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Only five players are now ahead of Kevin Durant on the NBA’s all-time scoring list. 

The 18-year veteran scorer passed Dirk Nowitzki for the sixth-highest total in NBA history in the Houston Rockets’ 119-110 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday night. Durant moved ahead of Nowitzki when he hit a free throw with 15.2 seconds remaining in the game. 

A free throw may not be too exciting, but Durant tied Nowitzki with a typically smooth fadeaway from the foul line with 1:05 left to boost the Rockets’ lead to 116-102. He finished with 18 points, 6 rebounds and 8 assists in Houston’s win.

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Durant now has 31,562 career points in 1,161 games. He reached that total in 362 fewer games than Nowitzki. 

The Hall of Famer (Class of 2023) congratulated Durant for passing him with a recorded message.

“Not super-happy about him passing me,” Nowitzki joked. “No, seriously, to me, he is one of the purest, smoothest scorers the game has ever seen. A seven-footer, basically, which he says he’s not. I think he’s a seven-footer with really a two-guard’s game. The shot-making, the off-the-dribble stuff, the off-balance stuff.”

“It’s been incredible to watch his career,” he added. “Congrats, KD! Keep it going. Move up a couple more spots and keep it up. Good luck.”

Up next on the NBA’s all-time scoring list is Michael Jordan with 32,292 points. If Durant plays to his career averages and plays 65 or more games this season, he should get the 730 points he needs to reach fifth place on that list. 

From there, going from fourth to first, are Kobe Bryant, Karl Malone, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and LeBron James. 

Durant is under contract for two more seasons, including a player option for 2027-28, after signing an extension before this season. Presuming he stays healthy and plays out his contract, he should pass Bryant and could challenge Malone among the NBA’s all-time leading scorers.