Kevin Durant nears 30,000 points: NBA players on what makes him an elite scorer - ESPN

HIS INSTAGRAM HANDLE, @easymoneysniper, sums up the essence of Kevin Durant's scoring ability.

His teammates, even the fellow future Hall of Famers, have always been in awe of how uniquely smooth, simple and pure Durant makes getting buckets look. That has been the case from the time he broke into the league as a rail-thin teenager to now, when Durant continues to rank among the league's most prolific, efficient scorers in the 18th season of his career.

«He's that guy that you see almost like a monument in a science museum of just like, what does a great scorer look like?» former Brooklyn Nets and Team USA teammate Kyrie Irving told ESPN. «Seven feet, able to handle the ball, able to shoot over anybody, but also a fierce competitor.»

Durant had established himself as a historically elite scorer before he even hit his prime, winning four NBA scoring titles by the age of 25. Only Michael Jordan (10) and Wilt Chamberlain (7) have claimed more scoring crowns. Durant has racked up points with remarkable precision, joining Larry Bird and Steve Nash as the only players in NBA history with multiple 50/40/90 shooting-split seasons. And he hasn't declined at age 36, averaging 27.1 points this season, which matches his career average that ranks sixth all time. It's the 16th season that Durant has averaged at least 25 points, which is more than everyone in league history except for LeBron James (20).

Durant is approaching the 30,000-point milestone entering Friday's game against the Golden State Warriors (10 p.m. ET on ESPN), just 94 points shy of becoming only the eighth member of that exclusive NBA club.

Ahead of Durant's latest scoring milestone, several of his teammates over the years discussed the elements that make the 15-time