Kevin Durant Passes Michael Jordan for Fifth on NBA's All-Time Scoring List

Durant becomes the fourth player in NBA history to record 1,000 20-point games.

Mar. 22, 2026 at 3:19am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Kevin Durant continued his climb up the NBA's all-time scoring leaderboard on Saturday, passing Michael Jordan for fifth on the list. Durant scored the go-ahead bucket with a corner three to push the Rockets' lead to 117–109, surpassing Jordan's career total of 32,292 points. Earlier this season, Durant also passed Dirk Nowitzki on the all-time scoring list.

Why it matters

This is a landmark moment for Durant's career, as he cements his status as one of the greatest scorers in NBA history. Jordan is widely considered one of the greatest players of all time, so passing him on the scoring list is a significant achievement for Durant.

The details

Durant scored 26 and 27 points against the Heat on Saturday night, pushing him past Jordan's career total of 32,292 points. Durant is now averaging 25.7 points per game this season, an impressive feat for his age-37 season. His sights are now set on passing Kobe Bryant, who finished his career with 33,643 points, which would put Durant about 1,300 points behind.

  • On Saturday night, March 22, 2026, Durant passed Jordan on the NBA's all-time scoring list.
  • Earlier this year, Durant passed Dirk Nowitzki on the all-time scoring list.

The players

Kevin Durant

A superstar scorer and one of the greatest players in NBA history, Durant is now fifth on the league's all-time scoring list.

Michael Jordan

Widely considered one of the greatest players of all time, Jordan finished his career with 32,292 points scored.

Kobe Bryant

The Lakers' legend finished his career with 33,643 points scored, which puts him ahead of Durant on the all-time scoring list.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Jordan has always been my inspiration. There's a reason why I wanted to be able to knock down those shots. He was always unstoppable, but when he became a midrange maestro, you never knew how he would attack you. You never knew what MJ was going to do. He scared defenders every night, and I wanted to put that same kind of fear in the defender who's guarding me.”

— Kevin Durant

What’s next

If Durant carries this level of production into next season, he could pass Kobe Bryant on the all-time scoring list by the midpoint of the 2026–27 season.

The takeaway

Durant's passing of Michael Jordan on the NBA's all-time scoring list is a testament to his status as one of the greatest scorers the league has ever seen. His ability to put fear into defenders the way Jordan did is a remarkable accomplishment, and this milestone further cements his legacy as an all-time great.