NBA Assist Leaders — Total Assists, 1946-47 Through 1968-69
During the NBA's early years, the league's assist leader was
recognized by total assists. Beginning with the
1969-70 season, the league leadership below is shown by
assists per game.
| Year |
Player |
Team |
Total Assists |
| 1947 |
Ernie Calverley |
Providence |
202 |
| 1948 |
Howie Dallmar |
Philadelphia |
120 |
| 1949 |
Bob Davies |
Rochester |
321 |
| 1950 |
Dick McGuire |
New York |
386 |
| 1951 |
Andy Phillip |
Philadelphia |
414 |
| 1952 |
Andy Phillip |
Philadelphia |
539 |
| 1953 |
Bob Cousy |
Boston |
547 |
| 1954 |
Bob Cousy |
Boston |
518 |
| 1955 |
Bob Cousy |
Boston |
557 |
| 1956 |
Bob Cousy |
Boston |
642 |
| 1957 |
Bob Cousy |
Boston |
478 |
| 1958 |
Bob Cousy |
Boston |
463 |
| 1959 |
Bob Cousy |
Boston |
557 |
| 1960 |
Bob Cousy |
Boston |
715 |
| 1961 |
Oscar Robertson |
Cincinnati |
690 |
| 1962 |
Oscar Robertson |
Cincinnati |
899 |
| 1963 |
Guy Rodgers |
San Francisco |
825 |
| 1964 |
Oscar Robertson |
Cincinnati |
868 |
| 1965 |
Oscar Robertson |
Cincinnati |
861 |
| 1966 |
Oscar Robertson |
Cincinnati |
847 |
| 1967 |
Guy Rodgers |
Chicago |
908 |
| 1968 |
Wilt Chamberlain |
Philadelphia |
702 |
| 1969 |
Oscar Robertson |
Cincinnati |
772 |
NBA Assist Leaders — Assists Per Game, 1969-70 Through 2025-26
| Year |
Player |
Team |
Assists Per Game |
| 1970 |
Lenny Wilkens |
Seattle |
9.1 |
| 1971 |
Norm Van Lier |
Chicago |
10.1 |
| 1972 |
Jerry West |
Los Angeles Lakers |
9.7 |
| 1973 |
Nate Archibald |
Kansas City-Omaha |
11.4 |
| 1974 |
Ernie DiGregorio |
Buffalo |
8.2 |
| 1975 |
Kevin Porter |
Washington |
8.0 |
| 1976 |
Don "Slick" Watts |
Seattle |
8.1 |
| 1977 |
Don Buse |
Indiana |
8.5 |
| 1978 |
Kevin Porter |
Detroit / New Jersey |
10.2 |
| 1979 |
Kevin Porter |
Detroit |
13.4 |
| 1980 |
Michael Ray Richardson |
New York |
10.1 |
| 1981 |
Kevin Porter |
Washington |
9.1 |
| 1982 |
Johnny Moore |
San Antonio |
9.6 |
| 1983 |
Earvin "Magic" Johnson |
Los Angeles Lakers |
10.5 |
| 1984 |
Earvin "Magic" Johnson |
Los Angeles Lakers |
13.1 |
| 1985 |
Isiah Thomas |
Detroit |
13.9 |
| 1986 |
Earvin "Magic" Johnson |
Los Angeles Lakers |
12.6 |
| 1987 |
Earvin "Magic" Johnson |
Los Angeles Lakers |
12.2 |
| 1988 |
John Stockton |
Utah |
13.8 |
| 1989 |
John Stockton |
Utah |
13.6 |
| 1990 |
John Stockton |
Utah |
14.5 |
| 1991 |
John Stockton |
Utah |
14.2 |
| 1992 |
John Stockton |
Utah |
13.7 |
| 1993 |
John Stockton |
Utah |
12.0 |
| 1994 |
John Stockton |
Utah |
12.6 |
| 1995 |
John Stockton |
Utah |
12.3 |
| 1996 |
John Stockton |
Utah |
11.2 |
| 1997 |
Mark Jackson |
Denver / Indiana |
11.4 |
| 1998 |
Rod Strickland |
Washington |
10.5 |
