LeBron James breaks the NBA career scoring record, passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
has now scored more points than any NBA player in history, as he passed fellow Los Angeles Laker Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's career 38,387 points on Tuesday night in front of an enthusiastic home crowd.
It's the first time a new name has appeared atop the NBA's all-time points rankings since April 5, 1984, when Abdul-Jabbar passed Wilt Chamberlain's 31,419 points.
It wasn't until nearly nine months after Abdul-Jabbar wrested the record away from Chamberlain that LeBron James was born. Abdul-Jabbar used his sky-hook to keep amassing points until he retired in 1989, at age 42.
James, 38, broke the career record late in the third quarter when he scored his 36th point on a fadeaway jumper against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Abdul-Jabbar was in attendance to witness the accomplishment, along with countless other celebrities.
The NBA stopped the game for an on-court ceremony with Abdul-Jabbar and James embracing. James addressed the crowd and was emotional about what he'd just done.
James broke the record which has stood for nearly 39 years, roughly halfway through his 20th NBA season. Over his career, James has shot 50.5% from the field and averaged 27.2 points per game.