"(He) said this is a record that'll never be broken!" - Jeanie Buss on Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's all-time record being potentially overtaken by another Laker in the shape of LeBron James
LA Lakers superstar LeBron James has had plenty of impressive accomplishments during his career, and now one amazing record, in particular, is within his reach.
Since 1984, NBA icon Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has been the league's all-time scoring leader. One of the most dominant big men ever, he held a record that many expected would be impossible to break. Abdul-Jabbar retired with 38,387 points in 1989.
Although health will play a big factor, it should only be a matter of time before James surpasses Abdul-Jabbar. On "The Crossover" podcast, Lakers owner Jeanie Buss talked about how important it will be for James to break the record in a Lakers uniform:
"Every individual is different, but with LeBron we have a line of communication between the two of us, and he knows that he can reach me anytime and vice versa. I think he feels appreciated. I appreciated that he signed an extension to stay here and continue to lead the Laker team.
"He's a fantastic leader both on and off the court, and, you know, I feel like we're blessed to have him as a Laker. I want to see him retire as a Laker. We have something that is coming up, which is he will probably become the all-time leading scorer in the history of the NBA, which would break Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's record, which I'll never forget.
"When he did that (in 1984) and said this is a record that will never be broken, and here we are (with) somebody who is going to break it in a Laker uniform, and that has a lot of meaning to the organization and to me personally."
LeBron James looks to bounce back in 2022-23
The 2022-23 season is shaping up to be a special one, filled with storylines. Not only is the all-time scoring record on the table for LeBron James, but the Lakers are going to be one of the most fascinating teams to monitor.
@KingJames @Cbrickley603Year 20 gonna be SPECIAL 👑 @KingJames @Cbrickley603 https://t.co/HF8pvuDtW5
After a disappointing 2021-22 season, the Lakers are trying to bounce back after going 33-49 to finish 11th in the Western Conference. For the Lakers to make it back to the playoffs, they will need James and Anthony Davis to stay healthy. The Western Conference's competition level has gotten much tougher over the offseason, meaning it's going to be even more difficult for James and the Lakers.