(News4usonline) – LeBron James is the NBA’s all-time scoring champ. James scored a game-high 38 points for the Los Angeles Lakers in a 133-130 loss to the OKC Thunder at Crypto.com Arena. James made good on his nearly 34 minutes of game action, converting 13 of his 20 field goals. James scored 20 points in the first half.
“At that moment, I was thinking when it happened, embracing that moment and seeing my family and friends, people that have been around me since I started this journey before the NBA,” James said after the game in a postgame press conference. “Definitely had a moment…very emotional. I had a moment there, but I don’t think it really hit me what transpired. As much as I tried to live in the moment, it was a blur.”
What happened was James moved past a mark that has stood since 1984. That’s nearly four decades (38 years, 10 months, two days). The NBA’s all-time scoring mark was largely seen as one of those records that is somewhat equivalent to being on Mount Rushmore in sports.
During his NBA career, Abdul Jabbar won six championships (five with the Lakers) and established a mark that had been seen as untouchable.
James, who is often seen as more of a ball distributor as opposed to being considered as a scorer, is in his 20th season in the NBA and doesn’t seem to have any downward tread marks coming his way any time soon.
His numbers back that up. James is averaging 30 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 7 assists per game this season. His stat line reads like an MVP. The Lakers as a team, however, are having a difficult time matching the output of their leader. After losing to OKC, the Lakers, 55 games in, are 25-30 and in 13th place in the Western Conference.
Where the Lakers are today is one thing. For the time being, it’s all about celebrating the wonderful achievement of James. Breaking the all-time mark in scoring is a momentous accomplishment. And what better way to break the record in front of family and friends? James talked about making history and what it means to him as a father.
“It ain’t about basketball when it comes to being a father,” James remarked. “It’s about setting an example and being a role model every day. You know, it’s a 24-hour, seven-days-a-week thing. Basketball has given me a lot. It’s taken me all over the world, and I’ve inspired a lot of people, but for me, you know, being a father is way more dynamic and way more driven than the game.”
Dennis has covered and written about politics, crime, social justice, sports, and entertainment. Dennis currently covers the NFL, MLB, NBA, NCAA, and Olympic sports. Dennis is the editor of News4usonline.com and serves as the publisher of the Compton Bulletin newspaper. He earned a journalism degree from Howard University.