As the 2025-26 NBA season approaches, Kevin Durant remains a dominant scoring force at 36 years old, now embarking on his first campaign with the Houston Rockets. Entering this season with 30,571 career points, Durant’s pursuit of significant Kevin Durant scoring milestones has fans and analysts watching closely to see if he can surpass legends like Wilt Chamberlain, Dirk Nowitzki, and possibly Michael Jordan.

Chasing Wilt Chamberlain’s Scoring Total

Durant stands just 848 points shy of Wilt Chamberlain’s 31,419 career points, who holds the seventh spot on the NBA’s all-time scoring list. Had Durant played more games last season, his consistent scoring could have moved him past Chamberlain. With his move to the Houston Rockets this year, experts expect Durant to eclipse that milestone early in the season, potentially within the first half in fewer than 32 games, assuming he maintains the scoring efficiency he displayed with the Phoenix Suns.

The Race to Pass Dirk Nowitzki

Dirk Nowitzki’s career total of 31,560 points places him just 141 points ahead of Chamberlain and well within Durant’s reach this season. The Dallas Mavericks icon not only changed the game for tall forwards and centers but also brought the Mavericks their sole championship in 2011. Should Durant succeed in surpassing both Chamberlain and Nowitzki, it would solidify this season as a historic period for the Rockets and their new star player, potentially ending the team’s championship drought that dates back to 1995.

Michael Jordan: The Ultimate Milestone

Michael Jordan remains a towering figure in basketball history and is 1,721 points ahead of Durant’s current total. Though not the all-time scoring leader, Jordan is widely regarded as the greatest basketball player of all time. Durant would need to average approximately 21 points per game across a full 82-game schedule to overtake Jordan’s total. More realistically, if Durant can maintain a higher scoring average—around 24 points per game—while playing slightly fewer games, he could surpass Jordan sometime this season. His performance and health will be key to determining if this ambitious goal becomes reality.

Ultimately, Durant’s focus will likely balance personal milestones with team success. Achieving these scoring benchmarks while leading the Houston Rockets toward a championship would mark the 2025-26 season as one of the most remarkable in his career.