LeBron James eyes history as NBA scoring record within reach

• The Los Angeles Lakers superstar is just 36 points away from surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the league’s all-time top scorer.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, now in his 20th NBA season, could break a record this week held by another Lakers legend, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

James could surpass Abdul-Jabbar’s 38,387 career points mark — a record held for nearly four decades — on Tuesday night when the Lakers host the Oklahoma City Thunder or on Thursday when they face the Milwaukee Bucks.

As the attention of the global sports world turns to the hardwood in Los Angeles, this week’s expected passing of the torch will be a historic moment for the NBA — and LeBron James himself.

“I think it’s one of the greatest records in sports in general,” James said last week, after spending much of the season insisting that he is more focused on helping the Lakers win than getting atop the scorers’ list. “It’s one of those records that you just don’t ever see or think that would be broken,” he said.

The 38-year-old, who entered the NBA straight out of high school, is averaging 30 points per game in his 20th season in the league, a remarkable show of athleticism and endurance in a career marked by numerous outstanding moments and great performances. 

A native of Akron, Ohio, James won NBA championships in Cleveland and Miami before securing his fourth title in Los Angeles in 2020. He has four NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards, four NBA finals MVP awards, and two Olympic gold medals.

Now, with the Lakers currently sitting back in 13th position in the Western Conference with a disappointing 25-29 record, James’s quest for the all-time regular season points record has reinvigorated fans around the world.