This past week has been an emotional rollercoaster for Kevin Durant. That’s because he was completely blindsided by the Suns attempting to trade him to the Warriors at the deadline, even leading to murmurs of awkwardness and toxicity in the locker room. However, those speculations were set aside last night as everyone was more focused on KD etching his name in the history books. Yes, The Slim Reaper became the newest member of the coveted 30,000-point club, becoming the eighth player to do so. And his night became even more special after a wholesome gesture by Ja Morant.

As soon as the final whistle blew, Morant handed the game ball to Durant and shared a warm hug with the two-time champion, congratulating him. Moreover, the Grizzlies star also made a shocking revelation about how KD felt about the gesture, as he said postgame, “He’s one of the greats. That’s why I honored him with the ball. He said he didn’t care too much about it but hey, everybody don’t get 30K in this league.” Sure enough, KD’s unbothered attitude didn’t stop Ja from praising the elite scorer, “Hats off to him and I hope he keep going. We wanna see him out here.”

Now that KD has crossed this milestone, many are left wondering – Will he ever join his pal LeBron James at the 40,000-point club? Well, Durantula seems to have his doubts about it. Realizing what it would take to achieve that feat, he cleared his stance, “How many do you think that’ll take? You gotta go what 2000 points a year? I don’t know if I can get there man.” Of course, KD is already in the later stages of his career at 36-years-old. And to score forty thousand points, he will need to play at this level for at least five more years, which is unheard of. LeBron being the anomaly!

Durant realizes that’s what makes LBJ’s achievement so unique, “That’s what makes LeBron’s rise to the top pretty special. Stay healthy, stay consistent.” Apart from being a great scorer, James has managed to stay injury free for most of his career. Also, he has been a consistent 27-point scorer for over two decades, which is why he is the scoring leader. While KD might be a better scorer than him skill wise, injuries have forced him to miss a lot of time over the years. That’s what makes James’ record practically untouchable, because it requires skill, consistency, longevity and staying healthy. A complete package. Although Durant knows he might never get there, he aims to put in his best effort, “I’m just trying to stay consistent and see what happens.”

Kevin Durant “Grateful” after scoring 30,000 points

While Ja claimed that Durant did not care much about the achievement, the former MVP’s postgame comments told a different story. Addressing the milestone, he said, “It’s a true honor to be in the same category as those players who helped shape the game and push the game forward. That’s always been my goal to get the most out of myself every day and most out of my career. To be mentioned with those guys means I’m doing something right with myself.”

Moreover, he thanked everyone who has accompanied him in his journey, “Just grateful for my teammates, coaches, family, friends that’s supported me and invested in me as a basketball player. So, it means a lot.” Sure, Durant might have to hang his boots before he reaches forty thousand points. But he has solidified himself as one of the greatest scorers ever. After last night’s feat, he is tied with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for third fastest to that milestone behind Wilt Chamberlain and Michael Jordan. Durant took 1,101 games to get there. Hopefully, he will continue to add to his legacy for many more years because it’s always a treat watching KD put the ball in the basket.