This article provides two lists:
- A list of National Basketball Association players by total career regular season assists recorded
- Progressive assist leaders list
Assist leaders
This is a list of National Basketball Association players by total career regular season assists recorded.
- Statistics accurate as of February 14th, 2021.
^ | Active NBA player |
* | Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame |
† | Not yet eligible for Hall of Fame consideration[1] |
§ | Eligible for Hall of Fame in 2021[2] |
Rank | Player | Pos | Team(s) played for (years)[3] | Total assists | Games played | Assists per game average[4] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | John Stockton* | PG | Utah Jazz (1984–2003) | 15,806 | 1,504 | 10.5 |
2 | Jason Kidd* | PG | Dallas Mavericks (1994–1996, 2008–2012) Phoenix Suns (1996–2001) New Jersey Nets (2001–2008) New York Knicks (2012–2013) | 12,091 | 1,391 | 8.7 |
3 | Steve Nash* | PG | Phoenix Suns (1996–1998, 2004–2012) Dallas Mavericks (1999–2004) Los Angeles Lakers (2012–2014) | 10,335 | 1,217 | 8.5 |
4 | Mark Jackson | PG | New York Knicks (1987–1992, 2001–2002) Los Angeles Clippers (1992–1994) Indiana Pacers (1994–1996, 1997–2000) Denver Nuggets (1996–1997) Toronto Raptors (2000–2001) Utah Jazz (2002–2003) Houston Rockets (2003–2004) | 10,334 | 1,296 | 8.0 |
5 | Magic Johnson* | PG | Los Angeles Lakers (1979–1991, 1996) | 10,141 | 906 | 11.2 |
6 | Oscar Robertson* | PG | Cincinnati Royals (1960–1970) Milwaukee Bucks (1970–1974) | 9,887 | 1,040 | 9.5 |
7 | Chris Paul^ | PG | New Orleans(/Oklahoma City) Hornets (2005–2011) Los Angeles Clippers (2011–2017) Houston Rockets (2017–2019) Oklahoma City Thunder (2019–2020) Phoenix Suns (2020–present) | 9,859 | 1,045 | 9.4 |
8 | LeBron James^ | SF | Cleveland Cavaliers (2003–2010, 2014–2018) Miami Heat (2010–2014) Los Angeles Lakers (2018–present) | 9,569 | 1,293 | 7.4 |
9 | Isiah Thomas* | PG | Detroit Pistons (1981–1994) | 9,061 | 979 | 9.3 |
10 | Gary Payton* | PG | Seattle SuperSonics (1990–2003) Milwaukee Bucks (2003) Los Angeles Lakers (2003–2004) Boston Celtics (2004–2005) Miami Heat (2005–2007) | 8,966 | 1,335 | 6.7 |
11 | Andre Miller | PG | Cleveland Cavaliers (1999–2002) Los Angeles Clippers (2002–2003) Denver Nuggets (2003–2006, 2011–2013) Philadelphia 76ers (2006–2009) Portland Trail Blazers (2009–2011) Washington Wizards (2013–2015) Sacramento Kings (2015) Minnesota Timberwolves (2015–2016) San Antonio Spurs (2016) | 8,524 | 1,304 | 6.5 |
12 | Rod Strickland | PG | New York Knicks (1988–1990) San Antonio Spurs (1990–1992) Portland Trail Blazers (1992–1996, 2001) Washington Bullets/Wizards (1996–2001) Miami Heat (2001–2002) Minnesota Timberwolves (2002–2003) Orlando Magic (2003–2004) Toronto Raptors (2004) Houston Rockets (2005) | 7,987 | 1,094 | 7.3 |
13 | Russell Westbrook^ | PG | Oklahoma City Thunder (2008–2019) Houston Rockets (2019-2020) Washington Wizards (2020–present) | 7,452 | 895 | 8.3 |
14 | Maurice Cheeks* | PG | Philadelphia 76ers (1978–1989) San Antonio Spurs (1989–1990) New York Knicks (1990–1991) Atlanta Hawks (1991–1992) New Jersey Nets (1993) | 7,392 | 1,101 | 6.7 |
