Kevin Durant praises Michael Jordan after passing him on NBA scoring list

Originally posted on ChiCitySports | By Zack Pearson | Last updated Mar 23, 2026 9:27 PM ET

Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant achieved another milestone this past week as he climbed up the NBA’s scoring list. Durant passed Michael Jordan for fifth all-time on the NBA scoring list with 32,294 points to Jordan’s 32,292.

The 37-year-old Durant has been efficient throughout his long NBA career which spans across 18 years. He’s been one of the best pure scorers in the league ever since he entered out of Texas. As Durant splashed a three-pointer from the corner to pass Jordan, it showcased his skill set once again. And now, he’s praising Jordan for being an inspiration to his career.

Kevin Durant praises Michael Jordan

Mar 10, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) shoots the ball as Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes (4) defends during the third quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

While Durant grew up in the DC area and was a lifelong Bullets/Wizards fan, he appreciated the 90’s era of basketball. He went back to a playoff series in the first round of the 1997 Eastern Conference Playoffs where he saw Jordan live for the first time:

“I want to say late ’90s, but I can remember watching a playoff game versus the Bullets, so it had to be like ’96-’97, cause we were still the Bullets. That was like my first live game watching MJ. Of course, I’ve seen highlights on TV and stuff, but just sitting there watching him play. I mean, that’s all you watched. It was like a solo cam was on him. His presence is, and then the stories around him, from everybody else, the basketball world in general just made everything he did bigger than life,” Durant reflected in an exclusive interview with the Boardroom.

Durant has previously praised Jordan before, telling The Athletic that MJ has always been his inspiration. So to pass one of his idols on the scoring list, it had to be a special moment for him.

Since Durant went No. 2 overall to the Seattle Supersonics in the 2007 NBA Draft, he’s averaged least 25 points per game in 17 of his 18 NBA seasons. His longevity is impressive as is but at in the scoring and he’s en-route to a no-doubt Hall of Fame selection one day.

This article first appeared on ChiCitySports and was syndicated with permission.

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