Kevin Durant Passes Dirk Nowitzki for Sixth on NBA All-Time Scoring List-In the Most Fitting Way Possible
Kevin Durant has always had a flair for the poetic, and on Sunday night in Houston, he delivered a moment that felt almost scripted. Back in Texas, where his basketball legend first took root, Durant passed Dirk Nowitzki for sixth on the NBA’s all-time scoring list-fittingly, with a move straight out of Nowitzki’s own iconic playbook.
Durant tied Nowitzki’s mark with a one-legged fadeaway, the very shot the Mavericks legend turned into a signature weapon during his Hall of Fame career. It’s a move Durant has long admired and adopted, using his length, balance, and silky touch to make it nearly impossible to defend. Moments later, Durant stepped to the free-throw line and officially moved into sixth place with 31,562 career points.
The milestone came during the Houston Rockets’ 119-110 win over the New Orleans Pelicans, a game that saw Durant finish with 18 points. But this night was about more than the box score-it was about legacy, connection, and a full-circle moment between two of the game’s most unique scorers.
As the final buzzer approached, the Toyota Center video board lit up with a pre-recorded message from Nowitzki himself. In classic Dirk fashion, he opened with a laugh.
“Not super happy about him passing me,” Nowitzki joked. “No seriously, to me he's one of the purest, smoothest scorers the game has ever seen. A seven-footer-well, he says he’s not, but I think he is-with a two-guard’s game.”
Nowitzki went on to praise Durant’s shotmaking, his off-the-dribble creativity, and his ability to score from virtually anywhere on the floor. “There’s really nothing you can do to stop him one-on-one,” Dirk said.
“It’s been incredible to watch his career. So congrats KD.
Keep it going. Move up a couple more spots.”
Durant, never one to brush off the weight of history, was clearly moved. “To be up there with Dirk-somebody I looked up to, I idolized, I competed against-we had some great battles,” he said postgame.
“He always was supportive of my career and my game. So to be up there with a legend like that, it’s just insane.”
Durant also gave credit to Nowitzki’s longtime mentor and trainer, Holger Geschwinder, for helping shape a style of play that influenced an entire generation of big men with guard-like skills. “Without them, I wouldn't have seen the game from this perspective,” Durant said. “He means a lot to me, man.”
Now sitting just 730 points behind Michael Jordan for fifth place all-time, Durant is inching closer to even more elite company. The top four spots are currently held by LeBron James, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone, and Kobe Bryant-names that define basketball greatness.
Durant’s journey to this point has been nothing short of remarkable. From his one-and-done season at Texas-where he averaged 25.8 points and 11.1 rebounds, becoming the first true freshman to win a major national player of the year award-to being drafted No. 2 overall by the Seattle SuperSonics, his path has been paved with accolades and milestones.
Seventeen and a half seasons later, Durant’s résumé speaks for itself: 2013-14 NBA MVP, two-time NBA champion and Finals MVP with the Golden State Warriors, 15-time All-Star. And now, sixth on the all-time scoring list-with no signs of slowing down.
“I want to continue to keep stacking, keep climbing up the charts,” Durant said. “Just see how I finish. It’s been amazing so far.”
Indeed it has. And if Sunday night was any indication, Durant’s not just chasing history-he’s doing it with style, grace, and a deep appreciation for those who came before him.