Like many players of his generation, Kevin Durant grew up watching Allen Iverson play for the Philadelphia 76ers.
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On Wednesday night, Durant scored 21 points in Brooklyn’s win over Boston and in doing so Durant overtook Iverson at 25th on the NBA’s all-time scoring list.
KD currently has a total of 24,388 points, 20 points ahead of Iverson and is likely to overtake Ray Allen (24th all-time with 24,505 points total) in the next few weeks.
Durant overtook Iverson with his first hit in the game.
“I mean, it means the whole world. I dedicated my life to this game as a kid… so I’ve been watching all these men and I’m dying.” Durant said after the game. “So, Iverson, he’s a panther for me. One of those guys that I emulate every time I go out and play with my friends. It’s all surreal. I figured I’d be in the league, and have an idea…but to do it is pretty special.”
“I’ve watched all the guys I’m passing. I want to be like them, I want to be in the NBA like them and make an impact in the league like them. Iverson is a pantheon for me.”
Kevin Durant reflects on passing Allen Iverson at #25 on the NBA’s all-time scorers list: pic.twitter.com/3J4pM2W8kJ
– Nets Video (@SNYNets) November 25, 2021
Durant, who grew up in the DC area, also reflected on how he once watched Iverson play for Georgetown.
“Obviously I’ve really become a huge fan of Iverson, like everyone else of his rookie year. But seeing him at Georgetown and playing for the coach. [John] Thompson and the whole culture they’ve built there, he’s a huge part of that,” Durant said.
“But once he got into the league, he had the players… I was the center, the striker in my youth team, and we all passed and crossed the doubles. He took the picture. It affects so many people. So for him to cross the list and be there with some of the great players on that list is unbelievable. I just have to keep going.”
Durant could – and should – be higher on the scoring list, but an Achilles injury didn’t sideline the entire 2019-20 NBA season.
Assuming he remains healthy, Durant has the potential to rise to multiple positions this season. Durant is currently averaging 28.1 points per game this season, and if he continues at that average in 2021-22, he is likely to hit and surpass Kevin Garnett in 18th place. in the list.
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