Kevin Durant is on the move once again in the world of basketball. The Houston Rockets have successfully completed a trade for the eighth-leading scorer in NBA history, acquiring Durant from the Phoenix Suns. In exchange, the Rockets have sent Dillon Brooks, Jalen Green, and multiple draft picks to Phoenix, according to various reports. As Durant approaches his 37th birthday at the start of the upcoming season, he continues to shine as one of the league's most efficient and formidable scorers.
Kevin Durant's scoring prowess is nothing short of legendary. He currently sits at eighth place on the all-time scoring list with 30,571 career points in the regular season. His career average of 27.2 points per game ranks him fourth among players who have participated in at least 500 games, underscoring his ability to consistently put points on the board.
Moreover, Durant holds a unique distinction; he is the only player in the past 52 years—during which steals and blocks have been officially recorded—to have played at least 500 games while averaging at least 25 points, one steal, and one block per game.
Among those with over 20,000 career points, Durant ranks second only to Stephen Curry in true shooting percentage at an impressive 62%. Notably, he is the only player in this elite group to achieve a shooting percentage of at least 50% from the field combined with a three-point shooting percentage of at least 37%.
Durant's career has been marked by remarkable consistency. He has recorded 13 seasons where he averaged 25 points or more in at least 35 games while maintaining a true shooting percentage of at least 60%. No other player has surpassed nine such seasons, highlighting Durant's status as a scoring giant.
When it comes to shooting from mid-range, Durant stands alone. He is the only player in the past 29 years with five seasons of shooting 50% or better on a minimum of 200 mid-range attempts, achieving this feat for four consecutive years. Over the last decade, he has shot 52.1% from mid-range, a stark improvement from his initial 41.9% during his first seven seasons in the league.
This season, Durant attempted 1.3 times as many three-pointers as mid-range shots, marking the highest ratio of his career. It was also notable as only the sixth time in his 17-season career that he had more attempts from beyond the arc than from mid-range.
In the 2024-25 season, Durant made 44 corner three-pointers, significantly more than in any previous season. He joined an elite group of nine players who shot 50% or higher on at least 75 corner three-point attempts. Additionally, he has a shooting percentage of 50.9% from the corner over the past five seasons following his Achilles injury.
Durant's efficiency extends to the restricted area, where he shot 79.4%, placing him among the top players in the league. However, this only accounted for 11% of his total field goal attempts, the lowest percentage of his career.
Durant's influence goes beyond scoring; he is a significant defensive asset. The Phoenix Suns recorded a 33-29 record with Durant in the lineup but struggled without him, falling to a 3-17 record. On defense, the Suns allowed 6.8 fewer points per 100 possessions when Durant played, demonstrating his impact on both ends of the floor.
Statistically, Durant has consistently forced opponents to shoot worse than expected. This season, opponents shot 41.1% against him, compared to an expected field goal percentage of 46.8%, ranking fifth among players who defended over 500 shots.
As he embarks on this new journey with the Houston Rockets, Durant's legacy as one of the game's all-time greats continues to grow. With a plethora of achievements and statistics to back his prowess, fans can look forward to witnessing more incredible performances from this 15-time All-Star in the years to come.
For more insights and updates on Kevin Durant and the NBA, stay tuned!
