Basketball highlight reels usually consist of gravity-defying dunks, long-range 3-point shots, or emphatic blocks. However, one part of the game that should always get more recognition is passing the ball or delivering dimes. From dishing no-look passes to alley-oops, the best NBA passers of all time have played a significant role in making the game thrilling and fun to watch.
In this article, I’ll compile a list of the top 10 best NBA passers of all time. The factors I’ll consider are the number of overall career assists, accolades, and how they influenced the success of the teams they’ve played at.
Without delay, I’ll delve deeper into the list of the NBA’s greatest assist magicians who made the most complex passes look too easy.
Sit back and enjoy the read!
#10 – Rajon Rondo
Years active: 2006-2022
NBA’s all-time assist leaderboard: 14th (7,584 assists)
The list starts with one of the best point guards and passers of modern-day basketball—Rajon Rondo. Standing at 6’ 1”, he wasn’t the tallest guard, but his impressive 6’ 9” wingspan and long arms were of great help when he played. Offensively, he could pass the ball and execute his trademark scooping layup thanks to his physical advantages. In addition, his long arms contributed to his outstanding ability to steal the ball.
Rondo could dish passes as strong as an NFL quarterback when it came to passing the ball. Also, his accuracy was always on point, as he almost always predicted where was the teammate to whom the pass was intended.
As for Rondo’s accolades, he was 3x assist leader, 1x best in steals, and was a part of the All-Defensive team four times. Rondo is a 2x NBA Champion, winning the titles with the Boston Celtics and the LA Lakers. When the Boston Celtics won the title in 2008, Rondo played a vital role in his team’s success by dishing dimes right and left. During his illustrious career, he averaged 9.8 PPG, 7.9 APG, 4.5 RPG, and 1.6 SPG.
Rondo retired in 2022 as a Cleveland Cavaliers player.
#9 – Chris Paul
Years active: 2005-present*
NBA’s all-time assist leaderboard: 3rd (11,731 assists)*
If I’ve made a list of the best NBA passers in the past decade, Chris Paul would be in the top 5. He can complete passes of all kinds, like alley-oops, lobs, pocket passes, etc. More importantly, Paul is a player who makes a tremendous impact on the game with how good he is at playmaking. He’s excellent at controlling the game’s tempo, knowing when to slow down and pick up the pace.
Moreover, his basketball intellect is high since he can organize his team’s offense, unlike any other point guard, which means that he knows precisely where to position his teammates for them to score.
Throughout his career, Paul showed that he’s an all-around player, not just good at passing. He’s a solid shooter, with the mid-range shot being his strong point, and proficient at stealing the ball.
Paul’s passing prowess is unmatched since he was 5x leader in assists. What’s also interesting is that he was a 6x time leader in steals. Chris has put solid numbers while playing the NBA, averaging 17.7 PPG, 9.4 APG, and 21. SPG.
Unfortunately, Paul has never won an NBA championship. Still, he was the leading player in the teams he played for (New Orleans Hornets, LA Clippers, Houston Rockets, Phoenix Suns, etc.).
#8 – Larry Bird
Years active: 1979-1992
NBA’s all-time assist leaderboard: 48th (5,695 assists)
It may be strange that Larry Bird made it to the top 10 best NBA passers of all time since he’s 48th on the NBA’s all-time assist leaderboard. However, this isn’t a surprise to die-hard basketball fans.
Bird was a Boston Celtics superstar who led that team to 3 NBA titles in the 80s and was one of the best players in history to step onto a basketball court.
Bird had remarkable court awareness since he rarely missed an open teammate and also made quick decisions regarding passing. He mostly preferred to produce the quick off-the-catch pass and the no-look pass. Bird dished out assists from all angles and positions, thanks to intuitive court vision.
Although he was never a leader in assists during his career, he still averaged a solid 6.3 APG. In addition, he averaged 24.3 PPG, 10.0 RPG as well as 1.7 SPG.
Overall, when you look at those numbers, Bird is one of the finest all-around NBA players ever.
