Every basketball fan in the world wanted to record it because it was such an incredible moment.
LeBron James of the LA Lakers entered the arena needing 36 points from the Oklahoma City Thunder to surpass Kareem Abdul Jabbar’s record of 38,387 points set in 1984 to become the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.
And as “The King” prepared to make basketball history, throngs of supporters clung to their phones to capture the momentous occasion.
The historical moment, which has since become famous, is very different from Michael Jordan’s “Last Shot” for the Chicago Bulls 25 years decades back.
Jordan’s legendary shot was enjoyed by many there, even if it’s hard to find a fan who isn’t photographing James.
Jordan’s shot is as legendary in NBA history; with 5.2 seconds left in Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals, the Bulls led Utah Jazz 87-86 thanks to his 20-footer.
Before Jordan retired from the game, it was a shot that ultimately resulted in the Bulls’ sixth championship in eight years and the game’s winning basket. Later on, he would play basketball again, but not with the Bulls.
One of the most recognizable sights in basketball is the picture of Jordan releasing the ball while frantic fans are in the background.
Before smartphones, not a single fan was hidden behind a screen. Instead, a wide range of emotions may be seen, with each face expressing a unique narrative.
The images are compared to demonstrate how much has changed in 25 years.
The beauty of smartphones, though, is that viewers can now view James’ historic moment from countless other perspectives.
James walked away from the record-breaking shot with his hands raised before being surrounded by teammates, followed by his boys Bronny and Bryce and wife Savannah.
Even the Lakers vs. OKC game was halted to honor James’ extraordinary accomplishment.
