“I think it’s one of the most sought-after records in sports” - LeBron James in complete awe of chance to break Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s scoring record

The LeBron James-led Los Angeles Lakers will take on the reigning champions Golden State Warriors on opening night of the 2022-23 NBA season tomorrow.

James, who is entering the 20th year of his career, is set to become the NBA's all-time leading scorer.

At some point in the season, depending on the number of games and his points per game average, James will break Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's longstanding record of 38,387 points, which he is 1,325 points away from.

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James spoke to the 'LA Times' about the record:

“It’s a huge thing, I believe,” James told The Times. “I think it’s one of the most sought-after records in sports.

"And me personally, I’ve never even like set a goal of doing it. It makes zero sense to me. But it’s something that’s bigger, and bigger than people think.” (via) LA Times

While it is highly improbable to correctly predict the date at which James might pass the record, Jacob Rude of Silver Screen and Roll has compiled a list of dates to watch out for.

James can pass Kareem from anywhere between Jan. 15 and Feb. 9, while averaging 24 to 31 ppg.

LeBron James and Anthony Davis bear the burden, no relief in sight for top-heavy Lakers

As LeBron James enters the 20th year of his career, he finds himself in a position not too dissimilar to the one he was in when he first entered the league.

LeBron James' first stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers was marked by five consecutive playoff runs and a finals appearance.

He was accompanied by a watered-down Shaquille O'Neal for one of those years, and four-time DPOY Ben Wallace for two, also at the back-end of his career. It was all the competent help James had in those years.

Today, the Lakers roster is built up with an active roster cap of ~$170 million, with ~$130 million allocated toward three players - Russell Westbrook, Anthony Davis and LeBron James.

Only one of these three players played 50+ games and averaged more than 20 points per game, and he's about to break Abdul-Jabbar's scoring record this season.

The hope for the Lakers unequivocally lies in the hands of Anthony Davis. This opinion has been regurgitated by many analysts and former players alike. Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce have both spoken about AD's relevance to the team, and Kendrick Perkins has touted him as his favorite for the title.

AD's numbers in the preseason have given some hope, but the second-unit outing has been just about as bad as AD and LeBron have been phenomenal. Kendrick Nunn's rejuvenated play in six games might have earned him a spot in the starting five.

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Russell Westbrook's role is still questionable, and in six preseason games, Patrick Beverley's worthwhile addition has bore fruit only on the defensive end. Austin Reaves has outperformed expectations as an undrafted rookie and might just be the Lakers' best player off the bench.