#7 – Isiah Thomas
Years active: 1981-1982
NBA’s all-time assist leaderboard: 10th (9,061 assists)
Isiah Thomas was one of the best playmakers in the 80s and the early 90s. He led the Detroit Pistons “Bad Boys” to two NBA titles since he was an elite offensive orchestrator. Thomas wasn’t selfish with the ball, as he always shared it with his teammates.
Standing at 6’ 1”, Thomas wasn’t the tallest point guard, but he used his height to his advantage, as he would easily pass opposing players. Thomas would make some brilliant passes if he didn’t make a flashy layup or a jump shot. He loved driving through the lane and dishing dimes to his teammates.
Apart from being an NBA champion, Thomas amassed many accolades during his playing days. He was the 1984/85 assists champ with 13.9 PPG, 2x MVP, and was a part of the All-NBA team 5 times. In that 84/85, he recorded a career-high 25 assists.
When it comes to his overall career statistics, Isaiah averaged 19.2 PPG, 9.3 APG, 3.6 RPG, and 1.9 SPG.
#6 – Oscar Robertson
Years active: 1981-1982
NBA’s all-time assist leaderboard: 8th (9,887 assists)
Oscar “Big O” Robertson was a legendary NBA player who was possibly the best passer during his time in the NBA. He was a high-level playmaker and one of the first big guards who inspired many basketball players today.
Standing at 6’ 5”, Robertson had superb court vision that helped him to see openings for making passes. He also repeatedly got past defenders with excellent ball-handling skills and then dished an assist to his team’s big men.
Robertson was definitely an accomplished player since he was an NBA champion with the Milwaukee Bucks in 1971, led the league in assists six times, and was the first NBA player ever to average a triple-double in one season.
Across 14 seasons in the world’s best basketball league, Oscar averaged an impressive 25.7 PPG, 9.5 APG, and 7.5 RPG. Statistically speaking, Robertson is one of the best all-around players ever in NBA basketball.
#5 – Lebron James
Years active: 2003-present*
NBA’s all-time assist leaderboard: 4th (10,717 assists)
Lebron James is one of the most complete players ever to grace the basketball court. He can shoot, dunk, dribble, and rebound. Moreover, besides being one of the best offensive players ever in terms of pure scoring, Lebron is an exceptional passer. Even though he’s the only player on this list who’s not a guard, by the way he plays, it looks like he’s a point guard.
He has otherworldly vision for a small forward, thanks to his 6’ 9” frame. Lebron’s ability to drive through the lane and pass the ball to open teammates on the perimeter is unmatched. Also, what made Lebron a dominant passer is that he can pass the ball with precision and strength. He’s one of the most talented passers in the game who regularly makes passes worth of highlight reels. From bounce passes to no-look overhead passes.
Across two decades spent in the NBA, Lebron has won 4 NBA titles with the Cavaliers, Lakers, and the Heat. As for other accolades, he led the league in assists in the 2019/20 season, averaging 10.2 APG. Throughout his career, he averaged 27.1 PPG, 7.3 APG, 7.5 RPG, and 1.5 SPG.
With almost 11,000 assists, Lebron’s passing prowess is undeniable, and he is undoubtedly one of the best NBA passers of all time.
#4 – Steve Nash
Years active: 1996-2014
NBA’s all-time assist leaderboard: 5th (10,335 assists)
Steve Nash is the epitome of a traditional point guard and one of the best passers in the game of basketball. He was one of the last old-school point guards in the modern-day NBA whose main strength was controlling the game’s tempo and dishing dimes.
With almost 200 lbs and 6’3 “ height, Nash couldn’t rely on physical strength. Instead, he had to perfect his playmaking skills by mastering ball-handling and various pass deliveries. Nash made many different types of passes during his career, but he was undoubtedly one of the best in making bounce passes.
Nash didn’t get the chance to lift the NBA’s championship trophy, but he had an impressive career. He was 2x MVP, leader in assists five times, and an 8-time All-Star. During his playing days, this Canadian point guard averaged 14.3 PPG, 8.5 APG, and 3.0 RPG. He was at the peak of his abilities in his second spell with the Phoenix (2004-2012). His best season was 2006/07, when he put up 11.6 APG. Nash also played for the Dallas Mavericks and the LA Lakers.
