Kevin Durant has officially entered an elite group of NBA players by scoring 30,000 career points. He reached the mark during a game against the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday night, hitting a free throw late in the third quarter to seal the achievement. Durant now joins a list of legends that includes LeBron James, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Dirk Nowitzki, Wilt Chamberlain, and Julius Erving (who combined his ABA and NBA points).
Durant spoke with humility and pride about joining such an exclusive club. “It’s a true honor to be in the same category as those players who helped shape the game and pushed the game forward,” he said. “That’s always been my goal – to get the most out of myself every day, get the most out of my career. To be mentioned with those guys, I must be doing something right.”
Durant’s Journey to the Milestone
Achieving the 30,000-point mark in his 1,101st career game, Durant tied the same number of games as Abdul-Jabbar. Only Wilt Chamberlain (941 games) and Michael Jordan (960 games) reached the milestone faster. Durant, a 15-time All-Star, continues to perform at an extraordinary level. This season, he’s averaging 27.1 points per game while shooting 52.8% from the field.
Over the course of his career, Durant has accumulated 17,566 points with the Oklahoma City Thunder (which was the Seattle SuperSonics during his rookie year), 5,374 points with the Golden State Warriors, 3,744 points with the Brooklyn Nets, and 3,324 points with the Phoenix Suns.
A Scorer Like No Other
Durant’s scoring ability is unmatched in many ways. Standing 6-foot-11 with a 7-foot-5 wingspan, his combination of height, guard-like skills, and elite athleticism make him a unique talent in NBA history. While other big men have expanded their range to the perimeter, Durant can score at all three levels effortlessly. His Instagram handle, @EasyMoneySniper, perfectly captures his style of play – lethal but smooth.
Durant’s scoring is incredibly well-rounded, with points spread across the court. The only zone that doesn’t feature much of Durant’s scoring is the corner three-pointer, which is primarily used by 3-point specialists. Durant, however, is far from a specialist; he’s a complete scorer who can impact the game from every angle.
