In the world of basketball, milestones are the gold standard by which legends are defined and remembered. Among the pantheon of NBA greats, only a select few have managed to score over 30,000 points during their illustrious careers. The newest member of this exclusive club? None other than the Phoenix Suns’ own, Kevin Durant.
Inside the Footprint Center on a brisk Tuesday night, something monumental happened. Durant, already a household name and an undeniable force in the game of basketball, sank a free throw — and with that simple, yet pivotal gesture, wrote his name into the annals of NBA history as one of its most exceptional scorers. Despite the 119-112 loss against the Memphis Grizzlies, Durant’s individual accomplishment shone brightly, finishing the game with 34 points, three rebounds, and three assists.
Standing at 36 years with a well-decorated career spanning 17 seasons, Kevin Durant continues to defy age norms, adding shine to an already illustrious resume. This achievement is not just a personal milestone; it’s a testament to his enduring talent and relentless pursuit of greatness on the court. And to memorialize this iconic moment, Topps Now has released a special trading card capturing Durant’s milestone.
Picture this collectible masterpiece: it features Durant adorned in an unlicensed jersey numbered “35,” drenched in the Phoenix Suns’ vibrant signature hues of orange, black, and purple. The card does more than just immortalize a scoring milestone; it captures the very essence of a historic NBA episode. For collectors and fans alike, the base version of this commemorative piece is just a starting point, priced at $11.99. But for those who thrive on pursuit, there are several rarer parallel versions to chase, each tinged with its unique splash of color:
– Green, limited to 99 copies
– Blue, with only 75 in existence
– Gold, numbered to 50
– Orange, exclusive to 25
– Black, an elusive 10
– Red, with precious few at 5 copies
– And the Holy Grail of them all, the SuperFractor 1/1, a singular trophy for one fortunate connoisseur.
And the allure goes further. Hidden within these packs are auto-relic redemption cards, graced with game-worn shorts from Durant himself, and some of these come with his autograph. Fans might snatch away a relic as rare as the serial-numbered /10, /5, or even stumble upon the illustrious 1/1 autographed SuperFractor relic.
Elevating to the 30,000-point club is a rarity and places Durant on a pedantic pedestal with an elite echelon of NBA legends. He now stands shoulder to shoulder with scoring titans like:
– LeBron James, sitting atop with an astronomical 41,623 (and counting)
– Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the skyhook maestro with 38,387
– Karl Malone, still revered at 36,928
– Kobe Bryant, whose legacy lives on with 33,643
– The unyielding Michael Jordan at 32,292
– Dirk Nowitzki, beloved on and off court with 31,560
– Wilt Chamberlain, more than a giant with 31,419
– And then, our present-day protagonist, Kevin Durant with 30,008 (and counting).
Kevin locked this illustrious feat at 1,101 career games, matching the legend Kareem’s stride. Only Wilt Chamberlain and Michael Jordan reached their milestones a touch swifter, in 941 and 960 games respectively.
Chatting candidly with NBA.com following his landmark achievement, Durant reflected on the venerable company he now keeps. With humility and respect palpable through his words, he shared, “It’s a true honor to be in the same category as those players who helped shape the game and pushed the game forward.”
His 30,000th point was poetic in its simplicity—a cool and decisive free throw made under pressure, after being fouled by none other than Brandon Clarke of the Grizzlies. Adding to a remarkable personal catalog, this point was not just a statistic, but another page in the rich story of Kevin Durant’s basketball journey.
As Durant continues to remain active and impact the modern-day NBA, one question hangs tantalizingly in the air: How high can this scoring savant climb? With the elite company above him constantly shifting, there’s no telling just how many more points Durant will secure before calling time on his career. What is certain, though, is that every additional basket will only further solidify his status as one of the greatest scorers to ever grace the game.