15 | Rajon Rondo^ | PG | Boston Celtics (2006–2014) Dallas Mavericks (2014–2015) Sacramento Kings (2015–2016) Chicago Bulls (2016–2017) New Orleans Pelicans (2017–2018) Los Angeles Lakers (2018–2020) Atlanta Hawks (2020–present) | 7,269 | 887 | 8.2 |
16 | Lenny Wilkens* | PG | St. Louis Hawks (1960–1968) Seattle SuperSonics (1968–1972) Cleveland Cavaliers (1972–1974) Portland Trail Blazers (1974–1975) | 7,211 | 1,077 | 6.7 |
17 | Terry Porter | PG | Portland Trail Blazers (1985–1995) Minnesota Timberwolves (1995–1998) Miami Heat (1999) San Antonio Spurs (1999–2002) | 7,160 | 1,274 | 5.6 |
18 | Tim Hardaway | PG | Golden State Warriors (1989–1993, 1994–1996) Miami Heat (1996–2001) Dallas Mavericks (2001–2002) Denver Nuggets (2002) Indiana Pacers (2003) | 7,095 | 867 | 8.2 |
19 | Tony Parker† | PG | San Antonio Spurs (2001–2018) Charlotte Hornets (2018–2019) | 7,036 | 1,254 | 5.6 |
20 | Bob Cousy* | PG | Boston Celtics (1950–1963) Cincinnati Royals (1969–1970) | 6,955 | 924 | 7.5 |
21 | Guy Rodgers* | PG | Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors (1958–1966) Chicago Bulls (1966–1967) Cincinnati Royals (1967–1968) Milwaukee Bucks (1968–1970) | 6,917 | 892 | 7.8 |
22 | Deron Williams§ | PG | Utah Jazz (2005–2011) New Jersey/Brooklyn Nets (2011–2015) Dallas Mavericks (2015–2017) Cleveland Cavaliers (2017) | 6,819 | 845 | 8.1 |
23 | Muggsy Bogues | PG | Washington Bullets (1987–1988) Charlotte Hornets (1988–1997) Golden State Warriors (1997–1999) Toronto Raptors (1999–2001) | 6,726 | 889 | 7.6 |
24 | Kevin Johnson | PG | Cleveland Cavaliers (1987–1988) Phoenix Suns (1988–1998, 2000) | 6,711 | 735 | 9.1 |
25 | Derek Harper | PG | Dallas Mavericks (1983–1994, 1996–1997) New York Knicks (1994–1996) Orlando Magic (1997–1998) Los Angeles Lakers (1999) | 6,577 | 1,199 | 5.5 |
26 | Nate Archibald* | PG | Cincinnati Royals/Kansas City(-Omaha) Kings (1970–1976) New York Nets (1976–1977) Buffalo Braves (1977–1978) Boston Celtics (1978–1983) Milwaukee Bucks (1983–1984) | 6,476 | 876 | 7.4 |
27 | Stephon Marbury | PG | Minnesota Timberwolves (1996–1999) New Jersey Nets (1999–2001) Phoenix Suns (2001–2004) New York Knicks (2004–2009) Boston Celtics (2009) | 6,471 | 846 | 7.6 |
28 | John Lucas II | PG | Houston Rockets (1976–1978, 1984–1986, 1989–1990) Golden State Warriors (1978–1981) Washington Bullets (1981–1983) San Antonio Spurs (1983–1984) Milwaukee Bucks (1986–1988) Seattle SuperSonics (1988–1989) | 6,454 | 928 | 7.0 |
29 | Reggie Theus | PG | Chicago Bulls (1978–1984) Kansas City/Sacramento Kings (1984–1988) Atlanta Hawks (1988–1989) Orlando Magic (1989–1990) New Jersey Nets (1990–1991) | 6,453 | 1,026 | 6.3 |
30 | Norm Nixon | PG | Los Angeles Lakers (1977–1983) San Diego/Los Angeles Clippers (1983–1986, 1989) | 6,386 | 768 | 8.3 |
31 | Kobe Bryant* | SG | Los Angeles Lakers (1996–2016) | 6,306 | 1,346 | 4.7 |
32 | Jerry West* | PG | Los Angeles Lakers (1960–1974) | 6,238 | 932 | 6.7 |
33 | Scottie Pippen* | SF | Chicago Bulls (1987–1998, 2003–2004) Houston Rockets (1999) Portland Trail Blazers (1999–2003) | 6,135 | 1,178 | 5.2 |
