Kevin Durant continued his impressive ascent up the NBA’s career scoring ladder by surpassing Shaquille O’Neal for the eighth spot, achieving this milestone with a 22-point performance during the Phoenix Suns’ 115-102 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night.
With a total of 28,610 career points, the 35-year-old Durant has surpassed several legendary players this season, including Hakeem Olajuwon, Elvin Hayes, Moses Malone, and Carmelo Anthony. Despite his 17th season in the league, the 14-time All-Star remains a dominant force, averaging nearly 28 points per game, just above his career average, demonstrating no signs of slowing down.
“I’m truly grateful to be mentioned alongside some of the greatest players in basketball history,” Durant expressed. “Shaquille O’Neal’s impact on the game is undeniable, so to join him on this list is a significant honor for me.”
It’s likely Durant will need at least another year before he climbs to the seventh spot, currently held by Wilt Chamberlain with 31,419 career points. During a timeout on Wednesday, the Suns aired a video message from O’Neal congratulating Durant on surpassing him, with O’Neal emphasizing that Durant’s journey doesn’t end here.
LeBron James stands alone as the only player in NBA history to exceed 40,000 career points, surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar earlier this season. Following Chamberlain, Karl Malone, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, and Dirk Nowitzki occupy the subsequent spots on the scoring list.
When considering points scored in both the NBA and the American Basketball Association (ABA), Durant currently holds the tenth position.
