In basketball, an assist is a pass to a teammate that directly leads to a score by field goal.[1] The National Basketball Association's (NBA) assist title is awarded to the player with the highest assists per game average in a given season. The assists title was first recognized in the 1946–47 season when statistics on assists were first compiled by the Basketball Association of America (BAA), predecessor of the NBA.[2] To qualify for the assist title, the player must appear in at least 58 games (out of 82). However, a player who appears in fewer than 58 games may qualify as the annual assists leader if his assist total would have given him the greatest average, had he appeared in 58 games. This has been the requirement since the 2013–14 season.[3] The assists title was originally determined by assist total through the 1968–69 season, after which assists per game was used to determine the leader instead.

John Stockton holds the all-time records for total assists (1,164) and assists per game (14.54) in a season, achieved in the 1990–91 and 1989–90 seasons respectively.[2] Mark Jackson holds the rookie records for total assists and assists per game when he had 868 and averaged 10.6 in the 1987–88 season.[2][4] Among active players, Chris Paul had the highest season assists total (925) in the 2007–08 season and Russell Westbrook had the highest season assists average (11.74) in the 2020–21 season.

Stockton has the most assists titles in his career, with nine. Bob Cousy won eight assists titles, while Oscar Robertson won six. Jason Kidd, Chris Paul, and Steve Nash have five assists titles, while Kevin Porter and Magic Johnson each won four. Rajon Rondo and Russell Westbrook have three, while Andy Phillip, Guy Rodgers and James Harden are the only other players with multiple titles. Stockton also won the most consecutive assists titles, with nine. Four players have won both the assists title and the NBA championship in the same season: Cousy in 1957 and from 1959 to 1960 with the Boston Celtics; Jerry West in 1972 with the Los Angeles Lakers; Johnson in 1987 with the Lakers, and LeBron James with the Lakers in 2020.[5] Nate "Tiny" Archibald is the only player in NBA history to lead the lead in assists and scoring in the same year, which he achieved in the 1972-73 season.

Key

^ Denotes player who is still active in the NBA
* Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
‡ Denotes player who won the MVP award that year
Player (X) Denotes the number of times the player had been the
assists leader up to and including that season
G Guard F Forward C Center

