Allen Kee / ESPN Images(LOS ANGELES) — LeBron James has surpassed Michael Jordan on the NBA’s all-time points list.
The Los Angeles Lakers forward tied Jordan’s 32,292 career points with a fadeaway in the second quarter of Wednesday night’s game against the Denver Nuggets. James later broke Jordan’s record in the same quarter with a layup.
He ended the game with 31 points, but it wasn’t enough to defeat the Nuggets, who beat the Lakers 115-99.
After the game, James told reporters that passing Jordan in career points “ranks right up there at the top with winning a championship.”
“It’s just, I mean, for a kid from Akron, Ohio that needed inspiration and needed some type of positive influence, MJ was that guy for me,” James, 34, said. “I watched him from afar, wanted to be like MJ, wanted to shoot fadeaways like MJ, wanted to stick my tongue out on dunks like MJ, wanted to wear my sneaks like MJ, wanted kids to look up to me some day like MJ. It’s crazy, to be honest. It’s beyond crazy.”
After passing Jordan, James is now in fourth place on the NBA’s all-time points list behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (38,387 points), Karl Malone (36,928 points) and Kobe Bryant (33,643 points).
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