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BBC Pidgin of Wednesday, 8 February 2023

Source: BBC

LeBron James na NBA all-time leading scorer

Lebron James hold basketball Lebron James hold basketball

LeBron James don become di NBA all-time leading scorer.

James pass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar long-standing record.

Los Angeles Lakers star James hit 38 points for dia 133-130 defeat to Oklahoma City Thunder to pass Abdul-Jabbar mark of 38,387, wey im set for 1989.

Abdul-Jabbar initially break di scoring record for April 1984, eight months before dem born James.

"To dey able to dey for di presence of a legend as great as Kareem, mean so much to me," James tok.

Di 38-year-old, wey need 36 points to break di record, do so wit a fadeaway jumper at di end of di third quarter and im finish di match wit a career total of 38,390.

James wey bin dey emotional raise both of im hands in celebration while 75-year-old Abdul-Jabbar, wey bin dey di match for Lakers home court, stand and clap.

Dem break play briefly for small ceremony to mark di achievement, na dia James take microphone to make speech for court.

"Evri body wey don dey part of dis run wit me for di last 20-plus years, I wan say thank you so much becos I no go dey here without all of una. Una help. Una passion and sacrifices help me to get to dis point," e tok.

"And to di NBA to Adam Silver, to di late great David Stern, thank you very much for allowing me to dey part of something I always dream about. I no go ever in a million years dream say dis go even better pass wetin e be tonight."

Abdul-Jabbar do small ceremony to hand ova di ball to James to recognise im new record in front of fans wey bin dey cheer am.

Some of di pipo wey bin dey cheer am for crowd include tennis legend John McEnroe, music stars Jay-Z, LL Cool J and Bad Bunny, boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr and actor Denzel Washington.

"I feel say e dey possible to break di record. E just get someone wey dey constantly focused on offense," na so Abdul-Jabbar, wey retire for 1989 tok.

"LeBron career na pesin wey plan to dominate dis game. You gatz give am credit for just di way im dey play and for di way him don last and dominate."

Four-time NBA champion James dey im 20th season for NBA, afta dem draft am first overall by hometown team di Cleveland Cavaliers for 2003.

Di forward join Miami Heat for 2010, e win two titles, before e return to lead Cleveland to dia only NBA title for dia history for 2016.

Him don dey wit di Lakers since 2018 and e help dem win di 2020 title, wey also be di fourth time dem don name am as NBA finals MVP.

Two-time Olympic champion James don win four regular season MVP titles and im appear for di NBA Finals 10 times.

Abdul-Jabbar bin play for NBA for 20 seasons wit di Milwaukee Bucks and Lakers, during dat time e win six titles, six regular season MVP crowns and dem name MVP twice for finals.

Dem ask am afta di game whether im be di best NBA player of all time, James say: "I go let everybody else decide who dem think or just tok about it, but na great tok for barbershop.

"Me personally, I go put myself against anybody wey play dis game. But everyone go decide who be dia favourite."