MILWAUKEE _ Before his first professional game in 2003, LeBron James had lunch with "Uncle Mo."
The day the Cavaliers opened the season in Sacramento, Hall of Famer Moses Malone, then 48, came to James' hotel room. The two spent 30 to 45 minutes together, Malone regaling James with stories, preparing James for his rookie year in the NBA.
"I called him Uncle Mo every time because he was always there for me," James said.
With 9:11 to go in the first quarter Tuesday against the Milwaukee Bucks at the BMO Harris Bradley Center, James scored off an offensive rebound and jumped Malone (27,409) to move into eighth place on the league's all-time scoring list. James entered the night needing two points to surpass the legend, who died in his sleep on Sept. 13, 2015.
"It was very sad when I saw him pass," James said before Tuesday's shootaround. "To see his name right there and to see me with the notion of what could happen tonight, it's just very special."
It was obvious James cherishes that lunch, along with the advice Malone gave. In 1974, when Malone was drafted by the Utah Stars of the American Basketball Association, he became the first player in the modern era to jump from high school to the pros. A 12-time All-Star and three-time league MVP, Malone retired in 1995 having led the NBA in rebounding six times and averaging more than 20 points in 11 consecutive seasons.
Asked what Malone told him that day, James said, "It was just about hard work and dedication. Whatever you give to the game, the game will give back to you. That was already in my head, but when you hear it from someone who had accomplished so much it resonates even more."
As James climbs the NBA scoring list, he appreciates the unique traits of each player he passes.
"That's what makes our game so great. You've got so many different players, so many different facets, so many different skill sets, and then at the end of the day, they're all greats for a reason in their own right," James said. "Any time I see my name up there with the greats is always humbling."
