On February 7, 2023, Lebron James—”the kid from Akron, Ohio”—achieved ultimate greatness. In his game against the Oklahoma Thunder, James scored his 38,388th point with a 14-foot midrange fadeaway shot, passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on the NBA’s All-Time Points list and permanently cementing himself as one of the best scorers of all  time, or possibly the best. 

After the ball smoothly flushed through the basketball hoop’s net, official whistles were blown to temporarily pause the game, in order for James to celebrate and enjoy his moment of glory. As the photographers and reporters filled the court, his family—his wife, two sons, and daughter—rushed down to congratulate him on his most legendary feat yet. Additionally, Abdul-Jababar, whose 39-year record had just been broken, was at the game to witness the coronation of the heir to his throne. Abdul-Jabbar had set the former record on April 5, 1984 in his twentieth season—the same season for James—as he surpassed another all-time great, Wilt Chamberlain. 

However, as James said in an interview with ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, “The scoring record was never, ever even thought of in my head because I’ve always been a pass-first guy.” This incredible feat was never something that he had been aspiring to reach, making it all the more unprecedented and amazing. In addition, James has recently attained the fourth spot on the NBA’s All-Time Assists leaderboard, and he’s also fourth for free throws made, fifth for points per game, fifth for triple-doubles, ninth for three-point goals, and tenth for steals. All of these outstanding rankings only signify his all-around mastery of the court and add to the extensive list of achievements that he’s earned throughout his career. 

From appearing as the front cover image of a Sports Illustrated at age 17 to playing in the NBA for 20 consecutive years, James’s career is reputed as one of the most acclaimed in history. Since he entered the league as the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft, James has tallied four championship titles—one with the Cleveland Cavaliers, two with the Miami Heat, and one with the Los Angeles Lakers—as well as four Finals MVP awards, four league MVP awards, two olympic gold medals, 19 All-Star nominations, 13 All-NBA First Team nominations, NBA Scoring Leader (2008), NBA Rookie of the Year (2004), among many more. As a result of his accomplishments, and his endless dominance in the sport, James has even earned several known nicknames including “King James,” “G.O.A.T.” (Greatest Of All Time), “The Akron Hammer,” “L Train,” and “The Chosen One” (from when he was in high school). However, “King James” and “G.O.A.T.” are the most popular ones. 

While at the age of 38, James still refuses to retire from basketball, as he doesn’t feel ready to conclude his life’s work yet, especially when his contract with the Los Angeles Lakers doesn’t end until the end of the season of 2024-25. On top of that, he aspires to play at least one season of professional basketball with his oldest son, Bronny, who is likely to enter the NBA Draft in 2024. 

Even with the recent happening of James’s most impressive triumph, the long-lived and notoriously controversial debate about who is the greatest of all time—between him and Michael Jordan—nonetheless continues, as critics remain unable to properly compare the two historic rivals. All in all, on any basketball court in the world, James is recognized as one of the best to ever play the demanding game, and as he continues to build his illustrious legacy, he’s looked upon by many as an aspiring idol.