Rockets’ Kevin Durant reacts to passing Wilt Chamberlain on all-time scoring list
Houston Rockets star forward Kevin Durant added another impressive feat to his illustrious career by surpassing Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain for seventh on the all-time scoring list.
The feat occurred in Friday’s 111-105 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers, which Durant expressed gratitude for his prestigious career mark.
“To be amongst the greats is always an honor,” Durant said after the game via ESPN. “Wilt is somebody I studied and tried to look up to as much as I can, a player like that. Like I always say, he set a standard for NBA players, and [I’m] grateful to reach that — and inspired by what he produced for the game of basketball.”
Durant (31,458) has an opportunity to surpass Dirk Nowitzki for sixth all-time (31,560 points) in potentially the next several games at the pace he’s producing in his 18th season, averaging 26.2 points per game.
Durant aired his appreciation for the support he’s received along the way in his NBA journey, as well as the recognition he received in the moment he surpassed Chamberlain.
“These milestones always have me reflecting on the people that helped me get to this point — the journey that I’ve been through, the close calls and the things that could have went left plenty of times in my life,” Durant said. “So to be here, very, very grateful, and Portland is such a classy, classy city for recognizing me in that moment and honoring me.”
The 37-year-old remains an ageless wonder as he’s one of the league’s top scorers, ranking 13th in points while shooting efficiency, hitting 52.1 percent from the floor and 40.3 percent from beyond the arc in 33 games played.
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Durant has been a key part in the Rockets’ success this season, helping elevate them to a 22-14 record, currently sitting in the seventh spot in the Western Conference standings.
