LeBron James becomes highest scorer in NBA history, surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - CBC Sports

With a stepback jump shot with 10.9 seconds left in the third quarter in the Los Angeles Lakers' game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night, James pushed his career total to 38,388 points and broke the record that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar held for nearly four decades.

The game was stopped as some members of James' family, including his mother, wife and children, took the floor for a ceremony recognizing the moment.

Abdul-Jabbar — a longtime Laker and one of many celebrities and sports stars who made sure they were there to see history — became the league's all-time leading scorer on April 5, 1984 and wound up retiring in 1989 with 38,387 points.

LeBron James passed legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Tuesday night to become the NBA's all-time leading scorer.

James then thanked his family and those who have supported him, including Silver and the late NBA Commissioner David Stern.

But only six have ended a season officially as the all-time leader: Joe Fulks, George Mikan, Dolph Schayes, Bob Pettit, Wilt Chamberlain and Abdul-Jabbar.