34 | Clyde Drexler* | SG | Portland Trail Blazers (1983–1995) Houston Rockets (1995–1998) | 6,125 | 1,086 | 5.6 |
35 | John Havlicek* | SF/SG | Boston Celtics (1962–1978) | 6,114 | 1,270 | 4.8 |
36 | Baron Davis | PG | Charlotte Hornets/New Orleans Hornets (1999–2005) Golden State Warriors (2005–2008) Los Angeles Clippers (2008–2011) Cleveland Cavaliers (2011) New York Knicks (2011–2012) | 6,025 | 835 | 7.2 |
37 | Mookie Blaylock | PG | New Jersey Nets (1989–1992) Atlanta Hawks (1992–1999) Golden State Warriors (1999–2002) | 5,972 | 889 | 6.7 |
38 | Sam Cassell | PG | Houston Rockets (1993–1996) Phoenix Suns (1996) Dallas Mavericks (1996–1997) New Jersey Nets (1997–1999) Milwaukee Bucks (1999–2003) Minnesota Timberwolves (2003–2005) Los Angeles Clippers (2005–2008) Boston Celtics (2008) | 5,939 | 993 | 6.0 |
39 | Avery Johnson | PG | Seattle SuperSonics (1988–1990) Denver Nuggets (1990, 2001–2002) San Antonio Spurs (1991, 1992–1993, 1994–2001) Houston Rockets (1992) Golden State Warriors (1993–1994, 2003–2004) Dallas Mavericks (2002–2003) | 5,846 | 1,054 | 5.5 |
40 | Kyle Lowry^ | PG | Memphis Grizzlies (2006–2009) Houston Rockets (2009–2012) Toronto Raptors (2012–present) | 5,812 | 938 | 6.2 |
41 | Nick Van Exel | PG/SG | Los Angeles Lakers (1993–1998) Denver Nuggets (1998–2002) Dallas Mavericks (2002–2003) Golden State Warriors (2003–2004) Portland Trail Blazers (2004–2005) San Antonio Spurs (2005–2006) | 5,777 | 880 | 6.6 |
42 | Dwyane Wade† | SG | Miami Heat (2003–2016, 2018–2019) Chicago Bulls (2016–2017) Cleveland Cavaliers (2017–2018) | 5,701 | 1,054 | 5.4 |
43 | Larry Bird* | SF/PF | Boston Celtics (1979–1992) | 5,695 | 897 | 6.3 |
44 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*[5] | C | Milwaukee Bucks (1969–1975) Los Angeles Lakers (1975–1989) | 5,660 | 1,560 | 3.6 |
45 | Chauncey Billups | PG/SG | Boston Celtics (1997–1998) Toronto Raptors (1998) Denver Nuggets (1999, 2008–2011) Minnesota Timberwolves (2000–2002) Detroit Pistons (2002–2008, 2013–2014) New York Knicks (2011) Los Angeles Clippers (2011–2013) | 5,636 | 1,043 | 5.4 |
46 | Michael Jordan* | SG | Chicago Bulls (1984–1993, 1995–1998) Washington Wizards (2001–2003) | 5,633 | 1,072 | 5.3 |
47 | Allen Iverson* | SG/PG | Philadelphia 76ers (1996–2006, 2009–2010) Denver Nuggets (2006–2008) Detroit Pistons (2008–2009) Memphis Grizzlies (2009) | 5,624 | 914 | 6.2 |
48 | Mike Bibby | PG | Vancouver Grizzlies (1999–2001) Sacramento Kings (2001–2008) Atlanta Hawks (2008–2011) Washington Wizards (2011) Miami Heat (2011) New York Knicks (2011–2012) | 5,517 | 1,001 | 5.5 |
49 | Dennis Johnson* | PG/SG | Seattle SuperSonics (1976–1980) Phoenix Suns (1980–1983) Boston Celtics (1983–1990) | 5,499 | 1,100 | 5.0 |
50 | Kevin Garnett* | PF/C | Minnesota Timberwolves (1995–2007, 2015–2016) Boston Celtics (2007–2013) Brooklyn Nets (2013–2015) | 5,445 | 1,462 | 3.7 |
Progressive list of assists leaders
This is a progressive list of assists leaders showing how the record increased through the years.[6]
- Statistics accurate as of the end of the 2019–20 NBA season.
