Kevin Durant Credits ‘Teammates Who Passed Me the Ball’ After Scoring 29K Points

Phoenix Suns superstar Kevin Durant gave credit to his teammates throughout his career after surpassing 29,000 total points on Saturday night.

“I’ve got to give credit to the people who have helped me since I was a kid,” Durant said, per the Associated Press (h/t ESPN). “Teammates who passed me the ball, set screens for me, coaches who drew up plays for me.”

Durant became the eighth player in NBA history to reach 29,000 points during the Suns’ 114-102 win over the Dallas Mavericks. He finished with 31 points, nine rebounds and two assists while shooting 10-21 from the field and connecting on four threes.

Durant’s scoring prowess is well-known, possessing the ability to remain efficient from all areas on the floor while utilizing his height to pull up over smaller defenders and knock down shots.

The former MVP owns a career average of 27.3 points per game, the sixth-best mark in NBA history and the third-best scoring mark among players to suit up in at least 1,000 contests.

Durant’s efficiency makes his volume scoring even more impressive, as he possesses 50.1/38.7/88.4 shooting splits since he was drafted with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2007 draft.

He’s also been surrounded by several All-Star teammates throughout his career, beginning with Russell Westbrook and James Harden on the Oklahoma City Thunder. Durant also had the opportunity to play alongside Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green while winning two championships with the Golden State Warriors.

The 36-year-old joined forces with Kyrie Irving and reunited with Harden on the Brooklyn Nets before pairing up with Devin Booker in Phoenix after a Feb. 2023 blockbuster trade.

While Durant’s own scoring expertise was the main reason behind his historic accomplishment on Saturday, he also made sure to attribute credit to the teammates and coaches that helped him throughout his basketball journey.