Kevin Durant officially moved into fifth place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list after surpassing Michael Jordan’s total of 32,292 points on Saturday, March 21. With that feat, the two-time NBA champion has now entered a different tier of basketball history, where every name above him carries serious weight.
And with his scoring pace still holding strong, the race is no longer about catching legends in general, but about who is ahead of him in the scoring leaderboard and which ones he can realistically pass next.
Who Is Next for Kevin Durant on the NBA All-Time Scoring List?
The milestone came during the Houston Rockets’ 123-122 win over the Miami Heat at Toyota Center. Durant scored 27 points in 37 minutes, including a go-ahead corner 3 off a Reed Sheppard assist that pushed him past Jordan in the record books.
🚨 KD PASSES MJ 🚨
With this three, Kevin Durant passes Michael Jordan for 5th on the all-time SCORING list! pic.twitter.com/byqx3AFLer
— NBA (@NBA) March 22, 2026
It marks another step in a rapid climb. Earlier this season, Durant passed Wilt Chamberlain (31,419) and Dirk Nowitzki (31,560), and he also became the fourth player in NBA history to record 1,000 career 20-point games.
Durant, who has often called Jordan his inspiration, now finds himself ahead of him on the all-time list. It is a significant shift, not just statistically but historically as well. With Jordan now behind him, only four players remain ahead of Durant on the all-time scoring leaderboard.
Next in line is Kobe Bryant, who finished his career with 33,643 points. Durant is roughly 1,300 points away, making Bryant the most immediate and realistic target.
Beyond Bryant sits Karl Malone with 36,928 points, followed by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar at 38,387. At the top of the list is LeBron James, who currently leads all scorers with 43,241 points.
Congrats to @KDTrey5 of the @HoustonRockets for moving into 5th on the all-time SCORING list! pic.twitter.com/4vtDM0f1YN
— NBA (@NBA) March 22, 2026
Durant’s current form suggests he is not done climbing. He is averaging 25.7 points per game in his age-37 season and has already scored 1,723 points this year. Across his career, he averages around 1,794 points per season, a pace that would put Bryant well within reach in the next NBA season.
Catching Malone is realistic if Durant stays healthy for a few more seasons. Kareem’s mark is more demanding, requiring both durability and sustained production into his late 30s.
As for the top spot occupied by King James, that remains a distant challenge, given the staggering gap of 10,947 between Durant and James.
Still, writing off Durant has rarely worked. Since entering the league as the No. 2 overall pick in the 2007 NBA draft, he has built his career on scoring efficiency and adaptability. His 6-foot-11 frame, combined with perimeter skills and isolation scoring, has allowed him to remain effective even as the league evolves.
Now with the Rockets and still chasing a third NBA title, Durant continues to produce at an elite level. The milestones keep coming, and the list keeps shrinking. It is safe to assume Durant will reach several NBA milestones before finally pulling the curtains on his exceptional career.
