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There have been many talented playmakers and floor generals throughout NBA history. From Bob Cousy to Chris Paul, basketball fans have had a chance to watch many stars run the floor.
Top 10 NBA assist leaders
While playmaking is more than just getting assists, this statistical category shows which players have excelled at finding their open teammates. Interestingly, the all-time assist record is one of the most unbreakable records.
#10 - Isiah Thomas
Isiah Thomas was a tough physical playmaker who was a perfect floor general for the Bad Boys Pistons. He helped his team win two championship rings while earning 12 All-Star selections.
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Thomas retired with 9,061 assists. He averaged 9.3 assists per game for 13 years in the league. His highest average was during the 1984-85 season when he lead the league with 13.9 assists on average.
#9 - Russell Westbrook
Russell Westbrook ranks third among active players in all-time assists. The former MVP is a fantastic offensive player who's a great scorer and ball distributor, which is why it's no surprise that he's one of the best playmakers in NBA history.
Westbrook has had 9,162 assists so far in his career, averaging 8.4 per game. He's led the league in assists three times and averaged 11.7 assists in his best season.
#8 - Oscar Robertson
Like Westbrook, Oscar Robertson is well-known for recording triple-doubles. Due to this, it's no surprise that he's so high on the all-time assists list.
In 14 years in the league, the 6-foot-5 guard recorded 9,887 assists. He averaged 9.5 assists per game throughout his career, including a career-high 11.5 assists in the 1964-65 season.
#7 - Magic Johnson
Despite retiring while he was still in his prime, Magic Johnson is still one of the best playmakers in NBA history. He spent 13 years in the professional basketball league, becoming a legend of the LA Lakers.
The 6-9 guard averaged 11.2 assists throughout his career. He led the league in this statistical category for times, including the 1983-84 season, when he averaged a career-high 13.1 assists per game. Johnson ranks seventh with 10,141 dimes in total.
#6 - Mark Jackson
Mark Jackson was named an All-Star only once during his 17-year career. However, there is no doubt that he was one of the best floor generals of his generation.
The 6-1 guard retired with 10,334 assists, which was good enough for second place on the all-time list at the time. On average, he had 8.0 dimes per game, including a career-high 11.4 in the 1996-97 season.
#5 - Steve Nash
Thanks to his amazing playmaking skills, Steve Nash won two MVP awards during his glorious NBA career. He played for three different teams, but was at his peak playing for the Phoenix Suns and running their high-octane offense.
Nash retired with 10,335 assists, just an assist more than Jackson. He led the league in this category five times and averaged 8.5 assists per game.
#4 - LeBron James
Not only is LeBron James the all-time leading scorer of the NBA, but he also ranks fourth in all-time assists with 10,420. He is the only forward in the top 10, although this comes as no surprise considering that he can play any position.
James has averaged 7.3 assists per game throughout his career, including his career-high and league-leading 10.2 assists in the 2019-20 season. He ranks second among active players.
#3 - Chris Paul
Over the past 18 years, Chris Paul has established himself as one of the greatest playmakers in NBA history. Despite never winning a ring, his team-leading skills have helped his teams have several deep playoff runs.
Paul has averaged 9.5 assists per game throughout his career for a total of 11,501. Considering that he will be in the league for at least one more season, he'll likely move up to the second spot on the all-time list.
#2 - Jason Kidd
During his 19-year NBA career, Jason Kidd's court vision helped him achieve a lot of success. He was a 10-time All-Star who led the league in assists five times. Kidd was also very important in winning the first-ever championship for the Dallas Mavericks in 2011.
The 6-4 guard averaged 8.7 assists per game in his career, including 10.8 assists in the 1998-99 season. He retired with 12,091 dimes, but will likely be surpassed by Paul.
#1 - John Stockton
John Stockton holds one of the most unbreakable records in NBA history. With 15,806 assists, the Utah Jazz legend is far ahead of everyone else on the list. He averaged 10.5 dimes during his 19-year career and led the league in the category for nine straight years.
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In his first 13 years in the league, Stockton missed only two games, which is why his record is untouchable. In the era of load management, it is very unlikely that anyone will get close to ever breaking it.