Nash maybe wasn’t a complete basketball player, but his incredible passing skills were the reason why he was inducted into the Hall of Fame.
#3 – Jason Kidd
Years active: 1994-2013
NBA’s all-time assist leaderboard: 2nd (12,091 assists)
Jason Kidd is one of the greatest passers to set foot on the NBA hardwood. He was a triple-double machine during his playing days since he holds the 6th spot on the all-time triple-double leaderboard with 107.
Even though he was a solid rebounder and shooter, he was the best at dishing dimes. Kidd was a master at confusing his opponents since he often looked in one direction and passed the ball in another. He could make passes of all kinds, like behind-the-back assists, bounce passes, alley-oops, interior passes, overhead passes, and so on.
He was a prolific passer who played a crucial role in winning the NBA title for the Dallas Mavericks, even though he was near the end of his career. Apart from being the point guard for the Mavericks, he also played for the Phoenix Suns, New Jersey Nets, and the New York Knicks. Kidd was a 5-time leader in assists, a part of the All-NBA team 6 times, and a Hall of Famer. Across almost two decades in the NBA, “J-Kidd” averaged 12.6 PPG, 6.3 RPG, and 8.7 APG.
Jason Kidd was an all-around player and one of the most consistent players, given the fact that he maintained his elite level of play for 19 seasons.
#2 – John Stockton
Years active: 1984-2003
NBA’s all-time assist leaderboard: 1st (15,806 assists)
John Stockton was a passing maestro, and the No. 1 player on the all-time assists leaderboard with 15,806 made assists. What’s even more impressive about being the all-time leader in assists is that Stockton managed to have that many assists in an era of rough and physical basketball where there were teams like the “Bad Boys” from Detroit and Jordan’s Bulls.
Stockton was most famous for his fascinating passes from the pick and roll, which he almost always did with his legendary teammate, Kale Malone. The pick-and-roll that this duo did was efficient and exciting to watch simultaneously. “Stockton to Malone” was a legendary phrase that was used when this duo executed the pick and roll.
Stockton was overall an all-around passer who could distribute the ball to his teammates from any spot or position on the court. Maybe Stockton wasn’t the fastest point guard, but still, his high basketball IQ was enough for him to be an elite passer.
Although Stockton never won the NBA championship, primarily because of the incredible Chicago Bulls, he was Utah’s leader who led them to playoffs in every season he played. John was also incredibly durable since he played 82 games in 16 out of 19 seasons at the Utah Jazz.
Stockton was a 9-time assists champ, a 2-time steal champ, and a 10x All-Star. Throughout his career, he averaged 13.1 PPG, 10.5 APG, 2.7 RPG, and 2.2 SPG.
#1 – Magic Johnson
Years active: 1979-1996
NBA’s all-time assist leaderboard: 7th (10,141 assists)
Magic Johnson is undoubtedly the best passer of all time. Despite the fact that he’s not even among the top 5 leaders in assists, his elegance and style of passing the ball are unlike any other player in the history of basketball.
The anchor of the “Showtime” Lakers team, Magic, produced some jaw-dropping passes. No-look passes, and behind-the-back passes were just a few types of assists that he made throughout his illustrious career. However, Magic was most known for his going coast-to-coast. He would rebound the ball, make a quick feint to throw his opponent off balance, and make a long bounce pass through traffic that went to his open teammate.
At 6’9 “, he had impeccable court vision since he only needed a fraction of a second to see an open teammate and pass them the ball. Besides height being at his advantage, Magic’s strength and speed also gave him an advantage against smaller point guards.
Regarding his accomplishments, Magic Johnson won the NBA title 5 times, led the NBA in assists four times, and was also a 2-time steals chamRegarding to his overall career statistics, Magic averaged 19.5 PPG, 11.2 APG, 7.2 RPG, and 1.9 SPG. He also holds the no.3 spot on the all-time triple-double leaderboard, with 138.
It’s safe to say that we probably won’t see another passing wizard-like Magic was there.
Featured image taken from YouTube.
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