List of National Basketball Association annual assists leaders


In basketball, an assist is a pass to a teammate that directly leads to a score by field goal. The National Basketball Association's 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, predecessor of the NBA. To qualify for the assist title, the player must appear in at least 58 games. However, a player who appears in fewer than 58 games may qualify as 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. 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 and assists per game in a season, achieved in the 1990–91 and 1989–90 seasons, respectively. 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. Among active players, Chris Paul had the highest season assists total in the 2007–08 season and Rajon Rondo had the highest season assists average in the 2011–12 season.
Stockton has won the most assists titles in his career, with nine. Bob Cousy won eight assists titles, while Oscar Robertson won six. Jason Kidd and Steve Nash have won five assists titles, while Kevin Porter, Magic Johnson, and Chris Paul have each won four. Rajon Rondo has won three, while Russell Westbrook, Andy Phillip and Guy Rodgers are the only other players to have won the title more than once. Stockton has also won the most consecutive assists titles, with nine. Three 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; and Johnson in 1987 with the Lakers.

Key

Assist leaders by season

SeasonPlayerPositionTeamGames
played		Total
assists		Assists
per game		References
GProvidence Steamrollers592023.42
FPhiladelphia Warriors481202.50
*G/FRochester Royals603215.35
*GNew York Knicks683865.68
*G/FPhiladelphia Warriors664146.27
* G/FPhiladelphia Warriors665398.17
*GBoston Celtics715477.70
* GBoston Celtics725187.19
* GBoston Celtics715577.85
* GBoston Celtics726428.92
* GBoston Celtics644787.47
* GBoston Celtics654637.12
* GBoston Celtics655578.57
* GBoston Celtics757159.53
*GCincinnati Royals716909.72
* GCincinnati Royals7989911.38
*GSan Francisco Warriors7982510.44
* GCincinnati Royals7986810.99
* GCincinnati Royals7586111.48
* GCincinnati Royals7684711.14
* GChicago Bulls8190811.21
*CPhiladelphia 76ers827028.56
* GCincinnati Royals797729.77
*GSeattle SuperSonics756839.11
GCincinnati Royals8283210.15
*GLos Angeles Lakers777479.70
*GKansas City–Omaha Kings8091011.38
GBuffalo Braves816638.19
GWashington Bullets816508.02
GSeattle SuperSonics826618.06
GIndiana Pacers816858.46
GDetroit Pistons
New Jersey Nets		8283710.21
GDetroit Pistons821,09913.40
G/FNew York Knicks8283510.15
GWashington Bullets817349.06
GSan Antonio Spurs797629.65
*GLos Angeles Lakers7982910.49
* GLos Angeles Lakers6787513.06
*GDetroit Pistons811,12313.86
* GLos Angeles Lakers7290712.60
* GLos Angeles Lakers8097712.21
*GUtah Jazz821,12813.76
* GUtah Jazz821,11813.63
* GUtah Jazz781,13414.54
* GUtah Jazz821,16414.20
* GUtah Jazz821,12613.73
* GUtah Jazz8298712.04
* GUtah Jazz821,03112.57
* GUtah Jazz821,01112.33
* GUtah Jazz8291611.17
GDenver Nuggets
Indiana Pacers		8293511.40
GWashington Wizards7680110.54
*GPhoenix Suns5053910.78
* GPhoenix Suns6767810.12
* GPhoenix Suns777539.78
GCleveland Cavaliers8188210.89
* GNew Jersey Nets807118.89
* GNew Jersey Nets676189.22
GPhoenix Suns7586111.48
* GPhoenix Suns7982610.46
* GPhoenix Suns7688411.63
^GNew Orleans Hornets8092511.56
^ GNew Orleans Hornets7886111.04
* GPhoenix Suns8189211.01
* GPhoenix Suns7484511.42
^GBoston Celtics5362011.70
^ GBoston Celtics3842011.05
^ GLos Angeles Clippers6266310.69
^ GLos Angeles Clippers8283810.20
^ GSacramento Kings7283911.70
^GHouston Rockets8190711.20
^GOklahoma City Thunder8082010.25
^ GOklahoma City Thunder7378410.74

Multiple-time leaders

RankingPlayerTeamTimes leaderYears
1John StocktonUtah Jazz9,,,,,,,,
2Bob CousyBoston Celtics8,,,,,,,
3Oscar RobertsonCincinnati Royals6,,,,,
4Jason KiddPhoenix Suns / New Jersey Nets 5,,,,
4Steve NashPhoenix Suns5,,,,
6Magic JohnsonLos Angeles Lakers4,,,
6Chris PaulNew Orleans Hornets / Los Angeles Clippers 4,,,
6Kevin PorterWashington Bullets / Detroit Pistons / Pistons/New Jersey Nets 4,,,
9Rajon RondoBoston Celtics / Sacramento Kings 3,,
10Andy PhillipPhiladelphia Warriors2,
10Guy RodgersSan Francisco Warriors / Chicago Bulls 2,
10Russell WestbrookOklahoma City Thunder2,