Fans of LeBron James and NBA observers will be responsible, once his career is over, for determining where this feat ranks in the “King’s” immense list of achievements. One thing is certain: it is his most prestigious record. On February 7, 2023, LeBron James became the leading scorer in NBA history.
That evening, this sentence came true. Because for many weeks, we knew that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's record was going to fall. All that remained was to know when. So that’s for this game and this Thunder reception.
It was just before the end of the third quarter, on a mid-range shot against Kenrich Williams, that the four-time MVP became the country's king of scorers. “I am part of history”commented the Oklahoma City player who will remain the victim of “LBJ” on this action.
A legendary photo which will also be analyzed by the Arte program, “Le sous des images”, with the intervention of the very renowned photographer Andrew Bernstein, author of the photo.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's tribute
In the wake of this basket which has now entered NBA history, the game stops. LeBron James celebrates this record with his family and loved ones. A tribute video is published. Then Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who had held the reference brand since April 5, 1984, and Adam Silver, the boss of the league, arrive. The former Los Angeles pivot even exchanges a hug with the Lakers star.
“LeBron James has surpassed my points record and is now the leading scorer in NBA history. It takes incredible will, dedication and talent to survive in the NBA long enough to accumulate that number of points,” the now second best scorer in history wrote the next day in a long message on his blog. After returning to his distant relationship with James, he concludes: “ LeBron makes me love the game again. And it makes me proud to be part of an ever-expanding group of athletes who actively care about their community. »
The hero of the evening, who shed a few tears in the face of such emotion, obviously speaks during this small ten-minute ceremony.
“I would like to say thank you to the Lakers, because doing this in the presence of a legend like Kareem is touching. Thanks to the NBA too for allowing me to be a part of something I've always dreamed of. I'm a historian of the sport, so I know the Kareems, Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain, Magic and Larry Bird and all the others. I could spend the evening giving the names of these giants, these legends. It’s an honor to be part of this group, to be talked about with them. It's an incredible feeling. I had an emotional moment when it happened. I see my family, my friends, the people who have surrounded me since I was in the league, it's very moving. For twenty years, I can count on the fingers of one hand the times when I have cried, from happiness or after a defeat. »
Precisely, the defeat of the Lakers, which spoils the party a little, is almost only an anecdote compared to this record. Stephen Curry, Ja Morant, Magic Johnson, but also the Heat and the Cavaliers, the former franchises of the “King”: tributes are pouring in from everywhere.
Three million people in front of their screen
“It’s even more meaningful to me that LeBron wore Lakers colors to break this record”reacted the former Showtime playmaker and teammate of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. “The greatest of all time”writes the Memphis star on Twitter.
As it was highly anticipated, and was commented on at length (even before happening), the public will logically be there for this moment in history, with 2.98 million viewers on TNT, and 3.7 million people in front of their screens at the moment of the record.
It remains to be seen whether this record will one day be broken or not. In the meantime, it crowns the career of LeBron James and, according to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, should not suffer from any possible dispute.
“It's about LeBron doing something no one else has done, scoring more points than anyone has done in 75 years. There's no 'yeah, but', just legitimate and well-deserved compliments. concludes the former Lakers pivot.
