Who would have predicted a second-round draft pick would go on to become the all-time center assists leader? Nikola Jokić has revolutionized the position, and the statistics back it up.
Jokić just passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for most assists by a center, but Jokić has always lapped every center in assists per game metrics. Jokić averages over seven assists for his career.
Wilt Chamberlain is the closest center on the top 10 total assists by a center list, with 4.1 assists per game. Jokić is virtually a point guard for the Denver Nuggets. He makes us reimagine how the game can be played. Though Jokić is one of one, he still stands on the foundation that bigs before him laid down.
Bill Walton didn't have the longevity or total assists, but turn on the film and see how advanced a passer he was. The Gasol brothers and Tim Duncan were always under-the-radar passers themselves. None of those names crack the top 10 total assists by a center, but their influence on the game lives on through Jokić and the crop of passing bigs that crowd the league today (Queen, Şengün, Sabonis).
The bigs below are some of the best to ever swing the rock. Some needed a 180 to reach that level, while Jokić possessed the innate ability to pass since forever. That's why he's in first place while not even cracking 800 games played yet!
Most assists by a center in NBA history
PLAYER | ASSISTS | GAMES |
|---|---|---|
Nikola Jokić | 5,667 | 771 |
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 5,660 | 1,560 |
Wilt Chamberlain | 4,643 | 1,045 |
Bill Russell | 4,100 | 963 |
Alvan Adams | 4,012 | 988 |
Wes Unseld | 3,822 | 984 |
Sam Lacey | 3,745 | 1,002 |
Vlade Divac | 3,541 | 1,134 |
Al Horford | 3,385 | 1,084 |
Jack Sikma | 3,075 | 943 |
Chamberlain caught a lot of flak in his career. He was deemed a ball hog, but turned that theory on its head when he led the league in total assists in 1968. The same man who scored 100 points in a game, averaged 50 points in a season, was also capable of leading the league in assists. He was a special type of talent.
Bill Russell is revered for his defensive traits, but he was no slouch as a creator. The 11-time champion, Russell, is No. 4 on this list without cracking 1,000 career games. Impressive. Kareem didn't have 11 rings, but the man has a case for the greatest player ever. His resume is insanely stacked, and he's just now losing the crown for most assists by a center.
There was a time he had the most points ever while having the most assists by a center. That's comical. The rest of the names in the top 10 aren't eyebrow raisers.
Wes Unseld is arguably the best outlet passer in the history of the game. Al Horford has been a Swiss Army Knife with the ability to pass since Florida. Vlade Divac is known for flopping and shenanigans to the regular fan, but he kept the ball moving.
Alvan Adams, Sam Lacey, and Jack Sikma are older-generation players who deserve respect. Those guys were pioneers and would fit in perfectly with the space and pace era.
Jokić is the standard. We'll see how his transcendent play style affects the game. We've already seen an influx of point centers. I believe that list will continue to grow with Jokić in the midst of a dominant run.