On Sunday night against the New Orleans Pelicans, Kevin Durant etched his name even deeper into NBA history. With a go-ahead free throw in the final seconds, Durant reached 31,562 career points, surpassing Dallas Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki to claim sole possession of 6th place on the league’s all-time scoring list.
He now trails only:
LeBron James
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Karl MaloneKobe Bryant
Michael Jordan
Durant finished the night with 18 points, 8 assists, 6 rebounds, and 1 steal in a typically efficient performance — but the milestone moment carried extra weight.
When asked postgame if passing Dirk meant more because of their shared history, Durant delivered one of the most respectful and heartfelt responses you’ll hear:
“Not just competed against Dirk, like have played against him on his route to his first championship, played against him the next season trying to defend their title, so we’ve had some real meaningful battles, not just regular season games. It’s times going into a series when I hated Dirk, I’m sure it was vice versa. Then, for him to kill us in those series, and it’s so demoralizing playing against a player like that, and I always said I wanted to be that respected. I wanted to be that revered by my teammates, by a city, by media, by everybody who watches the game. I feel like Dirk was the embodiment of that. I tried to emulate, as much as I can, all of the great players, but I took a little bit from Dirk, a lot from Dirk, actually. He knows. One of my trainers was good friends with Dirk… Played one season in the NBA, he was a rookie with Dirk, so he learned a lot from him, and I was able to take some of his stuff and incorporate it into my routine, so I’m very grateful for Dirk, Holger [Geschwindner, Nowitzki’s famous trainer], what they brought to the game, because without them, I wouldn’t have seen the game from this perspective. He means a lot to me.”
Without Dirk Nowitzki, There Is No Kevin Durant
Durant’s words highlight a deeper truth: Dirk Nowitzki fundamentally changed the game for big men — and for scorers like KD.
Before Dirk, 7-footers rarely stepped outside the paint. Nowitzki revolutionized the position, proving that a big man could space the floor, shoot from deep, and operate like a guard. His patented one-legged fadeaway became one of the most unguardable shots in basketball history — and Durant openly credits taking inspiration from it.
The shot Durant used to tie Nowitzki earlier in the game? A smooth, fading jumper that echoed Dirk’s signature move.
And Dirk got the best of Durant on several occasions. In the 2011 Western Conference Finals, Nowitzki averaged an unreal 32.2 PPG on 55.7% FG, 36.4% 3PT, and 96.7% FT — leading the Mavericks to a 4-1 series win. OKC got revenge with a sweep the next year, but Dirk still averaged 26.8 PPG in that matchup.
After passing Nowitzki, the Houston Rockets played a heartfelt video tribute from Dirk himself:
“Not super happy about him passing me, but no, seriously, to me, he is one of the purest, smoothest scorers the game has ever seen. A seven-footer, basically, which he says he’s not, I think he’s a seven-footer with really a two-guard’s game. The shot making, the off-the-dribble stuff, the off-balance stuff… I mean, there’s really nothing you can do to stop him one-on-one. He can always get a great shot up. That’s just how skilled he is, how long he is, how good his release is. And so, it’s been incredible to watch his career. Like I said, he’s one of the purest scorers this game has ever seen. And so, congrats, KD. Keep it going. Move up a couple more spots and keep it up. Good luck.”
From one legend to another. Respect. 🤝
Durant’s climb up the scoring list is far from over — but passing a pioneer like Dirk Nowitzki, and receiving such high praise in return, is one of the most meaningful milestones of his career.
Rockets Nation, KD is still climbing — and showing class every step of the way.