Kevin Durant surpasses Michael Jordan to claim fifth place on the scoring leaderboard.
HOUSTON — On the evening Kevin Durant surpassed Michael Jordan to claim the fifth spot on the NBA’s all-time scoring list, the 37-year-old star was already contemplating the future.
“Four more to go,” he remarked with a grin.
Durant tallied 27 points in Houston’s victory over the Miami Heat on Saturday night, moving ahead of Jordan.
The second overall selection in the 2007 draft, Durant had 21 points going into the fourth quarter and connected on a 3-pointer with under five minutes remaining to draw closer to surpassing Jordan. He achieved this on his next attempt, hitting another 3 from nearly the same location in the right corner, bringing his total to 32,294 points, two more than Jordan.
He briefly raised his arms in celebration after making the shot as the home crowd erupted.
When asked if he had a favorite memory of Jordan or a notable interaction with the legend, Durant replied, “No. That’s like asking me if I have a favorite Drake song,” he said. “No, they’re just all great. MJ has so many memorable moments. He embodies iconic greatness — just everything that I believe in, he embodies.”
Durant missed a shot that could have clinched the game for Houston in the closing seconds, but Amen Thompson tipped in the miss to secure the Rockets’ 123-122 win.
Thompson, who was just 4 years old when Durant began his career, expressed admiration for the veteran’s achievements.
“That’s legendary,” he stated. “Just being part of a team with greatness like that is inspiring, for sure. And witnessing him break these records has been exciting to see.”
The Rockets showcased a video honoring the milestone just prior to the final play, featuring highlights of Durant alongside some of Jordan, as fans stood to applaud him.
This season, Durant had already surpassed Wilt Chamberlain (31,419) and Dirk Nowitzki (31,560) before moving up again on Saturday. Next on the prestigious list is Kobe Bryant, who ranks fourth with 33,643 points.
“It’s an honor for everyone to be part of that,” coach Ime Udoka remarked. “And as KD has mentioned before, I don’t think he places much importance on it in the moment. He is truly focused on the season and our goals, but I don’t want to dismiss it. Surpassing Michael Jordan is undoubtedly a significant achievement, and we celebrated that with him.”
In his 19th year in the league, Durant missed the entire 2019-20 season due to injury. He is in his first season with Houston following a major trade from Phoenix last summer.
The 16-time All-Star and four-time Olympic gold medalist is a four-time scoring champion and a two-time NBA Finals MVP. He has two NBA championships, was named MVP in 2013-14, and is an 11-time All-NBA selection.
Durant mentioned that he draws inspiration from everyone at the top of the scoring list and hopes to motivate those who follow him. However, he finds it challenging to fully appreciate what this achievement signifies for his career and legacy at this moment.
“It’s cool, but it’s hard to absorb when you’re still on the journey, when you just care about improving,” he said. “I don’t ever want to diminish things like that, but I’ve got to get up and come to work tomorrow.”
