Kevin Durant, the Phoenix Suns’ star forward, etched his name further into NBA history on Tuesday night, becoming just the eighth player to surpass the coveted 30,000 career point mark.
Durant reached the milestone with a free throw in the Suns’ 119-112 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, finishing the game with 34 points.
The 36-year-old, a 15-time All-Star and two-time NBA champion, joins a truly exclusive club alongside legends like LeBron James, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Dirk Nowitzki, and Wilt Chamberlain.
Remarkably, Durant achieved this feat in his 1,101st career game, making him the joint-third fastest player to reach 30,000 points, tied with Abdul-Jabbar. Only Chamberlain (941 games) and Jordan (960 games) reached the milestone faster.
“He’s probably the most incredible shotmaker I’ve ever been around,” commented Suns coach Mike Budenholzer. “The way he can rise up and shoot over people, his height, his ball-handling. If he’s not the most incredible shotmaker then I’m not sure who is.”
Durant’s career scoring average of 27.2 points per game is the fourth-highest among players with at least 500 NBA games played, trailing only Jordan (30.1), Chamberlain (30.1), and Elgin Baylor (27.4). He has averaged at least 20 points in each of his 17 NBA seasons, a testament to his consistent dominance.
“It’s a true honour to be in the same category as those players who helped shape the game, pushed the game forward,” Durant said after the game. “That’s always been my goal: to get the most out of myself every day and the most out of my career, so to be mentioned with those guys means I’m doing something right.”
Even in defeat, the moment wasn’t lost on his opponents. Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant, who led his team with 26 points and six assists, presented Durant with the game ball after the final buzzer.
“He’s one of the greats,” Morant told TNT Sports. “That’s why I honoured him with the ball. He said he [didn’t] care too much about it, but hey, [not everyone gets] 30k in this league. Hats off to him, and I hope he keeps going. We want to see him out here.”
Durant, a four-time Olympic gold medalist with Team USA, has also won four NBA scoring titles. His place among the NBA’s pantheon of legends is now firmly cemented, with his pursuit of further milestones continuing.
In other NBA action, Karl-Anthony Towns exploded for 40 points as the New York Knicks cruised to a 128-115 victory over the Indiana Pacers.
Scottie Barnes delivered a strong performance with 33 points and 10 rebounds in the Toronto Raptors’ 106-103 win over the Philadelphia 76ers, while Malik Beasley hit seven three-pointers off the bench to help the Detroit Pistons dismantle the Chicago Bulls 132-92.
