It finally happened Tuesday night, the kid from Akron, Ohio, connecting on a stepback jumper to push his career total to 38,388 points and break the record that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar held for nearly 39 years.
James outstretched his arms after his 36th point of the night for the Los Angeles Lakers, threw both hands in the air, then smiled. Abdul-Jabbar rose from his seat and clapped. The game was stopped as members of James' family, including his mother, his wife and their three children, took the floor for a ceremony recognizing the moment.
James passed them all, then caught Abdul-Jabbar, too. The 38-year-old - who finished with 38 points in the Lakers' 133-130 loss - did it in his 20th season. Abdul-Jabbar also played 20 NBA seasons. “A record that has stood for nearly 40 years, which many people thought would never be broken,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said.
James then thanked his family and those who have supported him, including Silver and the late NBA Commissioner David Stern. But only six have ended a season officially as the all-time leader: Joe Fulks, George Mikan, Dolph Schayes, Bob Pettit, Wilt Chamberlain and Abdul-Jabbar. James could have had the scoring record long ago, if so inclined. But he always preferred passing. James is behind only John Stockton, Jason Kidd and Chris Paul on the all-time assists list. None of them were, or are, close to the scorer that James is. Of that group, Paul comes closest, ranking 38th in NBA history.“I hadn't thought of it that way, but that is very true,” Silver told AP in advance of the record-setting night.
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