The Servant thinks that he has many more years of service still left.
Speaking with Michael Lee of The Washington Post this weekend ahead of his 14th career NBA All-Star Game, Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant offered an interesting prediction about his NBA future. Durant said that he believes he can continue his career into his 40s (also adding that he thinks NBA peers LeBron James and Steph Curry can do the same).
“I was just trying to get to 10 years in the league, and that was my goal,” Durant was quoted as saying. “But then once you get to nine, eight, you’re like: ‘I feel great right now. I can keep going.'”
Durant, currently 35, is in his 16th NBA season and is signed with the Suns through 2026 (when he will turn 38). Playing into his 40s would mean going into at least the 2028-29 campaign, at which point Durant would be in his 21st career season.
Though the former MVP Durant suffered a torn Achilles in 2019, he has returned to an elite level of play since then and is averaging 28.2 points per game on pristine 54/44/87 shooting splits this season. At 6-foot-11 with the ability to get his shot off against almost any defender, Durant’s game should continue to age pretty well. He has spoken before about his big ambitions for after retirement, but it sounds like those may have to wait for at least another several years.