^ | Active NBA player |
* | Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame |
† | Not yet eligible for Hall of Fame consideration[1] |
BOS | Boston Celtics | DET | Detroit Pistons | MIL | Milwaukee Bucks | POR | Portland Trail Blazers | TOR | Toronto Raptors |
BUF | Buffalo Braves | FTW | Fort Wayne Pistons | NJN | New Jersey Nets | PRO | Providence Steamrollers | UTA | Utah Jazz |
CHI | Chicago Bulls | HOU | Houston Rockets | NOH | New Orleans Hornets | ROC | Rochester Royals | WAS | Washington Wizards |
CHS | Chicago Stags | IND | Indiana Pacers | NYK | New York Knicks | SAC | Sacramento Kings | WSB | Washington Bullets |
CIN | Cincinnati Royals | KCO | Kansas City-Omaha Kings | OKC | Oklahoma City Thunder | SAS | San Antonio Spurs | ||
CLE | Cleveland Cavaliers | LAC | Los Angeles Clippers | PHI | Philadelphia 76ers | SDC | San Diego Clippers | ||
DAL | Dallas Mavericks | LAL | Los Angeles Lakers | PHO | Phoenix Suns | SEA | Seattle SuperSonics | ||
DEN | Denver Nuggets | MIA | Miami Heat | PHW | Philadelphia Warriors | SFW | San Francisco Warriors |
Season | Year-by-year leader | AST | Active player leader | AST | Career record | AST | Single-season record | AST | Season |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1946–47 | Ernie CalverleyPRO | 202 | Ernie CalverleyPRO | 202 | Ernie CalverleyPRO | 202 | Ernie CalverleyPRO | 202 | 1946–47 |
1947–48 | Howie Dallmar PHW | 120 | 321 | 321 | 1947–48 | ||||
1948–49 | Bob Davies* ROC | 321 | 572 | 572 | Bob Davies* ROC | 321 | 1948–49 | ||
1949–50 | Dick McGuire* NYK | 386 | Andy Phillip* CHS 1949–50 PHW 1950–52 FTW 1952–56 BOS 1956–57 | 770 | Andy Phillip* CHS 1949–50 PHW 1950–52 FTW 1952–56 BOS 1956–57 | 770 | Dick McGuire* NYK | 386 | 1949–50 |
1950–51 | Andy Phillip* PHW | 414 | 1,184 | 1,184 | Andy Phillip* PHW | 414 | 1950–51 | ||
1951–52 | 539 | 1,723 | 1,723 | 539 | 1951–52 | ||||
1952–53 | Bob Cousy* BOS | 547 | 2,120 | 2,120 | Bob Cousy* BOS | 547 | 1952–53 | ||
1953–54 | 518 | 2,569 | 2,569 | 1953–54 | |||||
1954–55 | 557 | 3,060 | 3,060 | 557 | 1954–55 | ||||
1955–56 | 642 | 3,470 | 3,470 | 642 | 1955–56 | ||||
1956–57 | 478 | 3,638 | 3,638 | 1956–57 | |||||
1957–58 | 463 | Bob Cousy* BOS | 3,987 | Bob Cousy* BOS | 3,987 | 1957–58 | |||
1958–59 | 557 | 4,544 | 4,544 | 1958–59 | |||||
1959–60 | 715 | 5,259 | 5,259 | 715 | 1959–60 | ||||
1960–61 | Oscar Robertson* CIN | 690 | 5,846 | 5,846 | 1960–61 | ||||
1961–62 | 899 | 6,430 | 6,430 | Oscar Robertson* CIN | 899 | 1961–62 | |||
