Randy Cruz, podcaster and CEO of Hoops in the Sun, posted the side by side photo to Twitter and replied in a thread that the photo showed "the differences of both eras when it came to technology."
Others reacted to his tweet as well, pointing out that they didn't have phones to pull out when Jordan put the Chicago Bulls ahead of the Utah Jazz by one point with seconds left in game six of the 1998 NBA finals.
Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James (6) misses a shot against Boston Celtics' Jayson Tatum, top center, late in the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Jan. 28, 2023, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
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Others wondered if people have lost the ability to live in the moment.
Abdul-Jabbar held the all-time scoring record for nearly four decades before James broke the record on Tuesday night and scored the 36 points needed to hit 38,388 total points.
James told SCNG before breaking the record that he felt he was the best basketball player that has ever played the game.
"What I bring to the table as a basketball player … I feel like I’m the best basketball player that ever played the game," James told SCNG. "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."
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, left, passes a ball to LeBron James after James becomes the all-time NBA scoring leader, passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar at 38388 points during the third quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023, in Los Angeles, CA. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Abdul-Jabbar handed James the ball during the ceremony after he had broken the record.
"Everybody that has ever been a part of this run with me the last 20-plus years, I want to say thank you so much because I wouldn't be me without all you. You all helped. Your passion and sacrifices helped me to get to this point," James said.
James scored another two points in the Lakers' game against the Oklahoma Thunder, making the record 38,390 points.
The Thunder topped the Lakers 133-130.