Who Leads the NBA in Assists All Time?
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Magic Johnson is the NBA’s all-time assists leader, but who else rounds out the top five?
Magic Johnson
Johnson was the classic point guard and is considered one of the best players of all time. He was a floor leader and playmaker who always seemed to make the right decision. He was also a great shooter and finisher. Johnson led the league in assists four times and is the all-time leader in assists per game.
Johnson’s stats
Johnson became one of the league’s best players and helped motivate a Lakers team that acquired Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. In his rookie season, Johnson led the Lakers to the NBA Finals, where they lost to the Philadelphia 76ers. The following year, he won a championship with the Lakers, and was unanimously named the Finals MVP. At 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m), he played point guard and was noted for his big assists total. He is the NBA’s all-time leader in average assists per game, at 11.2.
Johnson’s impact on the game
Johnson’s arrival in the NBA coincided with a period of transition for the league. At the time, the league was dominated by big men who played a physical brand of basketball. Johnson’s style of play was in stark contrast to this, as he was a 6’9″ point guard who relied on speed, quickness and finesse to make plays. He was also one of the first players to regularly use the no-look pass, which added an element of creativity and unpredictability to his game. Johnson’s impact on the league was immediate, as he helped lead the Lakers to an NBA title in his rookie year. He would go on to win five more NBA titles with the Lakers, cementing his legacy as one of the greatest players in NBA history.
John Stockton
John Stockton is the NBA all-time leader in assists per game, with an average of 11.2. He is also the career leader in total assists, with 15,806. Stockton played his entire 19-year NBA career with the Utah Jazz, and is widely considered one of the best point guards of all time.
Stockton’s stats
John Stockton is an American former professional basketball player who played his entire 19-year career in the National Basketball Association (NBA) with the Utah Jazz. He is regarded as one of the best point guards of all time, and was selected to the NBA All-Star Team ten times. He holds the NBA records for most career assists and steals.
In 1996, he was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History. Stockton appeared on the 1992 United States Olympic Dream Team that won the gold medal in Barcelona.
SEE: https://www.nba.com/history/players/stockj01.html
Stockton’s impact on the game
John Stockton is widely considered one of the best point guards of all time. He played his entire 19-year NBA career with the Utah Jazz, and is the league’s all-time leader in assists and steals.
Stockton was known for his pinpoint passes and court vision, and was an excellent shooter from both midrange and long range. He helped lead the Jazz to the playoffs in each of his 19 seasons, and was named to 10 All-Star teams. He was also named to the NBA All-Defensive team twice.
In 1996, Stockton was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA history. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009.
Jason Kidd
Jason Kidd is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is currently the head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks. He was a ten-time NBA All-Star, a five-time All-NBA First Team member, and a nine-time NBA All-Defensive Team member. He ranks third all-time in both assists per game and total assists, behind only John Stockton and Magic Johnson.
Kidd’s stats
Jason Kidd is a retired American basketball player who spent the vast majority of his professional career playing for the Dallas Mavericks in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He also played for the Suns and the Knicks. He is considered one of the greatest point guards of all time.
Kidd ranks second on the NBA all-time list in both assists and steals, and is one of only four players to have ever led the league in both statistical categories for a season. He also ranks fourth all-time in 3-point field goals made. In 1996, Kidd was named Co-Rookie of the Year after averaging 11.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 7.7 assists per game, becoming only the second player in NBA history to average at least seven assists per game as a rookie (Oscar Robertson was the first).
In his second season, Kidd led the Suns to their first ever NBA Finals appearance but they lost to Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls in six games. The following season, he was voted an All-Star starter for the first time and was voted as co-MVP of that game with Grant Hill.In 1999–2000, Kidd averaged a career-high 16.9 points per game along with 9.1 assists per game en route to being named All-NBA First Team as well as being selected as one of that year’s All-Star Game starters again
Kidd’s impact on the game
Jason Kidd was one of the most prolific passers in NBA history. He is currently second all time in assists with 12,091. He is also 6th all time in steals with 2,684.
Kidd was a 10-time NBA All-Star, a five-time All-NBA First Team member, and a nine-time NBA All-Defensive Team member. He won an NBA Championship in 2011 as a member of the Dallas Mavericks.
Kidd was known for his leadership and defensive prowess on the court. He helped lead the Mavericks to their first ever NBA title in 2011 and was praised for his clutch play during the playoffs.