NBA world floods Twitter with LeBron James tributes after he made history with 38,388 points… as legends Isiah Thomas and Magic Johnson join Steph Curry and James Harden in celebrating the Lakers star
LeBron James has cemented himself in the annals of sports history once again – breaking the NBA’s all-time career scoring record.
Hitting a 14-foot shot from the left elbow, James drained the shot to pass Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar with 38,388 career points.
A player with a legitimate claim as the greatest of all-time, James was able to complete this accomplishment in 150 less games than Kareem.
The occasion was dampened – if ever so slightly – by the result of the game: a 133-130 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
But at the end of it all, a moment that stopped the game – and saw Kareem pass the ball (literally and figuratively) to LeBron – took the world of social media by storm.
With this shot on Tuesday, LeBron James became the NBA’s all-time career scoring leader
The 38-year-old James passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for first place all-time vs. Oklahoma City
James and Abdul-Jabbar shared a moment in a special on-court ceremony during the game
NBA legends and active players all offered congratulations to King James for his achievement
In the immediate aftermath of the record being broken, legends of the NBA’s past and stars of the NBA’s present offered congratulations to King James.
‘True Greatness. Incredibly grateful to have witnessed and been a part of your journey. History made,’ wrote former Cleveland Cavaliers teammate Kevin Love.
‘Wild to witness someone from Northeast Ohio doing this ! Congrats @KingJames !!!,’ wrote New Orleans Pelicans guard CJ McCollum.
‘s/o Bron, the word generational can’t even explain it man,’ Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton said.
‘LeBron James! Congrats NBA All-Time Scoring leader. A beast!’ former San Antonio Spurs star Manu Ginobili posted.
Players like Stephen Curry, Magic Johnson, and James Harden all congratulated James
‘Wow, never in my lifetime did I think I would see two NBA athletes score over 38,000 points!,’ penned Hall-of-Famer and Lakers legend Magic Johnson.
‘I still remember when my Showtime teammate, the legendary Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, broke the record. It was an honor to be the guy to pass it to him and cement his legacy!
‘Congratulations to LeBron for breaking the NBA all-time scoring record with 38,388 career points!’
‘Congratulations @KingJames,’ wrote Detroit Pistons icon Isiah Thomas.
‘Witnessed Greatness. Witnessed History. Congrats @KingJames,’ wrote Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns.
‘.@KingJames lived up to the expectation of having the greatest career ever! My brother!! Cool to say I gave you a few assists,’ said former Lakers teammate and Washington Wizards star Kyle Kuzma.
‘One of One! Congrats bro @KingJames,’ wrote Philadelphia 76ers star James Harden.
‘Congrats @KingJames …legendary stuff right there,’ said Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry.
In a separate video, Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant shared his thoughts.
‘L, congrats on being the all-time leading scorer in NBA history,’ Durant said. ‘It’s even funny to just even say that, you know coming from where you come from, how hard you grinded for this long.
‘It’s been an inspiration since day one. Much love and keep setting the bar high.’
Outside of the world of the NBA, James’ longtime sponsor Nike created a special video to mark the occasion.
Other celebrities like Kendrick Lamar, Rhianna, and Carmelo Anthony shared their thoughts in a video as well.