1962–63 | Guy Rodgers* SFW | 825 | 6,945 | 6,945 | 1962–63 | ||||
1963–64 | Oscar Robertson* CIN | 868 | Guy Rodgers* SFW | 3,444 | 1963–64 | ||||
1964–65 | 861 | Oscar Robertson* CIN 1964–70 MIL 1970–74 | 4,076 | 1964–65 | |||||
1965–66 | 847 | 4,923 | 1965–66 | ||||||
1966–67 | Guy Rodgers* CHI | 908 | 5,768 | Guy Rodgers* CHI | 908 | 1966–67 | |||
1967–68 | Wilt Chamberlain* | PHI702 | 6,401 | 1967–68 | |||||
1968–69 | Oscar Robertson* CIN | 772 | 7,173 | Oscar Robertson* CIN 1968–70 MIL 1970–74 | 7,173 | 1968–69 | |||
1969–70 | Lenny Wilkens* SEA | 683 | 7,731 | 7,731 | 1969–70 | ||||
1970–71 | Norm Van Lier CIN | 832 | 8,399 | 8,399 | 1970–71 | ||||
1971–72 | Lenny Wilkens* SEA | 766 | 8,890 | 8,890 | 1971–72 | ||||
1972–73 | Tiny Archibald* | KCO910 | 9,441 | 9,441 | Tiny Archibald* | KCO910 | 1972–73 | ||
1973–74 | Ernie DiGregorio BUF | 663 | 9,887 | 9,887 | 1973–74 | ||||
1974–75 | Kevin Porter | WSB650 | Lenny Wilkens* POR | 7,211 | 1974–75 | ||||
1975–76 | Slick Watts SEA | 661 | John Havlicek* BOS | 5,386 | 1975–76 | ||||
1976–77 | Don Buse IND | 685 | 5,786 | 1976–77 | |||||
1977–78 | Kevin Porter DET & NJN 1977–78 DET 1978–79 | 837 | 6,114 | 1977–78 | |||||
1978–79 | 1,099 | Norm Van Lier MIL | 5,217 | Kevin Porter | DET1,099 | 1978–79 | |||
1979–80 | Micheal Ray Richardson NYK | 832 | Walt Frazier* CLE | 5,040 | 1979–80 | ||||
1980–81 | Kevin Porter | WSB734 | Tiny Archibald* BOS 1980–83 MIL 1983–84 | 5,366 | 1980–81 | ||||
1981–82 | Johnny Moore SAS | 762 | 5,907 | 1981–82 | |||||
1982–83 | Magic Johnson* | LAL829 | 6,316 | 1982–83 | |||||
1983–84 | Isiah Thomas* DET Norm Nixon SDC | 914 | 6,476 | 1983–84 | |||||
1984–85 | Isiah Thomas* DET | 1,123 | Norm Nixon LAC | 5,471 | Isiah Thomas* DET | 1,123 | 1984–85 | ||
1985–86 | Magic Johnson* | LAL907 | 6,047 | 1985–86 | |||||
1986–87 | 977 | Magic Johnson* | LAL6,179 | 1986–87 | |||||
1987–88 | John Stockton* UTA | 1,128 | 7,037 | John Stockton* UTA | 1,128 | 1987–88 | |||
1988–89 | 1,118 | 8,025 | 1988–89 | ||||||
1989–90 | 1,134 | 8,932 | 1,134 | 1989–90 | |||||
1990–91 | 1,164 | 9,921 | Magic Johnson* | LAL9,921 | 1,164 | 1990–91 | |||
1991–92 | 1,126 | Isiah Thomas* DET | 7,991 | 1991–92 | |||||
1992–93 | 987 | 8,662 | 1992–93 | ||||||
1993–94 | 1,031 | John Stockton* UTA | 9,383 | 1993–94 | |||||
1994–95 | 1,011 | 10,394 | John Stockton* UTA | 10,394 | 1994–95 | ||||
1995–96 | 916 | 11,310 | 11,310 | 1995–96 | |||||
