Los Angeles Lakers: Top Ten Moments of the 2019-2020 Season
By Ethan Temkin
2.) LeBron passes Kobe Bryant for third on the all-time scoring list
On January 25th, LeBron James passed Kobe Bryant for the third on the all-time scoring list by making a simple drive to the basket that he’s done probably hundreds, if not thousands of times before.
This is a moment that will, unfortunately, be forever intertwined with the tragic passing of one of basketball’s most legendary players, but that still shouldn’t take away from the importance of this monumental moment in sports.
Kobe Bryant meant so much to the game of basketball, and we all remember when he himself earned that coveted third spot on the all-time scoring list with those free-throws he sank against the Timberwolves in 2014, so to see another Laker take that third spot is truly a gift for fans of the franchise.
LeBron has always said how he wants to finish his career as the all-time leader in points scored, chasing Kareem Abdul Jabaar’s absurd record of 38,387 regular-season points.
As of right now, LeBron sits at 34,087 points scored, and even though this regular season has come to an abrupt halt, he still has a puncher’s chance of passing Kareem’s record if he can maintain even 75 percent of his current productivity over the course of the next 3-4 seasons.
It’s important to note that LeBron has said in the past that he wants to be in the league when his son LeBron James Jr. or ‘Bronny’ for short enters the league, which would put him at around 40 years of age when that can realistically happen.
Given how well LeBron takes care of his body and looking at the recent example of Vince Carter, who is playing his last season at the age of 42, it’s not unrealistic to expect LeBron to be able to do the same.