Insights into LeBron James’ career, from NBA records to activism and box office as he competes with Michael Jordan for GOAT status

LEBRON James has directly surpassed an NBA record that his great adversary Michael Jordan has not even come close to matching.

The 38-year-old passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on Tuesday night to become the top scorer in league history.

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James surpassed the 38,387 points Abdul-Jabbar had accumulated during his legendary career – and in 150 fewer games.

It’s another feather in LeBron’s cap during a career that has led to him being considered by many to be the greatest player of all time.

James has spent much of his career in the same conversation as Jordan about being the best to play the game.

He’s been destined for greatness since he was drafted straight out of high school into his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003 as an 18-year-old.

On the court, the two are almost inseparable – even if Jordan was only fifth in the all-time scorer list with 32,292 points.

Jordan won six NBA titles with the Chicago Bulls in the 1990s and was named NBA Finals MVP on all six occasions.

He was a five-time NBA MVP and a 14-time All-Star Game pick.

And his incredible scoring came in just 1,072 games while LeBron has played 1,410.

James is now a four-time NBA champion, but has won his titles with three different teams.

He also won Finals MVP every championship year, as did Jordan.

LeBron is a four-time NBA MVP and has made 19 All-Star Game appearances.

The 38-year-old left Cleveland in 2010 after seven years to join the Miami Heat and seek an NBA title.

He teamed with Dwyane Wade, one of the best players in the league at the time, to win back-to-back championships in 2012 and 2013.

Wade had won a previous title in Miami before James showed up and the two are now close friends.

In a recent interview, Wade said, “I can’t use the word surprised if I’m going to say LeBron James’ name in anything.

“I think sometimes we live in the LeBron James era of life and we haven’t had a chance to step back and look at it.

“And if we take a step back and look at it, it gets even better than it is now with what he’s done.

“Obviously what he did off the game, definitely what he did on the pitch.”

James returned to Cleveland in 2014 and delivered their first-ever NBA title to raving fans of the franchise two years later.

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His fourth championship came in 2020 after moving to the Los Angeles Lakers, where he still plays.

Jordan’s greatness is tied to what he achieved off the court in the 1990s.

He’s been instrumental in transforming the NBA since the 1980s, when arenas were half-empty, drug abuse was rampant among players, and finals weren’t even broadcast live.

The NBA became a commercial success during Jordan’s peak years.

HOLLYWOOD BALL

He starred in the legendary Space Jam film and was a magnet for recommendations while he was acting.

Jordan now has his own clothing brand with Nike and owns the Charlotte Hornets – the NBA franchise near where he played in high school and college.

James has followed suit in recent years, doing more off the pitch to improve his legacy.

The move to the Lakers allowed him to be closer to the film industry bosses in Los Angeles.

He recently starred in a remake of the Space Jam film with Bugs Bunny and now has his own production company.

LeBron also inked a lifetime deal with Nike, which was the largest deal in the sportswear giant’s history.

And he has also used his voice in society as America has been gripped by racial tensions and social injustice in recent years.

James was also not afraid to take a stand against former President Donald Trump at a time when the nation was divided.

In an interview during Trump’s presidency, LeBron said, “Obviously, I’ve been very open about the situation that’s going on here at the top, and we’re not going to let one person, us as Americans, dictate how beautiful and how powerful are we as a people.

“Equality is about understanding our rights, understanding what we stand for and how powerful we are as men and women, black or white or Hispanic.

“It doesn’t matter what race you are, whatever the case may be, this is a beautiful country and we will never allow one person to determine how beautiful and how powerful we are.”

LeBron’s performance this week is a testament to his consistent excellence, even if Jordan was better at his peak.

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