As Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James closes in on the NBA’s all-time scoring record, a collection of ESPN commentators discuss the four-time NBA Champion’s legacy as he gets set to break the legendary Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s 40-year record of 38,387 points.

As of February 3, James is 63 points away from setting the mark. The Lakers and James are in action on Saturday, Feb. 4, at 6 p.m. ET as they visit the New Orleans Pelicans. The game will be available on both ESPN2 and ESPN+.

Malika Andrews, NBA Today, NBA Countdown Host, ESPN NBA Reporter
“What LeBron James is set to accomplish is nothing short of incredible. There are moments in recent NBA history that you remember exactly where you were when they happened: Kobe’s 60 in his final game. Steph breaking the 3-point record. The Warriors 73-win season. The Cavaliers becoming the first team to win a title after being down 3-1. To witness this history is truly special. And I expect for a moment, the sports world will stop and all eyes will be on greatness.”

Hubie Brown, ESPN NBA Analyst and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer
“Twenty years of excellence. At 18 years of age, LeBron was playing at the highest level. He’s had an incredible focus on excellence from the first day that he entered the league. And it goes beyond practice and beyond games. It’s been a joy to cover his career.”

Dave McMenamin, ESPN NBA Reporter
“The fact that the all-time scoring record isn’t LeBron’s most-notable NBA accomplishment only goes to show how remarkable his career has really been. It just reminds me of the meme showing James’ 32-bit video game avatar from NBA Shootout 2004 next to his ultra-real likeness in NBA 2K23 with the caption, ‘This is how long LeBron has been dominating the league.’ He’s redefined the limits of a basketball player’s prime and the points are just a piece to the puzzle when appreciating his complete game.”

Bill Rhoden, Columnist and Editor-at-Large, Andscape
“If there’s anyone who can fill Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s shoes it’s LeBron James. They share the same work ethic, the same consistency and they are kindred spirits on and off the court with their commitment to human rights and social justice. They each realize that points scored off the court are far more important than points scored on the court.”

Dick Vitale, ESPN Men’s College Basketball Analyst and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer
“The first time I saw LeBron in person was when I was part of the ESPN broadcast team to call his high school game which was his national coming out party. After the game I was in total awe of what I witnessed, and stated that no doubt he was heading for instant stardom in the NBA. To play at such a high level for such a lengthy time is mind-boggling. Today, at 38 years of age he is as good as ever, and to become ultimately the all-time leading scorer in the history of the NBA, in surpassing Kareem, is absolutely ‘awesome baby,’ with a capital A.”

Brian Windhorst, ESPN Senior NBA Writer
“LeBron is setting a scoring record but it’s not just about scoring. It’s a career achievement award that is a symbol of 20 years of being at the top of his sport. Simply, no one has ever been this good for this long.”

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