Kevin Durant, Rockets: Passing Kareem Abdul Jabbar Not Priority

Kevin Durant downplayed chasing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s scoring mark, telling reporters "I never wanna say never" while stressing he just wants to "be around and be in the league." At 37 and in his 18th season, Durant averages 26.5 points and sits sixth all-time with 31,736 points. Closing the gap to Kareem’s 38,387 would require roughly 6,600 more points and long stretches of health and high-level scoring. Merlin sees Durant treating this like a long quest, not a headline chase. The numbers demand about three to four seasons of elite output at current pace, so durability is the true gatekeeper. If Durant stays on the court and keeps scoring, history might bend; if not, he still finishes a remarkable career without topping that particular summit.