LeBron James' hometown is celebrating his historic record-breaking performance Tuesday with a day named in his honor. Mayor Dan Horrigan officially proclaimed Wednesday as "LeBron James Day."
James broke a nearly 40-year-old scoring record held by Kareem Abdul Jabbar since 1984. Abdul Jabbar held the top spot for nearly four decades with a total of 38,387 points. It was a record not even the great Michael Jordan could surpass.
“What a thrill it is to see Akron’s own LeBron James become the NBA’s All-Time leading scorer, a record that may never be broken again. On the court, LeBron James has demonstrated elite athletic ability, determination, and grit over the course of his career,” said Horrigan. “Despite all the on-court and worldwide accolades, LeBron never forgot his humble roots right here in Akron. The LeBron James Family Foundation has invested resources, time, and passion into creating generational change for Akron’s youth and families. His actions on and off the court are the prime example of leadership. 38,390 points in, and I cannot wait to see what he does next. On behalf of myself and the entire City of Akron, congratulations LeBron James!”
The city will play a commemorative video on the side of the Akron Civic Theatre, facing Lock 3 Park.
"We encourage all of Akron’s residents to look to LeBron’s incredible career as inspiration, and as a reminder that a kid from Akron can achieve anything with hard work, determination, and perseverance," the city said.
The student body at Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary, where James played high school basketball, gathered in the gymnasium on Wednesday afternoon to record a video in which they yelled, "Congratulations LeBron!" The video will be sent to him.
Dru Joyce, who coached LeBron for four years, sent a text to the NBA superstar after his record-setting accomplishment.
"I said I'm honored to have coached the GOAT (greatest of all time). Much love," Joyce told News 5. "One time, early in his pro career, he said, 'Coach Dru, I want to be the greatest of all time.' And I just want to let him know he's done it and that's special."
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