Kevin Durant's 30K feat remarkable considering his injury history

The Suns star is the third fastest to join the exclusive club, reaching the milestone in his 1,01st regular season game. Only Chamberlain (941) and Jordan (960) reached 30,000 points in fewer games.  

 "It's a true honor to be in the same category as those players who helped shape the game and pushed the game forward," Durant said of his milestne, via NBA.com. "That's always been my goal is to get the most out of myself every day, get the most out of my career. To be mentioned with those guys, I must be doing something right."

Durant has been "doing something right" since he entered the NBA as a teenager in 2007, averaging 20 or more points since his rookie season. Within his first years, he became the most complete bucket-getter in the league with his ability to score from all three levels. He was quickly earmarked as a legitimate threat to Abdul-Jabbar's all-time scoring record, which James captured a few years ago. 

If not for his injury history, it's safe to say that Durant would be nearing the 35K club, not joining the 30K club. Besides missing the entire 2019-20 season (Achilles), he sat out 37 games in '20-'21 (Achilles/hamstring), 55 games in '14-'15 (Jones fracture) and 35 games in '22-'23 (ankle). 

The 36-year-old is unlikely to catch James or Abdul-Jabbar at the top of the all-time scoring list. But there are decent odds of him finishing in the top three given his desire to play into his 40s. If he were to play another three full seasons without a dip in scoring, Durant has a realistic shot of reaching at least 36,000 points.   

Durant is a symbol of hope for others navigating their post-Achilles journeys. Pelicans All-Star Dejounte Murray — who recently suffered the injury — would be wise to reach out to the "Easy Money Sniper" in his rehab.