Jay Z, Denzel and other stars watch LeBron James break NBA scoring record - in pictures

LA Lakers star overtakes Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as all-time leading scorer

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LeBron James rose to the top of NBA's scoring charts on Tuesday night, breaking one of the longest standing records in the sport.

The 38-year-old Los Angeles Lakers star passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the top NBA scorer with a 38-point haul against the Oklahoma City Thunder. While his team still lost 133-130, the night belonged to James.

James finished the night with 38,390 career regular season points, three more than Abdul-Jabbar's tally of 38,387, a record that had stood since 1984.

The game was halted after James' historic moment as he hugged his family and participated in a brief ceremony with Abdul-Jabbar and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver on the court.

“I just want to say thank you to the Laker faithful,” James said. “You guys are one of a kind. To be able to be in the presence of such a legend as great as Kareem, it’s very humbling.”

James said after his record-breaking night that he was in no mood to exit the stage just yet.

"I know I can play a couple more years," James told TNT television. "The way I'm feeling, the way my body's been reacting to me through this season.

"I know I can play a couple more years – it's all about my mind. If my mind is still into it, if I'm still motivated to go out and try to compete for championships, I feel like I can still do that.

"If my mind is sharp and I feel motivated to prepare myself every single day then I can continue to play this game."

The historic moment at the Crypto.com Arena in California was witnessed by a number of celebrities, including actor Denzel Washington, musicians Jay Z and Usher, boxer Floyd Mayweather and others.

Updated: February 08, 2023, 7:20 AM
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