| LeBron James | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2003-04 | KEY | 79 | 40 | 41.7 | 29.0 | 75.4 | 1.3 | 4.2 | 5.5 | 5.9 | 1.9 | 1.7 | 3.5 | 0.7 | 20.9 |
| 2004-05 | KEY | 80 | 42 | 47.2 | 35.1 | 75.0 | 1.4 | 6.0 | 7.4 | 7.2 | 1.8 | 2.2 | 3.3 | 0.7 | 27.2 |
| 2005-06 | KEY | 79 | 43 | 48.0 | 33.5 | 73.8 | 1.0 | 6.1 | 7.0 | 6.6 | 2.3 | 1.6 | 3.3 | 0.8 | 31.4 |
| 2006-07 | KEY | 78 | 41 | 47.6 | 31.9 | 69.8 | 1.1 | 5.7 | 6.7 | 6.0 | 2.2 | 1.6 | 3.2 | 0.7 | 27.3 |
| 2007-08 | KEY | 75 | 40 | 48.4 | 31.5 | 71.2 | 1.8 | 6.1 | 7.9 | 7.2 | 2.2 | 1.8 | 3.4 | 1.1 | 30.0 |
| 2008-09 ★ | KEY | 81 | 38 | 48.9 | 34.4 | 78.0 | 1.3 | 6.3 | 7.6 | 7.3 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 3.0 | 1.2 | 28.4 |
| 2009-10 ★ | KEY | 76 | 39 | 50.3 | 33.3 | 76.7 | 0.9 | 6.4 | 7.3 | 8.6 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 3.4 | 1.0 | 29.7 |
| 2010-11 | MIA | 79 | 39 | 51.1 | 33.0 | 75.9 | 1.0 | 6.5 | 7.5 | 7.0 | 2.1 | 1.6 | 3.6 | 0.6 | 26.7 |
| 2011-12 ★ | MIA | 62 | 38 | 53.1 | 36.2 | 77.1 | 1.5 | 6.4 | 7.9 | 6.2 | 1.6 | 1.9 | 3.4 | 0.8 | 27.2 |
| 2012-13 ★ | MIA | 76 | 38 | 56.5 | 40.6 | 75.3 | 1.3 | 6.8 | 8.0 | 7.3 | 1.5 | 1.7 | 3.0 | 0.9 | 26.8 |
| 2013-14 | MIA | 77 | 38 | 56.7 | 37.9 | 75.0 | 1.1 | 5.9 | 6.9 | 6.3 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 3.5 | 0.3 | 27.1 |
| 2014-15 | KEY | 69 | 36 | 48.8 | 35.4 | 71.0 | 0.7 | 5.3 | 6.0 | 7.4 | 2.0 | 1.6 | 3.9 | 0.7 | 25.3 |
| 2015-16 | KEY | 76 | 36 | 52.0 | 30.9 | 73.1 | 1.5 | 6.0 | 7.4 | 6.8 | 1.9 | 1.4 | 3.3 | 0.6 | 25.3 |
| 2016-17 | KEY | 74 | 38 | 54.8 | 36.3 | 67.4 | 1.3 | 7.3 | 8.6 | 8.7 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 4.1 | 0.6 | 26.4 |
| 2017-18 | KEY | 82 | 37 | 54.2 | 36.7 | 73.1 | 1.2 | 7.5 | 8.7 | 9.1 | 1.7 | 1.4 | 4.2 | 0.9 | 27.5 |
| 2018-19 | LAL | 55 | 35 | 51.0 | 33.9 | 66.5 | 1.0 | 7.4 | 8.5 | 8.3 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 3.6 | 0.6 | 27.4 |
| 2019-20 | LAL | 67 | 35 | 49.3 | 34.8 | 69.3 | 1.0 | 6.9 | 7.8 | 10.2 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 3.9 | 0.5 | 25.3 |
| 2020-21 | LAL | 45 | 33 | 51.3 | 36.5 | 69.8 | 0.6 | 7.0 | 7.7 | 7.8 | 1.6 | 1.1 | 3.7 | 0.6 | 25.0 |
| 2021-22 | LAL | 56 | 37 | 52.4 | 35.9 | 75.6 | 1.1 | 7.1 | 8.2 | 6.2 | 2.2 | 1.3 | 3.5 | 1.1 | 30.3 |
| 2022-23 | LAL | 55 | 36 | 50.0 | 32.1 | 76.8 | 1.2 | 7.1 | 8.3 | 6.8 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 3.2 | 0.6 | 28.9 |
| 2023-24 | LAL | 29 | 34 | 53.9 | 41.3 | 74.4 | 1.0 | 6.7 | 7.6 | 7.4 | 1.0 | 1.4 | 3.3 | 0.7 | 25.1 |
| Total | 1450 | 38 | 50.5 | 34.6 | 73.5 | 1.2 | 6.3 | 7.5 | 7.3 | 1.8 | 1.5 | 3.5 | 0.8 | 27.2 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
