Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant recently passed Michael Jordan for fifth place among all-time leaders in points. It’s a titanic feat on its own merit but holds a bit more significance since it’s Jordan we are talking about . Nevertheless, Durant isn’t keen on boasting about it because by his own admission, Jordan was so much more than just numbers on a paper.
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Surpassing Jordan in any category isn’t a common feat. The Chicago Bulls legend dominated in unprecedented fashion en route to six NBA championships and 32,292 career points, and at a time where NBA rules allowed defenses to be much stronger than they are now.
Regardless, surpassing Jordan in any era and getting to 32,294 points by himself is a worldly feat and whether it was his intention or not, Durant had been chasing it for quite some time. So, he had every right to be feeling like a king. But having himself grown up in the Jordan-Bulls era, the NBA veteran knows better than that.
“MJ is in a world of his own,” Durant said to the media following the game. “He’s on a planet, a galaxy of his own. He’s somebody that I look up to and respect, who basically shaped the game up for me.”
“MJ is in a world of his own.”
KD on passing Michael Jordan for 5th on the all-time scoring list https://t.co/M5w4SOMFjb pic.twitter.com/avEfFixhEq
— NBA (@NBA) March 22, 2026
“MJ is just bigger than the game. I mean, no matter who passes him in stats or who wins more, it’s going to be hard to win. Go 6-0. Even if you were to pass him in anything, just his impact on the sport and just culture in general is just too big,” the former NBA champion confessed.
Kevin Durant says it’s bigger then stats with Michael Jordan:
“MJ is just bigger than the game. I mean, no matter who passes him in stats or who wins more, it’s going to be hard to win. Go 6-0. Even if you were to pass him in anything, just his impact on the sport and just… pic.twitter.com/DxE9ZRAM35
— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) March 22, 2026
It may appear that Durant is being a bit too humble, but as far as Jordan is concerned, the credit is certainly deserved. MJ propelled the NBA to heights of popularity that even Magic Johnson and Larry Bird weren’t able to do. Jordan transcended the sport and found his way into popular culture through Air Jordan, which eventually led to the Jordan Brand. Many players have and will continue to build successful sneaker empires, but nothing can top the legacy Jordan has in that regard.
It’s beautiful that Durant continues to give Jordan his flowers. That said, it would be interesting to see if he chases the 4th spot on the list now. He’s a fair bit away but that record belongs to this mentor and close friend, Kobe Bryant.