Annual leaders

Season Player Position[a] Team Games
played 		Total
assists 		Assists
per game 		References
1946–47 Ernie Calverley G Providence Steamrollers 59 202 3.42 [6][7]
1947–48 Howie Dallmar F Philadelphia Warriors 48 120 2.50 [6][8]
1948–49 Bob Davies* G/F Rochester Royals 60 321 5.35 [6][9]
1949–50 Dick McGuire* G New York Knicks 68 386 5.68 [6][10]
1950–51 Andy Phillip* G/F Philadelphia Warriors 66 414 6.27 [6][11]
1951–52 Andy Phillip* (2) G/F Philadelphia Warriors 66 539 8.17 [6][11]
1952–53 Bob Cousy* G Boston Celtics 71 547 7.70 [6][12]
1953–54 Bob Cousy* (2) G Boston Celtics 72 518 7.19 [6][12]
1954–55 Bob Cousy* (3) G Boston Celtics 71 557 7.85 [6][12]
1955–56 Bob Cousy* (4) G Boston Celtics 72 642 8.92 [6][12]
1956–57 ‡ Bob Cousy* (5) G Boston Celtics 64 478 7.47 [6][12]
1957–58 Bob Cousy* (6) G Boston Celtics 65 463 7.12 [6][12]
1958–59 Bob Cousy* (7) G Boston Celtics 65 557 8.57 [6][12]
1959–60 Bob Cousy* (8) G Boston Celtics 75 715 9.53 [6][12]
1960–61 Oscar Robertson* G Cincinnati Royals 71 690 9.72 [6][13]
1961–62 Oscar Robertson* (2) G Cincinnati Royals 79 899 11.38 [6][13]
1962–63 Guy Rodgers* G San Francisco Warriors 79 825 10.44 [6][14]
1963–64 ‡ Oscar Robertson* (3) G Cincinnati Royals 79 868 10.99 [6][13]
1964–65 Oscar Robertson* (4) G Cincinnati Royals 75 861 11.48 [6][13]
1965–66 Oscar Robertson* (5) G Cincinnati Royals 76 847 11.14 [6][13]
1966–67 Guy Rodgers* (2) G Chicago Bulls 81 908 11.21 [6][14]
1967–68 ‡ Wilt Chamberlain*[b] C Philadelphia 76ers 82 702 8.56 [6][15]
1968–69 Oscar Robertson* (6) G Cincinnati Royals 79 772 9.77 [6][13]
1969–70 Lenny Wilkens* G Seattle SuperSonics 75 683 9.11 [6][16][17]
1970–71 Norm Van Lier G Cincinnati Royals 82 832 10.15 [6][18][19]
1971–72 Jerry West*[c] G Los Angeles Lakers 77 747 9.70 [6][20][21]
1972–73 Nate Archibald* G Kansas City–Omaha Kings 80 910 11.38 [6][22][23]
1973–74 Ernie DiGregorio G Buffalo Braves 81 663 8.19 [6][24][25]
1974–75 Kevin Porter G Washington Bullets 81 650 8.02 [6][26][27]
1975–76 Slick Watts G Seattle SuperSonics 82 661 8.06 [6][28][29]
1976–77 Don Buse G Indiana Pacers 81 685 8.46 [6][30][31]
1977–78 Kevin Porter (2) G Detroit Pistons
New Jersey Nets 		82 837 10.21 [6][27][32]
1978–79 Kevin Porter (3) G Detroit Pistons 82 1,099 13.40 [6][27][33]
1979–80 Michael Ray Richardson G/F New York Knicks 82 835 10.15 [6][34][35]
1980–81 Kevin Porter (4) G Washington Bullets 81 734 9.06 [6][27][36]
1981–82 Johnny Moore G San Antonio Spurs 79 762 9.65 [6][37][38]
1982–83 Magic Johnson* G Los Angeles Lakers 79 829 10.49 [6][39][40]
1983–84 Magic Johnson* (2)[d] G Los Angeles Lakers 67 875 13.06 [6][40][41]
1984–85 Isiah Thomas* G Detroit Pistons 81 1,123 13.86 [6][42][43]
1985–86 Magic Johnson* (3) G Los Angeles Lakers 72 907 12.60 [6][40][44]
1986–87 ‡ Magic Johnson* (4) G Los Angeles Lakers 80 977 12.21 [6][40][45]
1987–88 John Stockton* G Utah Jazz 82 1,128 13.76 [6][46][47]
1988–89 John Stockton* (2) G Utah Jazz 82 1,118 13.63 [6][47][48]
1989–90 John Stockton* (3)[e] G Utah Jazz 78 1,134 14.54 [6][47][49]
1990–91 John Stockton* (4)[f] G Utah Jazz 82 1,164 14.20 [6][47][50]
1991–92 John Stockton* (5) G Utah Jazz 82 1,126 13.73 [6][47]
1992–93 John Stockton* (6) G Utah Jazz 82 987 12.04 [6][47][51]
1993–94 John Stockton* (7) G Utah Jazz 82 1,031 12.57 [6][47][52]
1994–95 John Stockton* (8) G Utah Jazz 82 1,011 12.33 [6][47][53]
1995–96 John Stockton* (9) G Utah Jazz 82 916 11.17 [6][47][54]
1996–97 Mark Jackson G Denver Nuggets
Indiana Pacers 		82 935 11.40 [6][55][56]
1997–98 Rod Strickland G Washington Wizards 76 801 10.54 [6][57][58]
1998–99[g] Jason Kidd* G Phoenix Suns 50 539 10.78 [6][60][61]
1999–00 Jason Kidd* (2)[h] G Phoenix Suns 67 678 10.12 [6][61][62]
2000–01 Jason Kidd* (3) G Phoenix Suns 77 753 9.78 [6][61][63]
2001–02 Andre Miller G Cleveland Cavaliers 81 882 10.89 [6][64][65]
2002–03 Jason Kidd* (4) G New Jersey Nets 80 711 8.89 [6][61][66]
2003–04 Jason Kidd* (5)[i] G New Jersey Nets 67 618 9.22 [6][61][67]
2004–05 ‡ Steve Nash G Phoenix Suns 75 861 11.48 [6][68][69]
2005–06 ‡ Steve Nash* (2) G Phoenix Suns 79 826 10.46 [6][69][70]
2006–07 Steve Nash* (3) G Phoenix Suns 76 884 11.63 [6][69][71]
2007–08 Chris Paul† G New Orleans Hornets 80 925 11.56 [6][72][73]
2008–09 Chris Paul† (2) G New Orleans Hornets 78 861 11.04 [6][73]
2009–10 Steve Nash* (4) G Phoenix Suns 81 892 11.01 [6][69]
2010–11 Steve Nash* (5) G Phoenix Suns 74 845 11.42 [6][69]
2011–12[j] Rajon Rondo[k] G Boston Celtics 53 620 11.70 [6][76]
2012–13 Rajon Rondo (2)[l] G Boston Celtics 38 420 11.05 [6][76]
2013–14 Chris Paul† (3)[m] G Los Angeles Clippers 62 663 10.69 [73]
2014–15 Chris Paul† (4) G Los Angeles Clippers 82 838 10.20 [73]
2015–16 Rajon Rondo (3) G Sacramento Kings 72 839 11.70 [76]
2016–17 James Harden^ G Houston Rockets 81 907 11.20 [80]
2017–18 Russell Westbrook^ G Oklahoma City Thunder 80 820 10.25 [81]
2018–19 Russell Westbrook^ (2) G Oklahoma City Thunder 73 784 10.74 [81]
2019–20 LeBron James^ G/F Los Angeles Lakers 67 684 10.21 [82]
2020–21 Russell Westbrook^ (3) G Washington Wizards 65 763 11.74 [81]
2021–22 Chris Paul^† (5)[n] G Phoenix Suns 65 702 10.80 [73]
2022–23 James Harden^ (2)[o] G Philadelphia 76ers 58 618 10.66 [80]
2023–24 Tyrese Haliburton^ G Indiana Pacers 69 752 10.90 [85]
2024–25 Trae Young^ G Atlanta Hawks 76 880 11.58 [86]

