Kevin Durant becomes the 8th NBA player to reach 29,000 career points, helps Suns beat Mavs

PHOENIX (AP) — Kevin Durant became the eighth player in NBA history to score 29,000 career points, reaching the mark Saturday night as his Phoenix Suns beat the Dallas Mavericks 114-102.

The 14-time All-Star scored 31 points against the Mavs and now has 29,010 points over 17 seasons with Seattle, Oklahoma City, Golden State, Brooklyn and the Suns. The 36-year-old has averaged 27.3 points over 1,064 games.

Durant has averaged at least 20 points in every season and continues to put the ball in the hoop at a high rate, scoring nearly 29 points per game through his first three games this season.

“I've got to give credit to the people who have helped me since I was a kid,” Durant said. “Teammates who passed me the ball, set screens for me, coaches who drew up plays for me.”

LeBron James is the NBA's career scoring leader with 40,543 points. Behind him is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Dirk Nowitzki, Wilt Chamberlain and then Durant. Durant is 10th on the combined NBA and ABA list, with Julius Erving eighth and Moses Malone ninth.

“What a tribute to a great, generational talent,” Suns coach Mike Budenholzer said. “I feel incredibly lucky to be around him every day.”

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Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant, right, stares down at the Dallas Mavericks as Tyus Jones, left, pats him on the chest during the second half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Darryl Webb)

Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) drives up the middle against Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford (21) during the second half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, in Phoenix.(AP Photo/Darryl Webb)

Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) controls the ball against Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) during the second half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Darryl Webb)

Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) celebrates their win over the Dallas Mavericks with Monte Morris (23) in an NBA basketball game Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Darryl Webb)

Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) and Royce O'Neale (00) celebrate after a three-point shot against the Dallas Mavericks during the second half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Darryl Webb)

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Berkshire Hathaway's first-quarter profit more than doubled as the value of its investments grew and most of its businesses improved.

The conglomerate that Warren Buffett built released its earnings report Saturday as thousands of shareholders streamed into an arena in Omaha, Nebraska, for the annual meeting. Berkshire said it earned $10.1 billion, or $7,027 per Class A share. That's up significantly from last year's $4.6 billion, or $3,200 per A share.

This year's meeting is the first one that Buffett won't lead from the stage after Greg Abel was promoted to CEO in January. Attendance at the meeting is expected to be down somewhat this year.

The paper value of Berkshire’s investments always has a major impact on its bottom line even though it hasn’t sold most of its stocks, but it did record a $5.8 billion gain on the stocks it did sell during the quarter. The value of the portfolio did slip to just over $288 billion.

Berkshire’s massive cash pile continues to grow, and it hit $397.4 billion at the end of the first quarter.

Buffett has long encouraged investors to pay more attention to the company’s operating earnings that exclude investments to get a better idea of how its companies are performing. The operating earnings grew to $11.3 billion, or $7,889.44 per Class A share, from last year’s $9.6 billion, or $6,703.41 per Class A share. The four analysts surveyed by FactSet Research predicted earnings of $7,611.35 per A share.

Berkshire said its profits got a $249 million boost from its foreign currency holdings because of the exchange rate. A year ago, Berkshire recorded a $713 million loss on foreign currencies.

Most of Berkshire's varied businesses reported better operating earnings this year. The insurance unit that includes Geico and a number of other companies reported an underwriting profit of $1.7 billion, up from $1.34 billion last year. Profits also grew somewhat at BNSF railroad and Berkshire's utility and manufacturing companies.

Author and former Omaha World-Herald reporter Steve Jordan signs copies of his book at the Berkshire Hathaway shareholders event on Friday, May 1, 2026 in Omaha, Neb. (AP Photo/Josh Funk)

A Berkshire Hathaway shareholder takes a selfie in front of a Pilot truck stops semi truck with pictures of Berkshire's top two executives behind the wheel: new CEO Greg Abel and Chairman Warren Buffett on Friday, May 1, 2026 in Omaha, Neb. (AP Photo/Josh Funk)

Berkshire Hathaway shareholders stand in line to purchase Squishmallows versions of the company's top executives: CEO Greg Abel, Chairman Warren Buffett and former Vice Chairman Charlie Munger on Friday, May 1, 2026 in Omaha, Neb. (AP Photo/Josh Funk)

Berkshire Hathaway shareholders line up to buy products at the Pampered Chef booth behind a cutout of longtime CEO Warren Buffett who stepped down in January on Friday, May 1, 2026 in Omaha, Neb. (AP Photo/Josh Funk)

Shareholders line up to take pictures with depictions of Berkshire Hathaway's new CEO Greg Abel and Chairman Warren Buffett on Friday, May 1, 2026 in Omaha, Neb. (AP Photo/Josh Funk)