Lakers News: LeBron James Trying To ‘Be In The Moment’ As He Approaches All-Time Scoring Record

Corey Hansford
5 Min Read
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

It is just a matter of time before Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James surpasses another Lakers legend in Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA’s all-time scoring leader. LeBron has been performing at an unbelievable level this season making that milestone within arm’s reach.

For as long as Kareem has held that scoring record, the fact that it will soon be broken almost seems surreal as so many legends never even came close. But James is unlike any other player the NBA has ever seen and the Lakers star continues to keep a focus on team success even as the record nears.

Exactly how LeBron feels on the inside only he knows, and while he has tried not to think about that moment too much, he does believe he will feel it even more once it gets closer to that time.

“As it gets closer and closer, I think I’ll start to feel it more and more,” LeBron said after the Lakers’ recent contest against the Los Angeles Clippers. “But I was asked earlier to really try to put myself in that moment, but I’ve gotten to this place by not really thinking about it. I’m just trying to be in the moment and play the game the right way.

“Even tonight, as well as I shot the ball, I was trying to distribute to my guys and that’s just always how I’ve played the game throughout my career. But I don’t know, we’ll see when we get there. We’ll see will it hit me. Just over the last couple years since we won the championship, a lot of accomplishments have happened in a losing effort so it’s been very difficult to kind of digest some of my own accomplishments because I don’t want to celebrate losses.”

James has always maintained that he doesn’t like celebrating individual accomplishments when the team success is not there with it. Unfortunately, with the Lakers’ recent struggles that has been difficult. It sometimes seems as if every time the Lakers step foot on the court these days, LeBron is doing something no one else has done.

But there are exceptions to everything, and if there is one time when LeBron deserves to celebrate even if the Lakers don’t win, breaking this record is the time to do it.

Lakers’ Anthony Davis excited for LeBron James to break all-time scoring record

James and his Lakers teammate Anthony Davis have grown close over the past couple of seasons and are more than just teammates, but real friends. Davis will have the luxury of being able to witness that moment of LeBron surpassing Abdul-Jabbar up close and personal and he is excited to see him accomplish that feat.

“Well, for me, I think it is great,” Davis said. “I think watching him since I was younger, he’s been like a role model and idol type for me. We actually had a conversation when I first got here about how I used to go to his camp. I’ve always looked up to him,” he said. “Man, I wanted to take a picture with him and now we’re close friends and actually won a championship that year.

“It all comes full circle, but I’m pretty sure if you ask LeBron about what it means for him to break the record, I think he said something already that he never thought to do something like that but he’s more about winning.”

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Corey Hansford is the Senior Editor for Lakers Nation, as well as a contributor for Dodger Blue, Rams News Wire, and Raiders News Wire. He is a passionate follower of the Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Cowboys, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chelsea FC, and the UFC. He can usually be seen arguing the merits of Kobe Bryant or cursing the decisions of Jerry Jones. He is also a former producer and associate producer for Sirius XM Sports Radio on both the Fantasy Sports Channel and College Sports Nation. Proud graduate of Long Beach Poly High School and The Real HU, Howard University, with a degree in Broadcast Journalism. Follow him on all social media outlets at @TheeCoreyH.