Kevin Durant Becomes Eighth Player in NBA History to Reach 30,000 Points

Despite being on the losing side, last night was special for Kevin Durant and his fans. While the Pheonix Suns lost to the Memphis Grizzlies by a scoreline of 119-112, Kevin Durant’s 34-point performances was enough to create history. Now, KD is just the eighth player in NBA history to reach 30,000 points. He achieved this mark in his 17th season as an NBA professional.

Kevin Durant has officially joined one of the most exclusive clubs in NBA history. The 36-year-old has now racked up 30,008 career points across his time with the Seattle SuperSonics/Oklahoma City Thunder, Golden State Warriors, Brooklyn Nets, and Phoenix Suns since making his NBA debut in the 2007-08 season. That puts him among the all-time greats, a list topped by none other than LeBron James, who continues to extend his record with 41,623 points and counting for the Lakers. 

Durant now finds himself in legendary company, trailing icons like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Dirk Nowitzki, and Wilt Chamberlain on the all-time scoring list. Not a bad group to be associated with. But what makes his achievement even more impressive is his scoring efficiency. Among those historic names, Durant boasts the third-best points-per-game average (27.3), trailing only Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain, who both averaged 30.1 points-per-game. 

Even though Kevin Durant made history as a Phoenix Sun, the franchise was reportedly exploring ways to move on from the 36-year-old superstar. According to multiple reports, the Suns had even lined up a blockbuster three-team trade that would have sent Durant back to the Golden State Warriors, with Jimmy Butler landing in Phoenix and Andrew Wiggins—along with a few other players and first-round picks—heading to the Miami Heat. However, the deal ultimately fell apart because KD wasn’t interested in a reunion with the Warriors. 

It’s no surprise there were mixed emotions about a potential return to the Bay Area. After all, it was with Golden State that Durant won back-to-back NBA championships and earned two Finals MVPs. But his departure from the franchise wasn’t exactly smooth, leaving some unresolved tensions between him and the organization. That said, KD will still be making his way back to the Bay this weekend—not for a trade, but to take part in his 15th All-Star Game. Durant will be a part of Team Shaq, which is aptly named Shaq’s OGs. 

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