Bronny James stepped over to his dad害羞草研究所檚 locker and played the phone video he had taken of Tuesday night害羞草研究所檚 biggest moment. The NBA害羞草研究所檚 new scoring king tipped his head back in a rich, full-throated laugh when the audio revealed Bronny had anticipated that the historic basket would come on a fadeaway jumper.
害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 tough, that害羞草研究所檚 tough,害羞草研究所� LeBron James said. 害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 funny.害羞草研究所�
For James, the greatest cost of nearly two decades in the NBA is the family time he misses. When he reached arguably the greatest individual basketball milestone of all by passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar害羞草研究所檚 career scoring record, James害羞草研究所� mother, wife and three children all witnessed the coronation.
They were right at courtside in a building packed with stars and roaring fans who rose in waves of anticipation every time he touched the ball.
James has been thriving under formidable pressure his entire adult life, and this was nothing the King couldn害羞草研究所檛 handle 害羞草研究所� although the man who says he almost never cries had tears in his eyes after he made history with that nimble step-back shot in the third quarter.
害羞草研究所淚 had a moment when it happened, and I embraced that moment,害羞草研究所� James said afterward. 害羞草研究所淪eeing my family and friends, the people that害羞草研究所檚 been around me since I started this journey to the NBA, definitely very emotional right there. Just a kid from a small town in Ohio. I had a moment there, but I don害羞草研究所檛 think it害羞草研究所檚 really hit me, what just transpired.害羞草研究所�
When James surpassed Abdul-Jabbar害羞草研究所檚 record 38,387 points, a crowd that had roared for his every basket went the craziest of all.
害羞草研究所淎 lot of people wanted me to go to the skyhook to break the record, or one of the signature dunks,害羞草研究所� James said with a grin. 害羞草研究所淏ut the fadeaway is a signature play as well.害羞草研究所�
The Los Angeles crowd screamed and stomped with every point while James steadily surged toward the mark held since April 1984 by Abdul-Jabbar, who watched the game from a baseline seat near the Los Angeles bench.
With four championship rings and nearly every other honor available to a basketball player, the 38-year-old James closed in on this next moment in history with the confidence of a player who has been even better than anyone could have expected two decades ago when the kid from Akron, Ohio, reached the NBA.
害羞草研究所淭he expectations were all the way out to Pluto, and he went ahead and created his own galaxy,害羞草研究所� Lakers coach Darvin Ham said before his team害羞草研究所檚 133-130 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The crowd was in its seats far earlier than normal in Los Angeles, and James got numerous ovations before the Lakers and Thunder got rolling. Lakers fans turned out in droves for the chance to see a once-in-a-generation achievement, with tickets going for thousands on the secondary market.
The moment was irresistible to fans like Aaron Sanchez, one of the hundreds of jersey-clad Lakers faithful patiently taking turns posing in front of the statue of Abdul-Jabbar that stands on the plaza in front of the Lakers害羞草研究所� downtown arena.
Sanchez shares a set of two season tickets with a few friends and family, and he already had the seats for Tuesday害羞草研究所檚 game months before anyone could predict the magic day. He turned down a friend害羞草研究所檚 offer of $200 to swap the Thunder seats, but he knew he would be out of luck if James waited until Thursday to break the record, since those tickets belong to a different friend.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 basketball history, and that害羞草研究所檚 what the Lakers are all about,害羞草研究所� Sanchez said. 害羞草研究所淟eBron is already one of the greatest Lakers ever, and getting this record in a Lakers uniform just makes it more certain. He was our leader after Kobe (Bryant) died, and he害羞草研究所檚 our leader now.害羞草研究所�
Indeed, James has already earned a special place in Lakers fans害羞草研究所� hearts over his five seasons in purple and gold. Several months before he won the franchise害羞草研究所檚 17th championship in the Florida pandemic bubble, he became a part of Lakers lore with his inspirational words and steady leadership in the wake of Bryant害羞草研究所檚 death in a helicopter crash.
Inside the building, dozens of celebrities gathered to witness history: Denzel Washington, Jay-Z, Bad Bunny, LL Cool J, Usher, Andy Garcia and countless others. Dozens of basketball greats also turned out, including Lakers heroes James Worthy and Bob McAdoo along with Dwyane Wade.
The biggest star in the crowd was Abdul-Jabbar, who has verbally sparred with James in public over issues not directly related to basketball. The Lakers legend known to all as Cap wasn害羞草研究所檛 about to miss history, and he shared a warm hug with James before ceremonially exchanging a basketball in a simple, touching gesture.
Although the final score chafed him, James said he害羞草研究所檒l never forget this stop on his two-decade journey.
害羞草研究所淭his ride has been fantastic,害羞草研究所� James said.
害羞草研究所斺赌斺赌�
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP害羞草研究所擲ports
By Greg Beacham
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
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