Kevin Durant's Legendary NBA Career and His Quest for 30,000 Points
Kevin Durant has established himself as one of the NBA's most prolific scorers of all time. The numerous accolades earned, and achievements surpassed over his 18-year career serve as testimony to his timeless ability to put the ball in the rim.
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Now just 26 points shy of another historic milestone, Durant looks to solidify his name in the history books among the elite ranks of bucket-getters.
Early Career and Rise to Stardom
Kevin Durant arrived on the scene as the second overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft, selected by the Seattle SuperSonics. Durant's legacy began to take shape after winning NBA Rookie of the Year in 2008 and four NBA scoring titles by the age of 25 - Only Michael Jordan (10) and Wilt Chamberlain (7) have claimed more victories.
As the franchise transformed into the Oklahoma City Thunder, Durant quickly became the face of the team, leading the Thunder to multiple deep playoff runs, including an NBA Finals appearance in 2012.
Championships and Legacy Building
KD obtained many accolades during his nine-year stint with the Thunder. He made his first All-Star Game appearance during the 2009-10 season, became the youngest member of the 50-40-90 split club in 2013, and won league MVP Honors in 2014.
Then in 2016, he made the career-defining decision to leave Oklahoma City to join Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors. In the Bay Area he won back-to-back NBA championships in 2017 and 2018, earning NBA Finals MVP honors both times.
Durant and the Splash Brothers' combined ability to score baskets served as foundation to the fast-paced offense that stifled the league for three years. But even the NBA's lone unanimous MVP recognizes his former teammate's one-of-a-kind talent skiilset was the driving force behind it all.
"It's a combination of being a three-level scorer and the efficiency that he has had his whole career," Warriors guard Stephen Curry told ESPN. "I know we're both kind of obsessed with the 50/40/90 pursuit — and he got it one year [in Golden State] — but the way he does it is totally different than the way I do it. Just the fact that he's such a graceful, efficient scorer no matter what defense you really throw at him, to do it for that many years is really impressive. So there's a reason people talk about him as the greatest legitimate scorer ever."
Following his stint with the Warriors, Durant signed with the Brooklyn Nets in 2019, though he missed the entire 2019-20 season due to an Achilles injury. Despite setbacks, he returned to action a year later and put up numbers not seen since his days with OKC . His journey then took him to the Phoenix Suns, where he remains one of the most dominant offensive players in the league.
Durant's Road to 30,000 Points
Durant has racked up points with remarkable precision, joining Larry Bird and Steve Nash as the only players in NBA history with multiple 50/40/90 shooting-split seasons. And he hasn't declined at age 36, averaging 27.1 points this season, which matches his career average that ranks sixth all time. It's the 16th season that Durant has averaged at least 25 points, which is more than everyone in league history except for LeBron James (20).
Durant has consistently been one of the league's top scorers, averaging over 27 points per game for his career. With multiple scoring titles, an MVP award, and numerous All-Star appearances, he is on pace to surpass the 30,000-point mark—a milestone reached by only a select few, including legends like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, LeBron James, Karl Malone, and Kobe Bryant.
The Lasting Impact of KD
Beyond statistics and accolades, Durant's impact on the game is immeasurable. His skill set has redefined what is possible for a player of his size, inspiring a new generation of versatile scorers. Younger players like Anthony Edwards and Dalton Knecht have been vocal about the impact Durant had on their playing style.
Kevin Durant is expected to score his 30,000th point on Wednesday when the Phoenix Suns take on Durant's former team, Oklahoma City.
