Basketball: LeBron James breaks NBA all-time scoring record

LeBron James celebrates becoming the NBA's all-time leading scorer. Photo / Getty

LeBron James has become the NBA’s all-time scoring leader, hitting a fadeaway jump shot to break a nearly 40-year-old record.

James had spent the season closing in on Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s 38,387-point record, a mark many believed was unreachable.

And with a jumper late in the third quarter of the Los Angeles Lakers’ clash with the Oklahoma City Thunder, James reached the 36 points he needed to take his career tally to 38,388.

Abdul-Jabbar had held the record since he passed Wilt Chamberlain on April 5, 1984, a remarkable 38 years, 10 months and two days. The Lakers legend was on hand to celebrate his successor’s accomplishment, as the game paused to honour James.

Hailing from Akron, Ohio, the 38-year-old was drafted in 2003 as the first overall pick out of St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, and was named the 2004 NBA Rookie of the Year.

He is one of the most decorated players in the history of the sport, having won four NBA championships, four MVP awards, four finals MVP awards, three All-Star MVP awards, two Olympic gold medals, while being named an All-Star a record 19 times and being selected to the All-NBA team a record 18 times.

Last year, he became the first player in NBA history to accumulate more than 10,000 career points, rebounds and assists.

James himself was acutely aware of not just the milestone, but its significance.

“I think it’s one of the greatest records in sports in general,” he said. “It’s one of those records that you just don’t ever see or think that it would be broken.”

Abdul-Jabbar said he was looking forward to passing the record on.

“I’ve been carrying the torch as record holder for 38 years,” he said. “I’m excited and relieved to pass it along to the next worthy recipient. LeBron earned it and I hope he carries it even longer than I did.”

James is contracted through another two years and said he would like to stay in the league until his eldest son, LeBron James Jr, could enter the league.