LeBron James achieved yet another milestone last night, albeit in a 115-99 loss to the Denver Nuggets.
James passed Michael Jordan for 4th on the all-time scoring list Wednesday night.
The Lakers tried to complete James’ big night (31 points) with a comeback win after being down as many as 23 points, but fell short falling to 30-35 on the season.
The three-time NBA champion with 5:38 left in the 2nd quarter, hit a driving left-handed layup while being fouled and added a free-throw to move past the six-time NBA Champion Jordan.
James, now with 32,311 career points, sits only behind Kobe Bryant, Karl Malone and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on the NBA’s scoring list.
In anticipation of the milestone, James tweeted earlier Wednesday saying,
Can’t even front. This is going to be UNREAL!! Wow man
— LeBron James (@KingJames) March 7, 2019
The Lakers forward, who was drafted in 2003 out of Akron, Ohio, recently passed Andre Miller for 10th on the all-time assists list.
He is now the only player in NBA history to be in the top-10 in both scoring and assists.
When James passed Jordan as the all-time playoff scorer in 2017 he said of His Airness,
“I did pretty much everything that MJ did when I was a kid. “I shot fadeaways before I should have. I wore a leg sleeve on my leg and folded it down so you saw the red part. I wore black and red shoes with white socks. I wore short shorts so you could see my undershorts underneath. I didn’t go bald like Mike, but I’m getting there.”
James speaking with ESPN’s Dave McMenamin after the game added,
“The percentages of guys like myself — single-parent household, only child, underprivileged — making it out, it’s not high at all. And MJ had a lot to do with me making it out, along with my mother, along with the city itself, along with the little league coaches I had. But Mike had no idea what he was doing for a kid that was growing a 45-minute flight from Chicago when he was putting in that work.
And,
“You guys have no idea, man — and I am trying to give it to you guys — but you guys have no idea what MJ did for me and my friends growing up.”
The debate will rage on as to who is the greatest of all-time as James continues to break records and amass mind-boggling numbers.
James’ consistency, longevity, an unbridled talent has allowed him to reach some of the game’s most hallowed records.
His achievement Wednesday night is a testament to the overall greatness he’s displayed over the last now 16 seasons.
One accomplishment he can check off his list strengthening his argument as potentially the greatest of all time; passing MJ on the all-time’s scoring list.
Michael Jordan congratulated James in a statement Thursday saying,
“I want to congratulate LeBron on achieving another great milestone during his amazing career.”
James responded on IG saying in part,
“THANK YOU M.J.!! Still tripping about last night. Couldn’t have in a trillion years thought that would be possible especially knowing where I come from and what I watch him do every single night.”
Not bad for the kid out of Akron.
Flip the pages to see video James’ milestone and reaction to James’ accomplishment.