James, a native of Akron, Ohio, who was selected out of high school as the NBA’s No. 1 pick in 2003 by the Cleveland Cavaliers, has trekked toward the scoring record during his two-decade career by averaging about 27 points per game.

James, a four-time league MVP who has won four NBA titles with three teams (in 2012 and 2013 with the Miami Heat, in 2016 with the Cleveland Cavaliers and in 2020 with the Lakers), said Thursday after a narrow victory against the Indiana Pacers that the scoring record is one he covets.

“I think it’s one of the greatest records in sports, in general,” he said. “It’s like the home run record in baseball. It’s one of those records that you don’t ever see or think will be broken. You see guys like Hank Aaron, who had it for so long. You see guys like Sammy [Sosa] and Mark McGwire, and you start climbing it, and it’s like, ‘Oh, this could really happen.’ It’s a fun thing as a sports person. It was fun watching those guys chasing it.”

Even as a grizzled veteran, James hasn’t slowed down this season. While the Lakers are struggling to secure a playoff spot, James has averaged about 30 points per game, competing among the league’s elite scorers, 20-something superstars such as Joel Embiid, Luka Dončić and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

James has had multiple 40-point games this season. His 46 points against the Los Angeles Clippers on Jan. 24 set another NBA record, establishing him as the only player in history to score 40 points or more against every NBA franchise.

While James’ accolades on the court have garnered him the nickname “King James,” he’s been praised and criticized for social commentary off the court on issues such as police brutality, voter oppression and WNBA star Brittney Griner’s detainment in Russia.

James responded in 2021 to soccer standout Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s criticism of his political activism.

“I preach about my people and I preach about equality, social injustice, racism, systematic voter suppression, things that go on in our community,” James said. “I know what’s going on still, because I have a group of 300-plus kids at my school that’s going through the same thing, and they need a voice, and I’m their voice. I’ll use my platform to continue to shed light on everything that’s going on around this country and around the world. There’s no way I would ever just stick to sports, because I understand how powerful this platform and my voice is.”

The I Promise School in Akron, for at-risk students, is supported by the LeBron James Family Foundation. 

The Associated Press and Phil Helsel contributed.