On April 5, 1984, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar broke an NBA record long considered unbreakable: Wilt Chamberlain’s total of 31,419 career points. With a graceful right-handed skyhook over Mark Eaton of the Utah Jazz, Abdul-Jabbar surpassed Chamberlain. The moment was so special that officials stopped the game so teammates, Abdul-Jabbar’s parents and Commissioner David Stern could congratulate him. Lakers play-by-play man Chick Hearn described the achievement perfectly, saying, “I don’t think this will ever happen again.”
Now, 36 years later, another transcendent player sits within striking distance of Abdul-Jabbar’s once-considered unbreakable record. LeBron James needs 4,301 more points to top Abdul-Jabbar’s final total of 38,387.
Whether James, who’s now 35, will eventually break the mark remains to be seen, but the mere fact that he has a chance suggests that even the most amazing feats in basketball history can be…