LeBron James on why he is the G.O.A.T of basketball
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LeBron James is making it tough for Michael Jordan fans to argue that 'His Airness' is the GOAT and not him.
The Los Angeles Lakers star added one more achievement to his long list of accolades, passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA’s career-scoring leader on Tuesday night.
Needing 36 to eclipse Kareem’s long-standing record, LeBron went past what was required, scoring 38 points in the loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The record now stands at 38,890 career points, with James set to extend that mark in the years ahead, according to CBS Sports.
LeBron James on why he is the G.O.A.T of basketball
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Jordan, who is LeBron’s main rival in the NBA's GOAT race, is just ranked fifth in that department, with a total of 32,292 points to his name.
Shaquille O’Neal, who covered the game for TNT, talked to James after the contest and asked him about the GOAT race.
Shaq asked LeBron if he believes that becoming the league’s career scoring leader cements in his mind his status as the greatest ever to play in the NBA.
LeBron tried to deflect the Big Diesel’s question, saying:
"I'm going to let everybody else decide who that is, or just talk about it. But it's great barbershop talk."
O’Neal was not having LeBron’s reply, though. He pressed the four-time MVP to give a more direct and honest answer, telling him:
LeBron James stands alone: Lakers star passes Kareem Abdul Jabbar to become NBA’s all time scoring leader
NBA"I want to hear you say it, Bron Bron."
Backed into a corner, James finally let out his true feelings about the GOAT race.
"Listen big fella, me personally, I'm going to take myself against anybody that's ever played this game."
James ceded that every person had their favourite, but he knows what he has brought to the table.
"...What I can do out on this floor. I always feel like I'm the best to ever play this game, but there are so many other great ones, and I'm happy to just be a part of their journey."
Sports Brief recently reported on NBA players’ reactions to LeBron breaking the NBA's all-time scoring record.
Among the stars to tweet congratulations to the Lakers forward were Magic Johnson, Stephen Curry, Jaylen Brown and Larry Nance Jr.
Brown and Nance Jr. lent their support to LeBron in the GOAT debate, writing that James is indeed the greatest ever.