DeMar DeRozan becomes the 50th player to reach 20,000 career points

DeRozan did it with a patented mid-range jumper against the Spurs

© Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports

DeMar DeRozan joined the NBA's list of 20,000-point scorers in fitting fashion, hitting a patented mid-range jumper mid-way through the 1st quarter against his former team San Antonio Spurs.

The 33-year-old entered Friday's game averaging 20.8 points in his 13-year NBA career. He cemented his name in the history books, becoming the 50th member of the NBA's 20,000 career points club.

Elite company

It took DeRozan 963 regular season games to achieve the feat, putting him on the lower end of the list of players fastest to reach 20,000 career points, just behind Tim Duncan. Still, the Bulls forward sits ahead of the likes of Clyde Drexler (967), Kevin Garnett (979), Ray Allen (964), Reggie Miller (1021), and Chris Paul (1092).

Wilt Chamberlain is No.1 on this list -- he reached 20,000 points in just 499 games. It took Michael Jordan, the 2nd player on the list, 620 games to do so. Oscar Robertson did it in 671 games.

DeRozan scored at least 1,400 points in 9 NBA seasons -- he had a career-high 2,118 points last season for the Bulls. However, he never envisioned reaching the aforementioned career mark.

“I’d be lying to you if I tell you I thought that,” the Bulls forward told The Athletic. “I really just think day-by-day. I don’t try to ever look too far ahead of anything because it may not come and you don’t want to set up pre-determined disappointment in yourself. And so I just try to do one thing at a time. And if that adds up to whatever it adds up to, I’ll be happy with that.”

Next up for the Bulls

Five games into the 2022/23 regular season, DeRozan is averaging 24.8 points on 51.8 FG%. In a 129-124 loss to the Spurs, he put up 33 points on 11-for-20 from the field and 11-for-12 from the free throw line.

Next up for the Chicago Bulls is a home game vs. Philadelphia 76ers (2-4). Coming off their 112-90 blowout over the Raptors, Doc River's team will look to grab another win on their second night of the back-to-back. The Bulls, meanwhile, look to bounce back after their 3rd season loss on the road in San Antonio.