The LA Lakers honor LeBron James in a pregame ceremonial game after he became the NBA’s all-time leading scorer

(CNN) The Los Angeles Lakers honored superstar LeBron James, who passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA’s all-time top scorer in a pregame ceremony Thursday.

A tribute video was shown on the video board in the presence of his family and Abdul-Jabbar before former Lakers star James Worthy spoke briefly and introduced James at half-court before the game against the Milwaukee Bucks.

James thanked his family, including his mother, wife and three children, before reflecting on his career.

“I wouldn’t be able to do the things I do on a daily basis, I couldn’t come out onto this pitch every night and show you guys my talent if I didn’t have the support and I didn’t have the commitment of my family, that has allowed me to do the things I do,” said James.

“As a kid from Akron, Ohio, and when I was three years old on December 25, 1988, my mom bought me a Little Tikes tire, and sure enough, there’s a photo floating around of that Christmas present. That moment I fell in love with I was going to turn four on December 30th of this year, but from that moment I knew that this orange ball was something I always wanted to be a part of my journey.

“Somebody said on social media that this is the biggest investment in human history, a $20 Little Tikes tire could transform what it is today.”

James (left) poses with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar after becoming the all-time leading scorer in the NBA this week.

James then discussed what he felt after breaking the record.

“As I’m sitting up here looking over these jumbotrons and this thing going around the crypto [.com Arena]and to see the NBA all-time leading scorer,” he said, “it’s just so surreal to me.”

James surpassed Abdul-Jabbar’s longtime record 38,387 points, which he scored with a fadeaway jump from the free throw line in the third quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday.

As soon as he set the new mark, play paused to celebrate James’s achievement. The new scoring king was joined on the court by his family, Abdul-Jabbar, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and Magic Johnson, among others.

James, playing in his 20th season at the age of 38, came on 36 points down to break the record held by Abdul-Jabbar since 1984.

He finished Tuesday’s game with 38 points and seven rebounds in the Lakers’ 133-130 loss to the Thunder, giving him a career total of 38,390 points.

He didn’t play Thursday night as the Lakers went down 115-106 to the Bucks.