| 1999 |
Jason Kidd |
Phoenix |
10.8 |
| 2000 |
Jason Kidd |
Phoenix |
10.1 |
| 2001 |
Jason Kidd |
Phoenix |
9.8 |
| 2002 |
Andre Miller |
Cleveland |
10.9 |
| 2003 |
Jason Kidd |
New Jersey |
8.9 |
| 2004 |
Jason Kidd |
New Jersey |
9.2 |
| 2005 |
Steve Nash |
Phoenix |
11.5 |
| 2006 |
Steve Nash |
Phoenix |
10.4 |
| 2007 |
Steve Nash |
Phoenix |
11.6 |
| 2008 |
Chris Paul |
New Orleans |
11.6 |
| 2009 |
Chris Paul |
New Orleans |
11.0 |
| 2010 |
Steve Nash |
Phoenix |
11.0 |
| 2011 |
Steve Nash |
Phoenix |
11.4 |
| 2012 |
Rajon Rondo |
Boston |
11.7 |
| 2013 |
Rajon Rondo |
Boston |
11.1 |
| 2014 |
Chris Paul |
Los Angeles Clippers |
10.7 |
| 2015 |
Chris Paul |
Los Angeles Clippers |
10.2 |
| 2016 |
Rajon Rondo |
Sacramento |
11.7 |
| 2017 |
James Harden |
Houston |
11.2 |
| 2018 |
Russell Westbrook |
Oklahoma City |
10.2 |
| 2019 |
Russell Westbrook |
Oklahoma City |
10.7 |
| 2020 |
LeBron James |
Los Angeles Lakers |
10.2 |
| 2021 |
Russell Westbrook |
Washington |
11.7 |
| 2022 |
Chris Paul |
Phoenix |
10.8 |
| 2023 |
James Harden |
Philadelphia |
10.7 |
| 2024 |
Tyrese Haliburton |
Indiana |
10.9 |
| 2025 |
Trae Young |
Atlanta |
11.6 |
| 2026 |
Nikola Jokić |
Denver |
10.7 |
Most Seasons Leading the NBA in Assists
| Times |
Player |
Team(s) |
| 9 |
John Stockton |
Utah Jazz |
| 8 |
Bob Cousy |
Boston Celtics |
| 6 |
Oscar Robertson |
Cincinnati Royals |
| 5 |
Chris Paul |
New Orleans Hornets, Los Angeles Clippers, Phoenix Suns |
| 5 |
Jason Kidd |
Phoenix Suns, New Jersey Nets |
| 5 |
Steve Nash |
Phoenix Suns |
| 4 |
Kevin Porter |
Washington Bullets, Detroit Pistons, New Jersey Nets |
| 4 |
Earvin "Magic" Johnson |
Los Angeles Lakers |
| 3 |
Russell Westbrook |
Oklahoma City Thunder, Washington Wizards |
| 3 |
Rajon Rondo |
Boston Celtics, Sacramento Kings |
| 2 |
Andy Phillip |
Philadelphia Warriors |
| 2 |
James Harden |
Houston Rockets, Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1 |
Trae Young |
Atlanta Hawks |
Notes
John Stockton holds the NBA record for the most
seasons leading the league in assists, doing so nine consecutive
times from 1987-88 through 1995-96.
Bob Cousy led the league eight consecutive times
from 1952-53 through 1959-60.
Rajon Rondo averaged 11.1 assists in 38 games during
2012-13 and is listed by the NBA as that season's assists-per-game
leader. Chris Paul averaged 9.7 assists in 70 games.
James Harden led the NBA in assists per game in
2022-23 at 10.7. Trae Young recorded a league-high 741 total assists
that season while averaging 10.2 per game.
Nikola Jokić led the NBA in 2025-26 at 10.7 assists
per game.
Years in the tables represent the calendar year in which each NBA
season ended.
