Carmelo Anthony passes LeBron James, becomes USA’s all-time leading scorer

Carmelo Anthony passed LeBron James to become the United States’s career leading scorer.

With a three-pointer from the top of the arc in the middle of the second period, Carmelo Anthony passed LeBron James to become the United States’s career leading scorer with 276 points. 

Anthony finished with a game-high 31 points on 11-of-21 shooting, including 9-of-15 from three-point range as USA came back to beat Australia 98–88 after trailing at halftime.

Anthony opened the game with three quick triples in the first two minutes and hit another long jumper for his 10th and 11th points before dropping in the record basket, his fourth three of the game to pace the United States with 14 early points. He holds the American record for points in a game with 37 against Nigeria in 2012.

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James set his record of 273 career points in the red, white and blue across three Olympic trips in 2004, 2008 and 2012. Anthony was a member of all of those teams and signed up for another trip this year. If the United States wins gold, he will become the first men’s Olympic basketball player to ever win three gold medals, including 2008 and 2012.

- Jeremy Woo