Kevin Durant has officially etched his name among the legends. On Tuesday night, the Phoenix Suns forward became the eighth player in NBA history to reach 30,000 career points, scoring 34 in a milestone performance. Needing just 26 to join the exclusive club, Durant hit the mark late in the third quarter with a pair of free throws—fittingly mirroring his first-ever NBA point, which also came from the line in his 2007 debut with the Seattle SuperSonics.
“It’s a true honor to be in the same category as those players who helped shape the game,” Durant said postgame. “Grateful for all my teammates, coaches, family, and friends that invested in me as a basketball player. It means a lot.”
Durant reached the 30K milestone in his 1,101st game, tying Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the third-fastest player to do so, trailing only Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain. His scoring prowess was on full display—shooting 66.7% from the field and 75% from three while scoring at all levels of the court.
With a career average of 27.3 points per game—trailing only Jordan, Chamberlain, and Elgin Baylor—Durant’s scoring dominance continues deep into his 17th season. Now, the question remains: how high will he climb? Next up on the all-time scoring list: Wilt (31,419), Dirk (31,560), and MJ (32,292). At his current pace, surpassing them is only a matter of time.
