Los Angeles (USA), (EFE).- LeBron James became the top scorer in NBA history on Tuesday, surpassing the legendary mark of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
LeBron needed 36 points to break Abdul-Jabbar’s record of 38,387 points and he got them in the game that the Lakers played in Los Angeles against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
38 years old and with an extraordinary level in his twentieth season in the league, LeBron thus added another milestone to an exceptional career that includes four NBA titles (2012, 2013, 2016, 2020) and four regular season MVPs ( 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2013).
A fade-away basket at the end of the third quarter gave him the record and LeBron celebrated with his arms raised amid the euphoria of the Lakers fans.
Abdul-Jabbar was present this Tuesday at the Lakers game to see in person how LeBron snatched the record.
De cleveland a Miami
Ambition, longevity and competitive spirit.
These three qualities (raised to the nth power) have shaped the career of LeBron Raymone James (Akron, USA, 1984).
Since his time at the St. Vincent-St. Rumors were already circulating around the NBA in Mary High School about a boy from Ohio with exceptional qualities and a privileged physique that threatened to shake the world of basketball.
An unforgettable Sports Illustrated cover in 2002 further fueled expectations with a headline that has stayed with him throughout his career: “The One.”
LeBron skipped college and dove headfirst into the NBA, where he was drafted number one in 2003 by the Cleveland Cavaliers.
the return home
Perhaps the twist that best explains LeBron’s sporting legacy is his return home to Cleveland in 2014, after being branded a traitor on his way out to Miami.
He had a mission between his eyebrows: give the Cavaliers their first NBA title.
But ahead appeared a formidable rival: the Golden State Warriors of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green -and Kevin Durant for a few years-.
LeBron, with the help of a very young Kyrie Irving, put the team on his back and reached four consecutive Finals against the Warriors (2015-2018).
Golden State took three of them, but LeBron achieved his goal in 2016 with an impressive seventh game on the road – and a shot to Andre Iguodala in the denouement – that went down in league history (the Cavaliers rallied from 3 -1 against).
tireless competitor
At 38 years old and in his 20th season in the league, LeBron continues to defy the passing of time and is averaging a fabulous 30 points, 8.5 rebounds and 7.1 assists per game for the Lakers.
As a comparison and also as proof of his extreme longevity – he pays a lot of attention to taking care of his body – his career stats are 27.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.3 assists.
In addition to his crown as top scorer, LeBron is also the fourth player with the most assists in NBA history despite not being a point guard and the thirty-second with the most rebounds although he is not a center.
Throughout his career he has shown a fierce competitive spirit that also led him to win two Olympic gold medals (Beijing 2008, London 2012).
Even in friendlies it will bite, so much so that in the last five All-Star games, the first five since the East-West format was eliminated, the team led by LeBron has won the all-star game.
