Kevin Durant enters Friday’s game against the Hornets (LIVE, NBA TV) needing 33 points to pass Shaquille O’Neal (28,596) for eighth place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list.
It’s the latest move in a steady climb up the ranks for Durant.
2022-23 Season: KD ranked 21st all-time when he began the season in Brooklyn. By the time he ended the season in Phoenix, he had passed Alex English, Vince Carter, Kevin Garnett, John Havlicek, Paul Pierce, Tim Duncan, Dominique Wilkins and Oscar Robertson to reach 13th place
2023-24 Season: KD’s first full season with the Suns has seen him pass Hakeem Olajuwon, Elvin Hayes, Moses Malone and Carmelo Anthony to reach ninth place, with one more legend to pass – O’Neal
As incredible as Durant’s ascent up the career scoring list has been to watch, it does not come as a surprise. KD has been getting buckets since the day he stepped on an NBA court in Seattle at 19 years old.