In the NBA, the best players get the most attention. But when it comes to the game’s all-time assist leaders, there are a few surprises that have made the list. The NBA has been around since 1946 and has seen the game change dramatically in that time. For most of its history, the league was dominated by big men. But as the coaches realized that spacing and three-point shooting were the keys to winning games, offenses became more perimeter-oriented. As a result, assists have become an important feature of every team’s success. Here’s a look at the top seven NBA All time Assist Leaders. This list includes John Stockton, Jason Kidd, Mark Jackson, Steve Nash, Magic Johnson, and Lebron James.
Who has the most assists in NBA history?
With a total of 15,806 assists in his career, John Stockton is the all-time assists leader in the National Basketball Association.
| Rankings | Player | No. of Assists |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | John Stockton | 15,806 |
| 2. | Jason Kidd | 12,091 |
| 3. | Chris Paul | 10,894 |
| 4. | Steve Nash | 10,335 |
| 5. | Mark Jackson | 10,334 |
| 6. | Magic Johnson | 10,141 |
| 7. | Lebron James | 10,045 |
1. John Stockton – 15,806
John Houston Stockton (born March 26, 1962) is a former American basketball player. A point guard, Stockton is regarded as one of the best point guards of all time. Also, he is the leader in assists in the NBA. In a 19-year career spent entirely with the Utah Jazz, Stockton amassed 3,265 steals (1st all-time), 15,806 assists (1st all-time), and also 19,711 points. He also holds the NBA records for most career assists and steals by wide margins. He was previously an assistant coach for the Montana State women’s basketball team. Furthermore, he got elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009. In 1996–97, Stockton averaged 13.7 points on a career-high 52% shooting from the field. In addition to 10.5 assists per game for his 15th consecutive season averaging double figures in both scoring and assists.
2. Jason Kidd- 12,091
He is a 10-time NBA All-Star and a five-time All-NBA First Team member. Kidd is the only player along with Stockton in NBA history to finish in the top three in both career assists and steals. He is one of only four players to average at least 15 points, ten assists, and 1.5 steals per game for his career. In 2011, Kidd was honored as one of the 35 Greatest McDonald’s All-Americans. Also, he became a Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer as part of its class of 2018 on September 7, 2018.
Kidd played college basketball for the California Golden Bears. The Dallas Mavericks picked him in the first round of the 1994 NBA draft. He was also named co-NBA Rookie of the Year in his first season with the Mavericks. From 1996 to 2001, Kidd played for the Suns and later for the Nets from 2001 to 2008. He led the New Jersey Nets to two consecutive NBA Finals in 2002 and 2003. He also holds regular-season career rankings first all-time in triple-doubles, third in assists, fourth in steals, and tied for sixth in assist/turnover ratio. Furthermore, Kidd has won an NBA Championship with Dallas.
3. Chris Paul – 10,894
Chris Paul is a third-generation NBA player and is also one of the best point guards in the game. Chris Paul has his shoe line with Jordan Brand, which is also one of the top-selling shoes in the NBA. Paul has led the league in assists four times (2008, 2009, 2014, 2015) and in steals six times (2008–2009, 2011–2012, 2014). Moreover, he is a nine-time NBA All-Star, eight All-NBA teams, and nine NBA All-Defensive teams. He is one of only two players to be named to All-NBA and All-Defensive teams in every season since 2008. In 2017 he ranked No. 23 on ESPN’s list of Top 100 Players of all time. He has also ranked second in career regular-season triple-doubles with 77 behind Magic Johnson at 138.
4. Steve Nash – 10,335
Nash is the fourth-most all-time career leader in assists in NBA. He is also ranked as one of the top free-throw shooters in NBA history, holding a career average of 90.43 percent from the line. Nash played for Santa Clara University in California. In his four seasons with the Broncos, the team made three NCAA Tournament appearances (1992–1994), and he was also named twice the West Coast Conference Player of the Year (1993–1994). The Phoenix Suns selected him as the 15th pick overall in the 1996 NBA draft. Finally, on September 11, 2015, Nash got officially inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
5. Mark Jackson – 10,334
Jackson became a Basketball Hall of Famer in 2007. He is currently a television analyst for NBA on ESPN. Jackson played college basketball at St. John’s University, where he earned Big East Player of the Year honors in 1985 as well as 1986. After completing his college career, the New York Knicks picked him as the 18th overall pick in the 1987 NBA draft.
In 1989, he won an NBA championship with the Detroit Pistons and was also named an NBA All-Star in 1991 and 1992. In 1997, Jackson returned to his former team, the Knicks, as their starting point guard, where he played for four seasons before ending his playing career with one season as a member of the Toronto Raptors in 2001–02. Furthermore, Jackson is currently ranked fifth on the NBA all-time list for assists with 10,334 assists. He played in seven seasons for USA Basketball, helping them win the gold medal at both the 1994 FIBA World Championship as well as 2000 Sydney Olympics.
6. Magic Johnson – 10,141
Johnson led the league in regular-season assists four times. Also, he is the NBA’s all-time leader in average assists per game, at 11.2. He was a member of ten NBA All-Star teams and also three All-NBA First and Second Teams. His career achievements include three NBA MVP Awards, nine NBA Finals appearances, twelve All-Star games, as well as ten All-NBA First and Second Team nominations.
Furthermore, Johnson played in the 1992 United States men’s Olympic basketball team (“The Dream Team”), which won the Olympic gold medal in 1992. After leaving the NBA in 1992, Johnson formed the Magic Johnson All-Stars team. He traveled around the world playing exhibition games. Moreover, Johnson was honored as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996. After retirement, he became an advocate for HIV/AIDS prevention and safe sex, an entrepreneur, philanthropist, and also broadcaster. The Ebony Magazine named him one of America’s most influential black businessmen in 2009.
7. Lebron James – 10,045
Lebron James is one of the greatest NBA basketball players of all time. He has also led his teams to 4 championships, 3 with the Miami Heat and 1 with the Cavaliers. Lebron currently stands as the seventh-most assists in NBA history and 10,045 career assists and is also the second-most scorer with almost 37,000 points.
His career Awards are:
- 4× NBA champion (2012, 2013, 2016, 2020)
- 4× NBA Finals Most Valuable Playe (MVP) (2012, 2013, 2016, 2020)
- 16× NBA All-Star (2005–2020)
- 4× NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) (2009, 2010, 2012, 2013)
- 3× NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Playe (MVP) (2006, 2008, 2018)
- 14× All-NBA First Team (2006–2018)
- 2× All-NBA Second Team (2019, 2020)
Read also: the greatest basketball players ever.
Conclusion
So here is the article on the most assists in NBA history. If you liked our article please leave your comments in the comment box below. The information for this article is from ESPN. Furthermore, our website (www.beginbasketball.com) does not claim the accuracy of the information as the topic is subject to change.
