LeRecord

You can argue about G.O.A.T. status, but you sure can't argue this

Sometimes you look at a sports-related record and think “that won’t be broken,” or in certain cases, like the NBA scoring record, “that can’t be broken.”

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scored 38,387 regular season points. Using rough math, we know that 2,000 points is a very good offensive season (25 PPG for 80 games). So you’d have to average 25 PPG for 19+ seasons in order to catch Kareem.

The fun thing about records like this is knowing that they basically can’t be touched — but that it’s quite fun to see someone try.

There are some records that are now very much out of reach because of the way a sport has changed — Cy Young’s 511 wins comes to mind. But in basketball, the way points are scored likely won’t change significantly; even in the lean-offense 1990s, the best scorers were still racking up 25+ PPG.

Even still, wherever LeBron ends up with his points total, I’m calling his record unbreakable.

— JY

#danquizzel

The 2003 NBA Entry Draft is memorable for its first overall pick, LeBron James, its second overall pick, the bust that was Darko Miličić, and the 3-5 picks: Carmelo Anthony (3), Chris Bosh (4), and Dwyane Wade (5). Aside from James, Anthony, Bosh, and Wade, five other picks from this draft class made at least one All-Star team. Name at least three of them.

Aside from LeBron James, who was Cleveland’s other pick in the 2003 NBA Entry Draft?

Besides LeBron James, seven other active players have scored 20,000+ career points. Name at least five of them.

What three-time NBA champion is the only member of the Lakers’ all-time top ten scorers not in the Hall of Fame?

Answers from last week’s issue

The now-retired pitcher best known for saying a series of racist, homophobic, and xenophobic things about New Yorkers in an interview with Jeff Pearlman played for four teams over the course of his career. Name them.

Ironically, John Rocker played for both MLB clubs with racist nicknames. In addition to the Braves and Indians, he also donned the uniforms of the Rangers and Devil Rays in his six-year career.

What two former NBA players argued that Breonna Taylor’s killing by the Louisville Police shouldn’t be mentioned in the same breath as the killings of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery?

On Inside the NBA, Shaquille O’Neal (a deputized sheriff in the states of Georgia and Florida) and Charles Barkley debated this the day after a Kentucky grand jury decided that murder charges would not be brought against the officers that shot Taylor to death.

What former NFL player and current talking head was put on blast for tweeting “I don’t care if the QB has a damn injury it’s the NFC Championship he better start throwing left fu**ing handed then we don’t have time for boo boos!” in regards to San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy’s injury, later revealed to be a UCL tear?

Reggie Bush’s comments on Brock Purdy are as invalid as his Heisman Trophy.

What former NHL player tarnished his erstwhile stellar reputation by repeatedly using the N-word to refer to an OHL player he was coaching in a conversation with two of the player’s teammates?

As coach of the Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds, former goaltender John Vanbiesbrouck went there. The victim of his comments, Trevor Daley, went on to have a stellar 13-year career, winning two Stanley Cups — two more than the Beezer won.

#postscript

Many thanks to Dan Issel for being named his name and to you for being named your name, unless your name is Gianni Infantino because there can be a world where you don’t accept all of the oil money being thrown at FIFA.

Until next week, be the Ezequiel Carrera you wish to see in the world.

— DJ/JY