On Tuesday (Nov. 21), the Los Angeles Lakers routed the Utah Jazz, securing a 131-99 victory in the NBA In-Season Tournament matchup. During the game, LeBron James officially became the all-time leading scorer when he surpassed the 39,000-point mark. He is the first player to do so in the league’s history.
The 21-year veteran now has 39,012 career points, ahead of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar‘s 38,387. Behind them, Hall of Famers Karl Malone, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Dirk Nowitzki and Wilt Chamberlain are the only other players that crossed 30,000 career points.
“I got congratulated by my teammates and coaches [and] things of that nature, [but] I haven’t had an opportunity to really wrap my head around what that means,” James stated when asked about the achievement in a post-game interview. “There’s been so many great players that came across this league since the beginning of time, and so many great scorers. To be able to accomplish something that’s the first of anything, I think that’s always pretty cool. It’s a wild moment, that’s for sure.”
During that same locker room conversation, James was also humorously informed that he’s a few years older than the Jazz’s head coach, Will Hardy. As previously reported by REVOLT, the four-time champion previously spoke on how he remains in top form as the oldest active player in the NBA.
“I think it all starts with the mind, obviously,” he explained to reporters at Media Day in October. “You know, the mind controls everything. I think being able to keep my mind fresh… allows my body to kind of follow after that. Then [I’m] able to continue to step into the gym and continue to prepare myself for another season. I felt like I had a heck of a summer.”
Check out James’ record-breaking shot and other game highlights below.