Fans got to witness Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant make NBA history on the all-time scoring list, surpassing Dirk Nowitzki in the process. Seeing a colleague he used to play against pass him in one of the league’s records, Nowitzki revealed his thoughts on Durant’s historic achievement.
Dirk Nowitzki’s Praise for Kevin Durant’s Milestone
Nowitzki played 21 years in the NBA from 1998 to 2019, all with the Dallas Mavericks. He led the franchise to its first-ever title after beating the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals. He also won MVP in 2007, earned 14 All-Star selections, and landed on 12 All-NBA teams.
Not only that, but he also scored 31,560 points throughout his entire career. This put him in the sixth spot on the all-time scoring list, putting him in a legendary class with Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Karl Malone, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and LeBron James, among others.
It wasn’t until Jan. 18, 2026, that Durant finally overtook him for sixth place on the list. The veteran star needed 17 points to surpass Nowitzki, scoring 18 points in the Rockets’ win over the New Orleans Pelicans.
Nowitzki reacted to the accomplishment in a video the Rockets posted on social media. He congratulated Durant for achieving the milestone, labelling him one of the greatest pure scorers the NBA has ever seen. “One of the purest, smoothest scorers the game has ever seen,” Nowitzki said.
Durant now sits outside the top five of the all-time list. He now trails Jordan’s 32,292 points, needing 731 points to take over the fifth spot.
“To be up there with Dirk, somebody I looked up to, I idolized, I competed against,” Durant said after the game, via ESPN. “We had some great battles. He always was supportive of my career and my game. So, you know to be up there with a legend like that, it’s just insane. And be right under Michael Jordan, it’s crazy man.”
“I want to continue to keep stacking, keep climbing up the charts, just see how I finish. It’s been amazing so far.”
What’s Next on Schedule for Durant and Rockets?
Durant continues to stack his resume with multiple records and achievements. Surpassing one of his idols, Nowitzki, shows how successful the veteran star has been throughout his career.
In the meantime, he looks to continue having a strong year with Houston. The team has a 25-15 record so far this season, sitting at fifth place in the Western Conference standings. They have a 0.5-game edge over the Los Angeles Lakers and a one-game edge over the Phoenix Suns. However, they are behind the Minnesota Timberwolves by 0.5 games and the Denver Nuggets by 2.5 games.
The Rockets will conclude a five-game homestand when they host the San Antonio Spurs on Jan. 20 at 8 p.m. ET. After that, they go on a brief two-game road trip, facing the Philadelphia 76ers on Jan. 22 at 7 p.m. ET and the Detroit Pistons on Jan. 23 at 7 p.m. ET.
