Kevin Durant entered the NBA in the 2007-08 season with the Seattle SuperSonics as the second overall draft pick, behind Greg Oden. Over 15 years later, he continues to excel, now with the Phoenix Suns. Despite his impressive career, KD feels his contributions are sometimes undervalued.
In a recent interview with SportsKeeda, Durant discussed his place as the NBA’s eighth-highest all-time scorer, sharing that his ranking doesn’t fully reflect his efficiency. “If you look at the shot attempts of the guys on that list, when you see me again, let me know what you see when you see the shot attempts. Everybody on that list versus me,” Durant explained to journalist Mark Medina.
“Man, that’s the story. That’s the story that you should be telling: ‘KD only took that many shots and only played that many games,’” he continued, emphasizing that his scoring efficiency sets him apart. “In between the lines, that’s the story you got to tell. ‘Man this mother (expletive) really is efficient.’ A lot of people are efficient. But I’m just saying.”
The NBA’s leading scorers: How does Durant compare?
Kevin Durant currently ranks eighth on the all-time scoring list, joining LeBron James as one of only two active players in the top 10:
1- LeBron James – 40,490
2- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – 38,387
3- Karl Malone – 36,928
4- Kobe Bryant – 33,643
5- Michael Jordan – 32,292
6- Dirk Nowitzki – 31,560
7- Wilt Chamberlain – 31,419
8- Kevin Durant – 28,949
9- Shaquille O’Neal – 28,596
10- Carmelo Anthony – 28,289
Durant has a point
Among the top ten scorers in NBA history, Kevin Durant stands out for his efficiency, having played fewer games than nearly all of his fellow legends. With just 1,062 games, only Wilt Chamberlain (1,045) has played fewer. Additionally, Durant has logged the least minutes among the top ten, setting him apart in terms of productivity over a shorter span.
This efficiency places Durant in a remarkable position when it comes to points per minute. He ranks second, scoring 0.74 points per minute, trailing only Michael Jordan’s 0.79. These stats bolster Durant’s argument, as he competes with some of the NBA’s greatest scorers despite having significantly less time on the court. His numbers reflect an elite level of scoring efficiency that strengthens his case for a higher place among basketball legends.
Durant’s journey: The impact of injuries
One of the main reasons Kevin Durant, now 36, has played significantly fewer games than other NBA legends is due to a major injury he sustained during the 2019 NBA Finals with the Golden State Warriors against the Toronto Raptors. On June 10, in the second quarter of Game 5, Durant suffered a devastating Achilles tendon rupture in his right leg. Unable to continue in the series, that game would be his last with the Warriors.
After an extensive recovery period, KD returned to the court on December 22, 2020, making his official comeback with the Brooklyn Nets—over a year and a half after the injury. Durant played with the Nets until his move to the Phoenix Suns in 2023, aiming to continue his legacy in the league despite the setbacks.