LeBron James reflects on ‘surreal’ feeling to be NBA’s record points scorer in special ceremony | NBA News

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James has admitted it feels “surreal” to top the NBA’s all-time career scoring list.

James matched his age with 38 points in Tuesday’s loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, bringing him to 38,390 points and moving him past Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s tally on the leaderboard in four decades.

There was a short break to mark the achievement, with James taking the microphone for an on-court speech, with the Lakers then honoring the achievement again with a pre-game ceremony before Thursday’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks.

Lakers legend James Worthy introduced the ceremony at the Crypto.com arena, where James – who sat out the 115-106 loss due to a sore left ankle – thanked his family, the fans and all the great players who came before him. they.

“One thing I know is that I’ve never cheated in a basketball game and I’m never going to cheat in a basketball game because it’s too much for me,” James added. “It’s given so much to my family.

“My beautiful wife has, I mean, she’s the real MVP, if you want to be honest​​​​ .thinking that I would think Savannah would allow tonight. But family is everything to me.

“You [Lakers fans] over the last five years it has become a family to me as well. So thanks to the Laker faithful. You really can’t be trusted. And, you know, every night I walk the floor, in the stands, and I really have a great responsibility. And I know what it means to represent the Los Angeles Lakers when I walk on this floor.

LeBron dreams for inspiration

James took 150 games less than Abdul-Jabbar to reach the all-time tally and averaged 27.2 points per game, with the veteran hoping his journey to NBA stardom can inspire future generations.

“I have a dream every day to play in the NBA,” James added. “I have a dream every day to be an inspiration to many people.

“I have a dream to be able to throw invisible passes like Magic Johnson, to be able to shoot like Michael Jordan, to be able to, you know, have a crossover like Allen Iverson, to be able to have an afro and jump, you know, in dunk contests like Kobe Bryant .

“I look up to a lot of athletes and a lot of people in my journey, and they inspire me and let my dream not die.

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“As I got older and older and older, as I went through the high school ranks and I got drafted, I always felt like it was my duty and my responsibility to go out and play the game at a high level and be as great as I was. Because there were inner-city kids wherever they are looking for inspiration and need it and maybe get it from me.”

Is LeBron the GOAT of the NBA?

James’ record-breaking success fueled the debate about whether he can be considered the best basketball player of all time, although Abdul-Jabbar – the star who was beaten in the all-time ranking – admitted that we will never know who the real all-time greats are.

“I think the whole idea of ​​GOAT is really hard to pin down,” Abdul-Jabbar said. “How many people here have seen Sweetwater Clifton play? I haven’t. Most of us haven’t. He was amazing, but that was back in the early ’50s, without a 24-second clock.

“I think different eras of the game, you know, you’ve only got the clock, and it’s the end of the three-point shot. The game has eras, and LeBron, without a doubt, is the greatest player of his era.

“That era was behind Shaquille (O’Neal), Michael Jordan. There were people who dominated the game, and then there were people who captured everyone’s imagination. I think that’s what Michael Jordan did. To do what he did … I think the reason they have a sports bar with all these TVs so people can go in there and argue like that, because we’ll never know.”