{"id":547003,"date":"2026-01-19T16:19:15","date_gmt":"2026-01-19T16:19:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/547003\/"},"modified":"2026-01-19T16:19:15","modified_gmt":"2026-01-19T16:19:15","slug":"kevin-durant-passes-idol-dirk-nowitzki-on-nba-scoring-list","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/547003\/","title":{"rendered":"Kevin Durant passes \u2018idol\u2019 Dirk Nowitzki on NBA scoring list"},"content":{"rendered":"

HOUSTON \u2014 Kevin Durant knew Sunday exactly how close he was to surpassing his idol, Dirk Nowitzki<\/a>, on the NBA\u2019s career scoring list.<\/p>\n

Durant needed the 17 points to move past Nowitzki into sixth place on the all-time scorer list. Durant got those points and finished with 18 in a 119-110 win<\/a> over New Orleans. The 15-time All-Star scored his final two points from the free throw line with 15.2 seconds remaining and added another career highlight.<\/p>\n

Durant has 31,562 points, two better than Nowitzki (31,560), with Michael Jordan in fifth place at 32,292.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo be up there with Dirk, somebody I looked up to, I idolized, I competed against,\u201d Durant said. \u201cWe 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\u2019s just insane. And be right under Michael Jordan, it\u2019s crazy man.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI want to continue to keep stacking, keep climbing up the charts, just see how I finish. It\u2019s been amazing so far.\u201d<\/p>\n

“I always said I wanted to be that respected, that revered by my teammates, by a city… Dirk was the embodiment of that.”<\/p>\n

After passing Dirk for 6th on the all-time scoring list, KD voiced nothing but admiration for the Mavericks legend \u2b50\ufe0f https:\/\/t.co\/XoiVse2rw6<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/Nyr5rkEDz4<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 NBA (@NBA) January 19, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Durant\u2019s collection of milestones isn\u2019t lost of his teammates.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s passing people nightly,\u201d Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. said of Durant. \u201cHe\u2019s passing people in every category. He just keeps accomplishing milestones and he just acts like it\u2019s nothing. He doesn\u2019t celebrate it, he\u2019s wasn\u2019t out there trying to hunt and go get it. He\u2019s just out there hooping and it just happens organically.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s a testament of what a basketball player is supposed to be.\u201d<\/p>\n

Durant reflected on the earlier years of his career when he and Nowitzki had \u201cmeaningful battles,\u201d including the Western Conference finals in 2011. Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks beat Durant and Oklahoma City 4-1 and went on to beat the Miami Heat for their first NBA championship.<\/p>\n

\"Dallas<\/p>\n

Dallas Mavericks power forward Dirk Nowitzki (41) receives the ball as he is defended by Oklahoma City Thunder small forward Kevin Durant (35) during the third quarter of play in Game 1 of the NBA Western Conference Finals at American Airlines Center in Dallas on May 17, 2011.<\/p>\n

Vernon Bryant \/ Staff Photographer<\/p>\n

Then, the next year, when the Mavericks tried to repeat, Durant and the Thunder swept them out of the playoffs.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere were times going into a series I hated Dirk, you know what I\u2019m saying. I\u2019m sure it was vice versa,\u201d Durant said.<\/p>\n

As Durant grew in the league, he idolized Nowitzki.<\/p>\n

Durant wanted to the same respect Nowitzki received.<\/p>\n

\u201cI tried to emulate as much as I can all the great players, but I took a lot from Dirk,\u201d Durant said.<\/p>\n

After the Rockets victory on Sunday night, a special message from Nowitzki<\/a> was played on the video board.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been incredible to watch his career,\u201d Nowitzki said in the video. \u201cLike I said, he\u2019s one of the purest scorers this game has ever seen. And so congrats KD, keep it going. Move up a couple more spots and keep it up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Durant appreciated the message from Nowitzki.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor him to take time out of his day to send me a message on passing him on the charts is pretty cool,\u201d Durant said. \u201cIt speaks to how humble Dirk is.\u201d<\/p>\n

Klay Thompson\u2019s next goal? Passing childhood idol Ray Allen on NBA\u2019s 3-pointers list<\/a>Mavericks stay hot from deep in win over Jazz as Klay Thompson notches another milestone<\/a><\/p>\n

Find more Mavericks coverage from The Dallas Morning News here<\/a>.<\/p>\n