Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Says Kevin Durant Can Be the Best Scorer Ever


by Marcel Mutoni @ marcel_mutoni

In just six NBA seasons, Kevin Durant has already amassed 11,078 points. The 24-year old superstar has a long way to go to catch up with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who finished his 20-year Hall of Fame career with a mind-boggling 38,387 points.

The 65-year old Kareem believes KD has what it takes to reach the all-time mark, but cautions that it would be an incredibly difficult feat, even for someone even as gifted as Durant.

Per the Oklahoman:

Durant smiles and shakes his head at the mere thought. “I don’t know if I would say I’ll be the best scorer ever to play the game,” Durant said, “but if I keep working, you never know.”

“I think he certainly has the talent,” Abdul-Jabbar said. “It all depends on if he stays healthy and is the focus of the offense, because he can score from anywhere on the court.” Abdul-Jabbar also noted Durant’s overall progress each season. “He’s not just in it to put up numbers,” Abdul-Jabbar said. “He wants to win and understands what the game’s about. That always makes me feel better.”

Abdul-Jabbar walked away from the game at the age of 41, and had a career scoring average of 24.6 (Durant, by comparison, scores at a clip of 26.5.)

Certainly, no one doubts that Kevin Durant has the talent and ability to make a run at the career scoring record — longevity and health will be the greatest obstacles as he marches towards it.