LeBron James scored 38,390 points in the Los Angeles Lakers match against Oklahoma City Thunder on February 7, thereby setting a new NBA record.

The previous scoring record belonged to legendary striker Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, with 38,387 points.

Legend Abdul-Jabbar presented a commemorative ball to LeBron James after his scoring record was broken by his junior on the evening of February 7. Photo: ESPN

LeBron James entered the match with 38,352 points and needed 36 points to take the number one spot on the list of highest scorers in history. The 38-year-old star achieved his goal in the final seconds of the third quarter, with his forte two-point fade-away shot.

The match immediately stopped for about 10 minutes after James’ historic score. He was honored by the NBA, and legend Abdul-Jabbar personally presented the ball as a souvenir. The wife and children of the Los Angeles Lakers star also entered the field to share the joy amid the cheers of “MVP” (Best Player) from tens of thousands of spectators.

Abdul-Jabbar spent 14 years with the Lakers in the 1970s and 1980s. It took him two decades to set the NBA scoring record. When Abdul-Jabbar set the record, James was not yet born. Currently, James is in his 20th year in the NBA and has the ambition to play until he is 40 years old.

“This is a surreal feeling,” James said in his on-field interview. “I never thought Kareem’s record would be broken. I feel honored that my name is ranked with Kareem and other legends. I believe the NBA will continue to produce new legends.”

A series of famous stars such as Rihanna, Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Snoopp Dogg and famous colleagues Stephen Curry and Shaquille O’Neal honored James with video messages. On social networks, many NBA stars expressed their admiration for James’ feat.

“It’s exciting to see how far James has to go,” Abdul-Jabbar said. “James has a healthy lifestyle, leadership ability and the qualities of a great player. He is an example for young people.”

James entered the NBA in 2003 when he was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers as the number one draft pick that year. He immediately won the Best Rookie award in 2004, then MVP 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013. James won the NBA championship four times in three teams: Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers.