Wednesday, January 16th, 2013 at 4:20 pm  |  96 responses

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.

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  • Redd

    He could be, he’s a scoring machine I agree. If it implies anything else in the long run I have to disagree for the moment.

  • bike

    Definitely has a shot at being in the top five. He’s going to have to play a long, long time to surpass Kareem though.

  • LakeShow

    Best at scoring or the highest all time points leader?

  • Mohammed

    Best at scoring is debatable but I pretty sure you can make a good case for it especially since he also has a high field goal percentage so he’s not just a volume shooter. He also has an unstoppable sky hook.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Junior-Taylor/100003121138419 Junior Taylor

    Great question. Best at scoring? I think not. That has to go to either Wilt or MJ. Most points ever? Who knows, staying healthy and a desire to play past your prime is the key.

  • Max

    Key tip from KAJ, smoke some pot in the offseason!

  • pops

    I think Durant could play until he’s 37 or 38 and still average 20.

  • LakeShow

    Was that a KAJ thing?
    I haven’t heard that.
    If so, it was probably smoked during a meditation session at the top of some high mount with a group of alpaca farmers, so it’s a little different than the stoner down the street right? :)

  • The Seed

    What in the world, KAJ needs to stop smoking.

  • RedDragon10

    It was a “medicinal” thing.

  • https://twitter.com/jasontichenor Mr. Wet

    I think has a decent shot at playing a long time. The one thing he has that a lot of superstars lack, is he is a deadly shooter from long range. When he loses a step, he could be a spot up shooter for however long he wants

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Mike-Gilbert/100001749589586 Mike Gilbert

    Best at scoring should not go to Wilt. He would not have been near as dominant if he played today.

  • Caboose

    That is such an unfounded myth. Tell me, didn’t Shaq do just fine? Wilt could outlift Shaq and had a vertical higher than Dwight Howard’s. Wilt is always a victim of his time.

  • Caboose

    All around scorer: Jordan
    Volume scorer: Wilt
    Consistent scorer: Kareem

  • Caboose

    And what makes you say that?

  • Jay.K

    Top 5 SCORERS= 1.MJ, 2.Kobe, 3. Kareem, 4. Allen Iverson 5.Wilt/Gervin……these 5 put the ball in the hoop better than anyone ever. Durant will be in the tip 3 if hes healthy.

  • Bored

    laugh if you may.

    best scorer full stop: Jordan
    best all around scorer: Kobe (3 pointers)
    volume and consistent you right on the money, Wilt and KAJ

  • http://twitter.com/ec_lkhaa Will Lee

    I can be too. Just that my chance is 0.001% and Durant’s chance is higher.

  • su madre

    watch his game dude, hes a jumpshooter. ask mj thats the last thing to go.

  • Youngindy21

    He could be. Too bad that is all that he is good at. Plus his stats are a little inflated because he plays in the West where nobody plays defense.

  • Caboose

    Because so many shooters aged so well. Reggie Miller, Ray Allen, Mitch Richmond, Peja Stojakovic, Antoine Walker, Glen Rice, Chris Mullin, Dirk Nowitzki, Rick Barry, Dale Ellis, Mark Price. None of them averaged over 20 ppg past age 33. Do yourself a favor and look up their career stats before replying to this.

  • Caboose

    The 10 time scoring champ is inferior to the 2 time one? No, 3 point shooting does not make Kobe an all around better scorer than Jordan. Not even close.

  • Teddy-the-Bear

    Thank you!

    @disqus_oxoGJMLagc:disqus Caboose, who would you consider to be the best center ever and/or the greatest center ever?

    Best imo is Wilt; greatest imo is KAJ, and that’s my top 2. Hakeem would be third on my list.

  • Max

    Oh and Jordan Crawford has this title on lock.

  • Yi-Cheng Chen

    Let’s focus on being the best scorer ever than the championship.

  • shutup

    GTFOH, Dude was a monster in any era, if he played today he would be just as dominant on both ends.

  • shutup

    Shoulda just read what you posted and co-signed, I hate when people do that….

  • shutup

    Just had to try and throw Kobe in that convo smh……

  • shutup

    Your list is seriously flawed……

  • The Fury

    Hey don’t forget Alex English….see, dude is really underrated. Nobody notices/mentions this guy when scoring is the topic.

  • The Fury

    Lol…why did you include Antoine Walker in this group?? C’mon now Caboose. Dirk didn’t average over 20 past 33??…hmmm…let me check that…

  • kiddkidd

    Wilt does not belong in the top 5, very overrated and would not be nearly as dominant in todays game or even in the 90′s. The most pure and truest scorers ever are Michael, Kobe, Iverson, Gervin, English, Kareem and now Kevin Durant these guys are scorers who in their sleep could find a way to end up with 30 points every night.

  • Dagger

    Well, in Mike’s defense, he never said that Wilt wouldn’t be dominant; just not AS dominant. I sincerely doubt that Wilt would average 50 PPG by taking 40 shots/game (in his prime he shot between 50-60% from the field and from the FT line by the way; hardly stellar numbers for a centre). Nor would he grab between 20-30 RPG. The game’s pace has changed, its defenses (and offenses) are far more sophisticated, its athletes are much better, etc.

    I think that in today’s game, in his prime, Wilt on a good team with a normal pace would be sitting at around 25 PPG, with maybe 16 RPG. Awesome numbers, but no, not nearly as dominant statistically as he was in his time. He was not a better scorer than Jordan. But I do think that he was probably the best 5 of all time.

  • Dagger

    Don’t let flashy moves blind you. In no way was Iverson a better (more efficient, more dependable) scorer than Lebron, Durant, Wilt, Gervin, Bird, etc. More skilled? Maybe, than some of those guys, but definitely not better.

  • Bored

    nah nah you get me wrong im no Kobe fan, even though i find myself defending him lately. im not saying he is a better scorer than Jordan. im not crazy, he aint even close. im just saying because of Kobe’s range and MJ’s lack of. i mean Kobe can shoot the 3, mid range, post up and drive to the hole. thats all. MJ much better scorer but he wasnt no 3 point shooter, thats for sure. except that one year in the second 3-peat. Kobe’s 11th all time and record holder, albeit at a low %. just saying. i knew i would get ridiculed for the comment.

  • Bored

    i would of said the same thing to someone else commenting that.

  • Larry Sportello

    Weird that people assume that someone is overrated because they played in a different age, forgetting that if they played now they would have had access to all the latest diet, fitness and technology that players today do. Wilt would be a beast today.

  • pposse

    nobody has been playing d in the west for the past 15 yrs!

  • Max

    Exactly, I don’t know if he did it when he was playing, but I think the possibility of that is valid. Maybe that’s the reason he played for 50 years?
    Whenever I see a video where he’s in from now I’m always trying to figure out if he’s high or not.

  • Max

    And the award for stupidised (i know that’s not a word) goes to you my friend.
    Congratulations.

  • Max

    Wilt would have a 70 inch vertical and he’d run 6 seconds over 100 meters!

  • zogs19994

    WILT PLAYED 20 YEARS BEFORE MJ
    -
    MJ PLAYED 20 YEARS BEFORE KOBE
    -

  • yann blavec

    Who remembers who beat Bob Beamon’s record ? Kareem’s will be beaten, but it will have last decades.

  • The Fury

    You know that the Spurs is in the West right?

  • pposse

    one or two teams playing some D is not indicative of the whole conference. Other than the Spurs/Lakers in the past 15 yrs please name me a defensive powerhouse team in the West (not including this year, this year i think some teams stepped up). Orlando, Chicago, Boston, Miami, Detroit, Indiana, Cleveland (when bron was there) all played nasty D thruout the regular season (team defense too)

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    Mathematician ^

  • http://www.facebook.com/rainman1991 Saleem Rainman

    It all makes sense now…*KobeSlurper*

  • http://www.facebook.com/rainman1991 Saleem Rainman

    You gotta give Dirk a pass for his injury issues, he’s right around 20 as of late NOW, and he isnt even fulyl healthy. Dirks game is gonna be basically ageless. Plus, You forgot the greatest Shooter of all time (numbers wise) Steve Nash. I think he’s the exception though.

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    we all realize LeBron is on pace to walk past Kareem’s record right?

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Mike-Gilbert/100001749589586 Mike Gilbert

    THANK YOU. Exactly my thoughts

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