Suns’ Kevin Durant becomes 8th player in NBA history to score 30,000 points in loss to the Grizzlies

Kevin Durant continues to etch his name into NBA history books.

Durant, 36, became the eighth player in NBA history to score 30,000 points when he hit a free throw late in the third quarter in the Phoenix Suns’ 119-122 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday.

Durant joins LeBron James, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Dirk Nowitzki and Wilt Chamberlain in the 30,000-point club. 

Julius Erving also surpasses the 30,000-point mark when you combine his points scored in the NBA and ABA. 

“It’s a true honor to be in the same category as those players who helped shape the game and pushed the game forward,” Durant said. “That’s always been my goal is to get the most out of myself every day, get the most out of my career. To be mentioned with those guys, I must be doing something right.”

The 14-time All-Star is averaging just over 27 points per game this season, shooting a fantastic 52.8% from the field and 40.4% from beyond the arc. 

Durant, listed at 6-foot-11, has carved up defenses his entire 17-year career with supreme shooting ability while also dominating in the paint. 

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The four-time scoring champion was drafted by the Seattle Supersonics with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft and has lived up to the hype. 

In nine seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder franchise, he scored 17,566 points. In three seasons with the Golden State Warriors, he scored 5,374 points. 

During three seasons with the Brooklyn Nets, he scored 3,744 points, and with the Suns he has scored 3,324 points over three seasons in Phoenix.

Durant won the MVP in 2013-2014 when he led the league in scoring, averaging 32 points per game. 

“It’s special for everyone who’s around him every day,” Suns coach Mike Budenholzer said. “I think we’re amazed by him, the way he comes to work, the time he puts in, the attention to detail, the effort. It’s translated to 30,000 points. He’s just a special player and a special human being.”

Durant scored 34 points on 12-18 shooting in the Suns’ loss.

The Suns are 11th in the Western Conference at 26-27 and will look to turn things around when they play the Houston Rockets at 8:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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