PHOENIX — Kevin Durant achieved a significant milestone on Saturday night, becoming the eighth player in NBA history to surpass 29,000 career points. This accomplishment came during the Phoenix Suns’ victory over the Dallas Mavericks, with a final score of 114-102.

In the match against the Mavericks, Durant displayed his scoring prowess by netting 31 points. Throughout his 17-season career, which has spanned teams from Seattle to Oklahoma City, Golden State, Brooklyn, and now Phoenix, he has accumulated a total of 29,010 points. At 36 years old, Durant boasts an impressive average of 27.3 points per game over his 1,064 appearances.

Consistently, Durant has managed to maintain a scoring average of at least 20 points in every season of his career. This season, he continues to deliver strong performances, averaging close to 29 points per game over the initial three games.

“I have to acknowledge those who have supported me from my youth,” Durant remarked, crediting his teammates who facilitated his scoring by passing the ball and setting screens, as well as the coaches who designed plays tailored for him.

Currently, LeBron James holds the title of the NBA’s all-time leading scorer with 40,543 points. Following him are legends such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Dirk Nowitzki, and Wilt Chamberlain, with Durant now positioned in eighth place in this elite scoring group. Additionally, he stands 10th on the all-time combined NBA and ABA scoring list, with Julius Erving and Moses Malone ahead of him.

Suns head coach Mike Budenholzer expressed his admiration, stating, “What a tribute to a great, generational talent. I feel incredibly fortunate to be in his presence every day.”