LeBron James becomes second player in NBA history to score 38,000 points
(CBS NEWS) — LeBron James has now scored over 38,000 career points, making him the second player in NBA history to reach the milestone. The Los Angles Lakers star joins fellow Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the only players to pass the mark.
James, who is in his 20th season in the NBA, hit the 38,000-point plateau after he pulled up for a mid-range jumper before the Staples Center crowd in a game against the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday night. He finished the night with 35 points in a loss.
Magic Johnson, the Lakers icon who played with Abdul-Jabbar, tweeted congratulations to James, while also noting the difficulty of the milestone itself.
“I never thought I’d see another NBA player score 38,000 points in my lifetime,” he wrote.
James now stands 364 points away from surpassing Abdul-Jabbar as the league’s all-time leading scorer. It is widely expected James will beat the record this season.
He reflected on the possibility of breaking Abdul-Jabbar’s record in October, prior to the start of the season.
“To sit here and to know that I’m on the verge of breaking probably the most sought-after record in the NBA, things that people said would probably never be done, I think it’s just super humbling for myself,” James said at Lakers media day.
