Whether King James is the GOAT may be open to debate, but breaking the all-time scoring record is the crown jewel of achievements
OPINION: Determining who is the greatest NBA player of all time is highly subjective, but thereâs no disputing a statistical fact. And on the question of who is the greatest scorer of all time, there is only one right answer.
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Editorâs note: The following article is an op-ed, and the views expressed are the authorâs own. Read more opinions on theGrio.
Ranking players is a fun and infuriating aspect of sports, a combative and ultimately pointless exercise that generates endless media content for fan consumption. Itâs effortless, too: Just consider everyone who ever played â competing in different eras, under different rules, conditions, and norms â and devise your list of all-time greats in numerical order.
The debate inevitably expands as generations pass, with younger athletes entering the discussion and supplanting their elders. But lines of demarcation are blurry and arguments ensue as the newcomers climb up. At what point exactly does this active player eclipse that long-retired player? And how long until players not yet conceived are vying to be No. 1?
Subjectivity is baked into such rankings, as inseparable as eggs in a cake. Each judgeâs list is influenced by their personal tastes and preferences, including playersâ style and backstory. Maybe you place short underdogs and overachievers above tall favorites who make the game look easy.
But thereâs no disputing a statistical list, no room for emotions or inclinations to cloud the process.
And after Tuesday game between the Los Angeles Lakers and Oklahoma City Thunder, LeBron Raymone James is the only correct answer regarding the NBAâs all-time leading scorer. End of discussion.
Itâs not Kareem Abdul Jabbar (No.2), who had held the record with 38,387 points since April 5, 1984, or Michael Jordan (No.5), whoâs widely considered the greatest player of all time. Itâs not Wilt Chamberlain (No.7), who remains the most dominant force in NBA history. Itâs not Karl Malone (No.3), Kobe Bryant (No.4) or anyone else among over 4,800 players whoâve suited up.
It’s âKing James,â anointed âThe Chosen Oneâ as a 17-year-old on the cover of Sports Illustrated. The crazy thing about LeBron owning the record is heâs never fancied himself as a scorer, not even then. âA lot of players know how to play the game, but they donât really know how to play the game, if you know what I mean,â he said as a high school junior in 2002. âThey can put the ball in the hoop, but I see things before they even happen.â
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The truth can sound like bragging when itâs simply facts. A week before overtaking Abdul-Jabbar on the scoring list, James passed Mark Jackson and Steve Nash for fourth place on the all-time assists list. Among the three players ahead of him in assists (John Stockton, Jason Kidd, and Chris Paul), none are closer than 17,000 points away in scoring.
Weâve arguably never seen a player like James, a chiseled 250 pounds at 6-foot-9, with a point guardâs vision, a shooting guardâs range, a small forwardâs athleticism, a power forwardâs force and a centerâs gravitational effect. Yet, itâs difficult to determine whatâs most amazing â producing such on-court exploits or outpacing the hype that preceded them?
Facing the most improbable projections and impossible expectations, James has put himself atop the scoring list and amidst the gameâs legends. No matter where he ranks on your GOAT list â Charles Barkley has him seventh â James can rest easy with his status.
âHopefully I made an impact enough so people appreciate what I did, and still appreciate what I did off the floor as well, even when Iâm done,â James told the New York Times. âBut I donât live for that.â
He also doesnât wait for others to toot his horn. James is perfectly willing to do it himself.
âWhat I bring to the table as a basketball player ⊠I feel like Iâm the best basketball player that ever played the game,â James told the Orange County Register. âThatâs just my confidence, thatâs just what I bring to the table, what I possess.
âBut as far as if the scoring record gets me to another level, I donât know.â
Thatâs for everyone else to consider. At 38 years old and in his 20th season, James just keeps stating his case. A four-time champ and four-time Finals MVP. A league-record 13 selections to First-Team All-NBA. The only player with 10,000 rebounds and 10,000 assists.
The longevity is as remarkable as the productivity. If heâs missing a step, its absence is imperceptible. James carried averages of 30.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 7.1 assists into Tuesdayâs game.
Most players in their prime canât dream of those numbers; LeBron is doing it in his twilight.
The scoring title is a wrap, but the GOAT debate is more complex. Philadelphia coach Doc Rivers splits hairs, saying James will end with âthe greatest career of all time.Â
âI think heâs already had it,â Rivers told reporters. âI think Michael [Jordan] is the greatest of all time, but that doesnât take anything away from LeBron. LeBronâs had the greatest career.â
If nothing else heâs scored the most points: 38,390 and counting.
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Deron Snyder, from Brooklyn, is an award-winning columnist who lives near D.C. and pledged Alpha at HU-You Know! Heâs reaching high, lying low, moving on, pushing off, keeping up, and throwing down. Got it? Get more at blackdoorventures.com/deron.
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