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#3 Tim Duncan
Tim Duncan was one of the most fundamentally sound players in the game of basketball. When it came to passing, "The Big Fundamental" was absolutely textbook.
Duncan would find himself in the high post position at the top of the key quite often while playing center. This would open the entire floor to him.
Being able to see his teammates in position to dive, Duncan would use subtle fakes to shift defenders just enough to create room for an entry pass to the low post or a penetrating pass to cutting players. While playing power forward in the low post, Tim Duncan had a keen sense of where teammates were cutting from and always knew how to spot shooters on the perimeter.
Tim Duncan is one of the best big men to ever play the game of basketball. It just so happens his efficiency both offensively and defensively tends to overshadow his nifty passing ability.
#2 Pau Gasol
Pau Gasol has made a career out of being a creative offensive player. His soft touch around the rim and crafty sense of scoring also translated to his ability to pass the ball.
It was rare to see a big man with a comfortable handle on the ball in that era. With the LA Lakers, Pau was more or less capable of going coast to coast or dishing out a pass in a two-on-one situation in the break.
Pau Gasol was an elite passer from any position on the court. Using his height, he could easily spot shooters and diving players. Making use of clever look-aways to shift defenders and a taste for making no-look passes, Pau continued to be an elite passer even outside of illustrious career with the Purple and Gold.
#1 Nikola Jokic
Nikola Jokic is the prototype of the passing big man in the modern NBA. Still very fresh in his career, Jokic redefines the role of what it means to be a big man. Boasting the ability to stretch the floor as well as dominate in the low post, Jokic is a threat from all three levels. This facet just accentuates his elite sense of passing.
Jokic is capable of bringing the ball up the court himself and running a halfcourt set from the top of the key. He is remarkably adept at finding his teammates, looking away and then hitting them with an entry pass after the cut. His ability to shoot the long ball forces big men to guard him on the perimeter which opens up the entirety of the paint for cutters.
Jokic is also known for his flashy over-the-head passes. Being a reliable rebounder on the offensive glass, Jokic often drops passes off the touch to teammates. He also uses this pass out of the low post after seeing a cutting teammate.
But the most impressive aspect of his passing game is his ability to find teammates on the fastbreak using his long-range, touchdown passes. Nikola Jokic is skilled enough to throw those long passes with accuracy and create instant offense.
With Jokic winning his first NBA MVP award in the 2020-21 season, there is a lot to look forward to with regards to how his game develops from here. However, it is certain that he is one of the best passing big men this game has seen.
Guess the Lakers players!
