John Stockton's 15,806 career assists lead Chris Paul by 3,254; LeBron James, fourth with 12,016, is the only active player in the top ten as of the end of the 2025-26 season.
John Stockton has the most assists in NBA history, 15,806 in the regular season. Chris Paul is second with 12,552 and Jason Kidd third with 12,091. The ranking uses career regular-season assists as of the end of the 2025-26 NBA season; LeBron James (12,016, fourth) is the only active player in the top ten.
Assists measure how often a player sets up a teammate's basket, and the career leaders are almost all point guards. LeBron James, a small forward, is the exception. This list ranks players by career regular-season assists as of the end of the 2025-26 NBA season. LeBron James is the only player in the top ten still active; Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook, second and fifth, are both listed by the source as no longer active after 2025-26.
Stockton's 15,806 assists are 3,254 more than anyone else. He spent all 19 seasons with the Utah Jazz, averaged 10.5 assists over 1,504 games, led the league in assists nine straight seasons from 1987-88 to 1995-96, and is also the career steals leader.
Paul is second with 12,552 assists and also second in career steals. He led the NBA in assists per game in five seasons, and his 21st season, 2025-26, began with a return to the Clippers before a February 2026 trade to Toronto.
Kidd ranks third with 12,091 assists and is also third in career steals. He led the league in assists per game in five seasons.
James has 12,016 assists, the most of any active player, and is the only forward in the top ten. He is also the NBA's all-time leading scorer.
Westbrook finished with 10,351 assists in 1,301 games, 16 more than Steve Nash. He is one of three players to average a triple-double over a season, which he did four times, and the career leader in triple-doubles. He announced his retirement in August 2026.
Nash, a two-time MVP, has 10,335 assists. He led the league in assists per game five times and is the only player to join the 50-40-90 shooting club four times.
Jackson is one assist behind Nash at 10,334. He was Rookie of the Year with the Knicks in 1987-88 and led the league in assists per game once, in 1996-97. He is not in the Hall of Fame.
Johnson ranks eighth with 10,141 assists in just 906 games, and his 11.2 assists per game is the highest career average in NBA history.
Robertson ranks ninth with 9,887 assists. He was the first player to average a triple-double over a full season, a feat later matched by Westbrook.
Thomas rounds out the top ten with 9,061 assists, all for the Detroit Pistons, at 9.3 per game.
| # | Name | Team(s) | Seasons | Games played | Assists per game | Hall of Fame |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | John Stockton | Utah Jazz | 1984-2003 | 1,504 | 10.5 | Inducted |
| 2 | Chris Paul | NOH, LAC, HOU, OKC, PHX, GSW, SAS | 2005-2026 | 1,370 | 9.2 | Not yet eligible |
| 3 | Jason Kidd | DAL, PHX, NJN, NYK | 1994-2013 | 1,391 | 8.7 | Inducted |
| 4 | LeBron James | CLE, MIA, LAL | 2003-present | 1,622 | 7.4 | Active |
| 5 | Russell Westbrook | OKC, HOU, WAS, LAL, LAC, DEN, SAC | 2008-2026 | 1,301 | 8.0 | Not yet eligible |
| 6 | Steve Nash | PHX, DAL, LAL | 1996-2014 | 1,217 | 8.5 | Inducted |
| 7 | Mark Jackson | NYK, LAC, IND, DEN, TOR, UTA, HOU | 1987-2004 | 1,296 | 8.0 | Not inducted |
| 8 | Magic Johnson | LAL | 1979-1991, 1995-96 | 906 | 11.2 | Inducted |
| 9 | Oscar Robertson | CIN, MIL | 1960-1974 | 1,040 | 9.5 | Inducted |
| 10 | Isiah Thomas | DET | 1981-1994 | 979 | 9.3 | Inducted |
Players are ranked by career regular-season NBA assists, most first, as listed on Wikipedia's list of NBA career assists leaders (statistics as of the end of the 2025-26 season), which cites Basketball-Reference. Playoff assists and ABA assists are excluded. LeBron James's total is as of the end of 2025-26 and will rise if he plays in 2026-27. There are no ties in the top ten; Steve Nash (10,335) and Mark Jackson (10,334) are separated by one assist. Hall of Fame status is the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame marking on the same source.
John Stockton, with 15,806 regular-season assists. Chris Paul is second with 12,552.
Magic Johnson, at 11.2 per game. John Stockton is next among the top ten at 10.5.
Yes. As of the end of the 2025-26 season he is fourth with 12,016, the most of any active player and the most by a non-point guard.
No. The ranking uses regular-season assists only.
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