Kevin Durant has already cemented himself as one of the greatest players the game has ever seen, but at 36 years old, the two-time Finals MVP is showing no signs of slowing down. In fact, he believes he can keep lacing them up well into his 40s.
“I [want to play] as long as I can,” Durant said while speaking at the CNBC x Boardroom’s GamePlan 2025 Summit. “I mean, I haven’t put a number on it. I obviously think about retirement every year and think about what it will be like. Who knows, man? Who knows?”
Durant admitted that he can’t entirely block out questions about his future.
“I don’t even want to think about it right now, but when people ask me these questions every day, I can’t help myself but think about it,” he explained. Still, the former MVP made it clear what drives him. “I still enjoy going to the gym. I still enjoy that struggle of getting better every day and grinding as an NBA player. So hopefully it’s in my 40s, I can play until then.”
Now entering his 18th season, Durant has put together a résumé that few in league history can match. The former second overall pick owns two championships, two Finals MVPs, one league MVP, Rookie of the Year honors, and 15 All-Star selections. On top of that, he ranks eighth on the NBA’s all-time scoring list with 30,571 career points.
If he walked away today, Durant would be remembered as one of the most skilled and versatile forwards of all time. At 6-foot-11 with guard skills and a deadly jumper, he transformed the modern game. But retirement is not on his mind just yet.
For one of the greatest scorers in history, the grind is what keeps him going.
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