Basketball legend LeBron James made history last night when he broke Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s former record to become the new all-time leading scorer in the NBA.
With 10 seconds left in the third quarter of the Lakers’ matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder, James buried a fadeaway jumper, clinching his 38,388th point to surpass Abdul-Jabbar’s 38,387 career record, which he had held since April of 1984, according to ESPN.
The game was paused to acknowledge history in the making. Media surrounded James as fans chanted “MVP” from the stands and a video played highlights from his 20-year career. James hugged his wife, mother, and three children during the short ceremony that followed.
“A record that has stood for nearly 40 years,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said. “Many people thought it would never be broken. LeBron, you are the NBA’s all-time scoring leader. Congratulations.”
Though the Lakers ultimately lost the game 133-130, James ended the night on top with 38 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and three steals. The 38-year-old superstar shared emotional words in his post-game interview.
“I write ‘The Man In The Arena’ on my shoe every single night from Theodore Roosevelt,” James said. “Tonight, I actually felt like I was sitting on top of the arena when that shot went in, and the roar from the crowd. I’m not sure if I would be able to feel that feeling again, unless it’s a game-winning Finals shot. Everything just stopped. It gave me an opportunity to embrace it and look around and seeing my family, the fans, my friends. It was pretty cool.”
