RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:
So LeBron James is not called the King of the Court for nothing. The star of the Cleveland Cavaliers is at the peak of his career. And just last night, he led his team to the NBA finals for the seventh straight year.
STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:
Wow. And now he's doing something most people don't get to do. He's getting to be like Mike.
MARTIN: Actually going just a little beyond Michael Jordan, breaking one of his records. LeBron was a kid in the '90s when Michael Jordan was at his peak, winning six championships, setting records, starring in a movie with Bugs Bunny.
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LEBRON JAMES: Now, when you're growing up and you're seeing Michael Jordan, you - it's almost like a god. So I'd have never believed I could be Mike. I never thought that you could get to a point where Mike was.
INSKEEP: LeBron James says he wore short-shorts like MJ, copied his moves. And now he is passing Jordan in the record books.
MARTIN: Last night, the Cavaliers beat the Boston Celtics and will go on to face the Golden State Warriors in the NBA finals. James scored 35 points in that game, including this 3-pointer.
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UNIDENTIFIED ANNOUNCER #1: James...
UNIDENTIFIED ANNOUNCER #2: There it is.
UNIDENTIFIED ANNOUNCER #1: ...For three.
UNIDENTIFIED ANNOUNCER #2: There it is right there.
UNIDENTIFIED ANNOUNCER #1: Just passed Michael Jordan.
INSKEEP: That gave LeBron James 5,989 career points in the playoffs, two more than Michael Jordan, the most all time.
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JAMES: The biggest thing for me sitting here today after breaking the all-time scoring record in playoff history is that I did it just being me.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "SPACE JAM")
QUAD CITY DJ'S: (Singing) Yeah, all right... Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
