On Tuesday night, Lakers power forward LeBron James finally achieved something many of us had once thought impossible. The 19-time All-Star leapt beyond former Los Angeles Hall of Fame center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar‘s previous all-time regular season scoring record of 38,387 career points.
While wrapping up the third quarter of a Tuesday national game against the visiting Thunder, James has already scored 36 points, which has moved him into sole possession of the league’s new scoring record.
38,388 POINTS
— NBA (@NBA) February 8, 2023
LeBron James hits the fadeaway jumper to become the NBA’s all-time leading scorer! #ScoringKing pic.twitter.com/P5LyTZAZn3
James actually passed Abdul-Jabbar in historic cumulative scoring last year, lapping the six-time MVP’s total combined regular-season and postseason points. Now, he possesses both that record and this regular-season mark.
Presumably, the four-time MVP’s next goal is simply making the 2022-23 postseason, which is no sure thing. L.A. is currently the No. 13 seed in a bunched-up West, behind Oklahoma City.
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