Michael Jordan Praises LeBron James on NBA Scoring Record: 'Incredible Achievement'

After Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James became the NBA's all-time scoring leader in Tuesday's loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, congratulatory messages have been pouring in from across the sports world and beyond.

On Wednesday, James received praise from his counterpart in the GOAT debate, Michael Jordan.

"Congratulations to LeBron on this incredible achievement. It's a testament to his hard work, longevity, and his great skill," Jordan said, per Michael J. Babcock of TMZ Sports.

James has been linked to Jordan since before his legendary NBA career even began, as he was dubbed "The Next Michael Jordan" in 2002 after drawing national attention as a high school phenom. The 38-year-old also has never been secretive of his admiration for Jordan, acknowledging the major impact he felt watching him play as a child growing up in Akron, Ohio.

While there are many worthy players of recognition, the GOAT debate has routinely come down to James vs. Jordan. The 59-year-old, who is the governor of the Charlotte Hornets, is regarded as one of the greatest winners in any sport thanks to his six championships in six NBA Finals appearances. However, after James' historic accomplishment Tuesday night, the arguments in favor of Jordan are undoubtedly dwindling.

For his part, the 20-year veteran has usually shied away from declaring himself the greatest player to step on a basketball court, but he's starting to become more comfortable with accepting that position.

"I'm gonna let everybody else decide where [the scoring record] puts me. It's not for me to say now, 'OK I'm this or that,'" James told Kyle Goon of Southern California News Group prior to Tuesday's achievement. "What I bring to the table as a basketball player … I feel like I'm the best basketball player that ever played the game. That's just my confidence, that's just what I bring to the table, what I possess. But as far as if the scoring record gets me to another level, I don't know."

James now has 38,390 career points, surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's mark of 38,387 that stood for over 38 years. Jordan is fifth on the all-time scoring list with 32,292 career points.

James and the Lakers (25-30) will be back in action Thursday at Crypto.com Arena against the Milwaukee Bucks (37-17).