective eras.

While James insists he is not a scorer, the Lakers superstar has punched a huge hole in his own argument. James continues to add to his resume; he ranks fourth in career assists, ninth in steals, 32nd in rebounds, 91st in blocks and has logged the third-most minutes in the history of the league.

All is a testament to James’ dominance and his unrivalled longevity. For the scoring record, James could potentially put this record out of sight as he starts to close in on unprecedented 40,000 points in the regular season.