1996–97 | Mark Jackson DEN & IND | 935 | 12,170 | 12,170 | 1996–97 | ||||
1997–98 | Rod Strickland WAS | 801 | 12,713 | 12,713 | 1997–98 | ||||
1998–99 | Jason Kidd* PHO | 539 | 13,087 | 13,087 | 1998–99 | ||||
1999–00 | Gary Payton* SEA | 732 | 13,790 | 13,790 | 1999–00 | ||||
2000–01 | Jason Kidd* PHO | 753 | 14,503 | 14,503 | 2000–01 | ||||
2001–02 | Andre Miller CLE | 882 | 15,177 | 15,177 | 2001–02 | ||||
2002–03 | Jason Kidd* NJN | 711 | 15,806 | 15,806 | 2002–03 | ||||
2003–04 | Stephon Marbury PHO | 719 | Mark Jackson HOU | 10,334 | 2003–04 | ||||
2004–05 | Steve Nash* PHO | 861 | Gary Payton* BOS 2004–05 MIA 2005–07 | 8,508 | 2004–05 | ||||
2005–06 | 826 | 8,765 | 2005–06 | ||||||
2006–07 | 884 | 8,966 | 2006–07 | ||||||
2007–08 | Chris Paul^ NOH | 925 | Jason Kidd* NJN 2007–08 DAL 2008–12 NYK 2012–13 | 9,497 | 2007–08 | ||||
2008–09 | 861 | 10,199 | 2008–09 | ||||||
2009–10 | Steve Nash* PHO | 892 | 10,923 | 2009–10 | |||||
2010–11 | 855 | 11,578 | 2010–11 | ||||||
2011–12 | 664 | 11,842 | 2011–12 | ||||||
2012–13 | Greivis Vásquez | NOH704 | 12,091 | 2012–13 | |||||
2013–14 | John Wall^ | WAS721 | Steve Nash* LAL | 10,335 | 2013–14 | ||||
2014–15 | Chris Paul^ LAC | 838 | Andre Miller SAC 2014–15 MIN 2015–16 SAS 2016 | 8,437 | 2014–15 | ||||
2015–16 | Rajon Rondo^ SAC | 839 | 8,524 | 2015–16 | |||||
2016–17 | James Harden^ HOU | 907 | Chris Paul^ LAC 2016–17 HOU 2017–19 OKC 2019–20 | 8,251 | 2016–17 | ||||
2017–18 | Russell Westbrook^ | OKC820 | 8,708 | 2017–18 | |||||
2018–19 | 784 | 9,181 | 2018–19 | ||||||
2019–20 | LeBron James^ LAL | 684 | 9,653 | 2019–20 | |||||
Season | Year-by-year leader | AST | Active player leader | AST | Career record | AST | Single-season record | AST | Season |
See also
- Basketball statistics
- NBA regular season records
References
- ^ a b A player is not eligible for induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame until he has been fully retired for three calendar years.
- ^ "2021 Hall of Fame Candidates". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
- ^ American Basketball Association (ABA) teams other than those admitted into the NBA in 1976 are not included; each year is linked to an article about that particular NBA season.
- ^ Average is rounded to the nearest tenth.
- ^ Previously known as Lew Alcindor prior to an official name change on May 1, 1971.
- ^ "NBA Progressive Leaders and Records for Assists". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved 25 March 2015.