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ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JANUARY 29: Kevin Durant #7 of the Houston Rockets reacts against the Atlanta Hawks during the fourth quarter at State Farm Arena on January 29, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
As one of the best forwards in NBA history, Kevin Durant has a lot of accomplishments to his name. The Houston Rockets forward is still playing at a very high level. In fact, he has his highest offensive rating in the last seven seasons.
Right now, the Rockets sit fourth in the Western Conference standings. With that being the case, Houston would have home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs if they started now. Durant is still one of the best players in the league, even at his advanced age.
Following a game against the Hawks, Durant was asked about his long-term plans. Durant was asked whether or not he thinks he could possibly catch Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on the all-time scoring list. He seems unsure if he can.
GettyHouston Rockets forward Kevin Durant drives the ball. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
Rockets Forward Kevin Durant is Unsure if he can Catch Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Abdul-Jabbar is currently second on the NBA’s all-time scoring list. When asked if he could possibly catch him if he was averaging 25 points per game for the next few years, Durant seemed to think it was a tall task. Durant also noted that it would take 268 games to catch him on pace.
“I’m not sure I can get 25 a game for 270 more games. I never want to say never, but those dudes set the bar so high. The top three, four, you gotta play at least 20 years in the league to even reach that. Then to still be at that level for 15-20 years…I’m looking at it more so like that. You play long, play 20+ years in the league, and see where you end up.”
Durant has an injury history that can’t be ignored, so it might be hard for him to jump all the way to second on that list. It seems unlikely that any current player has a shot to catch LeBron James for number-one overall, especially because he is still playing.
GettyHouston Rockets forward Kevin Durant dribbles the ball. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Kevin Durant is Focused on Winning a Title for the Rockets
While Durant is one of the best individual players to ever play in the NBA, he is more focused on a team goal this year. He wants to help the Rockets win a championship this season. They certainly have the talent to do that, but they have to play more consistently.
Right now, the Rockets have the fourth-best offense in the league. That is a far cry from last season, when they finished 12th in offensive rating. The defense is also in the top ten, so Houston doesn’t have many areas to improve. The biggest area they have to fix is replacing Steven Adams.
Adams underwent season-ending surgery on his ankle. Without him gobbling up offensive rebounds, it will be harder for the Rockets to score easy points. This puts more pressure on Alperen Sengun to crash the offensive boards. It also puts more pressure on the team to shoot more efficiently.