When Kevin Durant eventually decides to retire, his achievements will place him among the greatest players of his generation. The 6-foot-11 forward already ranks among the greatest scorers of all time, as he currently holds fifth place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list with 32,597 regular-season points.
Just above him is none other than the late Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, who retired with 33,643 regular-season points. That’s the mark Durant sits just over 1,000 points behind. Durant, who scored 2,026 points during the 2025–26 NBA regular season, could surpass Bryant in 2026–27, and his trainer, Dash Lovell, opened up on the matter.
Kevin Durant’s Trainer Has His Say on Rockets Star Surpassing Kobe Bryant
During an interview with R.org, Lovell spoke in detail about Bryant, saying that Durant loves and respects him.
“Kevin has got so much respect for Kobe, and so much love for him,” he said. “So it’s like being there with your brother. I think it’ll be an exciting moment for him. It’s a moment of respect. Kevin played the game the right way. He takes fewer shots.”
Throughout his career, Durant has averaged 27.1 points on 18.6 field goal attempts and 5.1 3-pointers per game, while shooting an efficient 50.3% from the field, 39.2% from 3-point range, and 88.2% from the free-throw line.
Meanwhile, Bryant averaged 25.0 points on 19.5 field goal attempts and 4.1 3-point attempts per game, while shooting 44.7% from the field, 32.9% from 3-point range, and 83.7% from the free-throw line.
“I don’t think passing Kobe or passing anyone is a goal for him,” Lovell said. “It’s just him being efficient. I’ve never heard him say, ‘I’m going to pass this’ or ‘I’m going to pass that.’ Those are never things you’re going to hear him say.”
Lovell went on to explain that KD instead focuses on efficiency and simply does not think about passing other players on the scoring list.
“The ability to score, use his footwork and use his post moves,” he said. “Kevin has an array of post moves. When you watch Kobe, it’s the same thing. They know how to play in tight spaces. People are going to have to double all the way to stop them. That’s the influence that you see right there. They also both play out of the midrange a lot.”
Needless to say, while the Houston Rockets star may not consider it a personal goal to overtake Bryant’s points tally, he is certainly on track to finish above the Lakers legend. While Durant is already 37 years old, he could surpass Bryant next season if he stays healthy and maintains his scoring production.