Multiple-time leaders

Rank Player Team Times leader Years
1 John Stockton Utah Jazz 9 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996
2 Bob Cousy Boston Celtics 8 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960
3 Oscar Robertson Cincinnati Royals 6 1961, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1969
4 Jason Kidd Phoenix Suns (3) / New Jersey Nets (2) 5 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004
Chris Paul New Orleans Hornets (2) / Los Angeles Clippers (2) / Phoenix Suns (1) 2008, 2009, 2014, 2015, 2022
Steve Nash Phoenix Suns 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2011
7 Magic Johnson Los Angeles Lakers 4 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987
Kevin Porter Washington Bullets (2) / Detroit Pistons (1) / New Jersey Nets (1) 1975, 1978, 1979, 1981
9 Rajon Rondo Boston Celtics (2) / Sacramento Kings (1) 3 2012, 2013, 2016
Russell Westbrook Oklahoma City Thunder (2) / Washington Wizards (1) 2018, 2019, 2021
11 James Harden Houston Rockets (1) / Philadelphia 76ers (1) 2 2017, 2023
Andy Phillip Philadelphia Warriors 1951, 1952
Guy Rodgers San Francisco Warriors (1) / Chicago Bulls (1) 1963, 1967

Notes

  1. The player's primary position is listed first.
  2. Chamberlain became the first and, as of the 2019–20 NBA season, only center to win the assists title.
  3. In the 1971–72 season, Lenny Wilkens had the highest assist total (766) but was second in assist average (9.6).[20]
  4. In the 1983–84 season, Isiah Thomas and Norm Nixon both had the highest assist totals (914) but they were tied for second in assist average (11.1).[41]
  5. John Stockton holds the all-time record for total assists per game in a single season.[2]
  6. John Stockton holds the all-time record for total assists in a single season.[2]
  7. The 1998–99 season was shortened to 50 games due to the league's lockout.[59] The qualification of this season's assist title is to appear in at least 43 games (out of 50) or to have at least 244 assists.[3]
  8. In the 1999–2000 season, Jason Kidd had only played in 67 games and ranked fifth in assist total. Gary Payton had the highest total (732).[62]
  9. In the 2003–04 season, Stephon Marbury and Steve Nash both had higher assist totals (719 and 687 respectively) but they ranked second and third in assist average (8.9 and 8.8), respectively.[67]
  10. The 2011–12 season was shortened to 66 games due to the league's lockout.[74] The qualification of this season's assist title is to appear in at least 56 games (out of 66) or to have at least 321 assists.[3]
  11. In the 2011–12 season, Steve Nash had the highest assist total (664) but was second in assist average (10.7).[75]
  12. In the 2012–13 season, Greivis Vásquez had the highest assist total (704) but was third in assist average (9.0).[77]
  13. In the 2013–14 season, John Wall, Ricky Rubio, Stephen Curry all had higher assist totals (721, 703 and 666 respectively) but they were tied for second, ranked fifth and sixth in assist average (8.8, 8.6 and 8.5), respectively.[78][79]
  14. In the 2021–22 season, Trae Young had the highest assist total (737), but was third in assist average (9.7).[83][73]
  15. In the 2022–23 season, Trae Young and Nikola Jokić all had higher assist totals (741 and 678 respectively), but they were ranked second and third in assist average (10.2 and 9.8 respectively).[84][80]

See also

References

General
Specific
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