Kevin Durant hits the tough layup to surpass Hakeem Olajuwon for 12th on the NBA’s all-time scoring list.
Kevin Durant scored a game-high 39 points in a 100-95 loss to the Lakers on Thursday night. In the process, the future Hall of Famer passed Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon for 12th on the all-time scoring list.
Late in the fourth quarter, Durant drove hard to the basket while colliding with Austin Reaves. Durant managed to make the tough bucket to surpass Olajuwon.
Congrats to @KDTrey5 of the @Suns for moving to 12th on the all-time scoring list! pic.twitter.com/FN5yxmzckE
— NBA (@NBA) October 27, 2023
“I really admire his game and his journey as a man and as a basketball player…it’s always amazing to be amongst the greats”
-KD on moving past Hakeem Olajuwon into 12th on the NBA’s scoring list pic.twitter.com/a7a3cFA9H5
— NBA (@NBA) October 27, 2023
Last season, Durant amassed 1,366 points in 47 games, which was more or less on pace with his previous season (1,643 points in 55 games in ’21-22).
What’s next: If Durant scores about 1,600 points this season, he’d have enough to pass Carmelo Anthony (28,289) for No. 9 on the scoring list. A healthy season with 2,000 or more points would give him more than enough to pass Shaquille O’Neal (28,596) for the No. 8 spot.
Lastly, Durant needs 3,108 more points to become the eighth member of the 30,000-point club.
| Rank | Player | Points |
| 8. | Shaquille O’Neal | 28,596 (1,647 points away) |
| 9. | Carmelo Anthony | 28,289 (1,340 points away) |
| 10. | Moses Malone | 27,409 (460 points away) |
| 11. | Elvin Hayes | 27,313 (364 points away) |
| 12. | Kevin Durant | 26,949 |
| 13. | Hakeem Olajuwon | 26,946 |
Durant and the Suns next host the Utah Jazz on Saturday (10 ET, NBA TV).