LeBron James calls himself "best basketball player that ever played the game" as he nears NBA's scoring record

LeBron James is only 36 points away from breaking the NBA's all-time scoring record. His impressive pursuit of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is finally coming to an end.

However, the 20-year NBA veteran is still pursuing Michael Jordan, who is considered the greatest basketball player of all time. James, on the other hand, considers himself the best player.

“What I bring to the table as a basketball player … I feel like I’m the best basketball player that ever played the game,” LeBron said.

James is questionable for his matchup against the OKC Thunder on Tuesday night. If he suits up to play, however, he may break the all-time scoring record.

LeBron James believes he's the best basketball player of all time, not Michael Jordan

Surpassing Jordan is a very tough challenge as he's still considered the greatest of all time. But if one player can do it, then it's certainly LeBron James. Thanks to his longevity and incredible accolades, the LA Lakers forward has earned a place among the all-time greats.

James is in his 20th NBA season, yet he's averaging 30.0 points per game on 50.5% shooting. He has shown no signs of slowing down and has broken numerous records during his iconic career.

James has shown no signs of slowing down (Image via Getty Images)

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's scoring record is impressive, yet LeBron is just a game or two away from breaking it. Despite never being a great shooter, James has used his longevity to climb the all-time scoring list and is only 36 points away from getting to the top.

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James believes that he's already the best player of all time. However, he's also received praise from other players, including Dirk Nowitzki, one of his former rivals.

Nowitzki praised LeBron for his longevity (Image via Getty Images)

"If he [LeBron] really surpasses Kareem in the scoring record, I'm sort of running out of arguments for Michael," Nowitzki said. "What this guy has done has been nothing short of incredible."

Nowitzki played 21 seasons in the NBA and won the MVP award in 2007. He also beat LeBron and the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals to win his first and only championship.

Where does Michael Jordan rank on the all-time scoring list?

Michael Jordan played 15 seasons in the NBA and is one of the most efficient scorers the league has ever had. Jordan's career scoring average of 30.1 points per game ranks him at the top of the list.

However, when it comes to career points, Jordan ranks fifth with 32,292 points.

LeBron James will break the all-time scoring record very soon (Image via Getty Images)

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While Jordan's career ended two decades ago, LeBron is still active and will keep separating himself from the rest of the pack. There is a good chance that he will finish his career with more than 40,000 career points, which is very impressive.