NBA All-Time Assists Leaders, 1951 to 2026

John Stockton holds the NBA career assists record with 15,806. Chris Paul has 12,552 and Jason Kidd 12,091, with LeBron James 75 behind Kidd.

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What the data shows

In 2026, John Stockton ranks #1 with 15,806, ahead of Chris Paul (12,552) and Jason Kidd (12,091).
Back in 1951, Bob Cousy was #1 with 341.
The top spot changed hands 3 times: Oscar Robertson in 1969, Magic Johnson in 1991 and John Stockton in 1995.
Biggest climber: Chris Paul, from #10 in 2006 to #2 in 2026.

About this chart

John Stockton retired in 2003 with 15,806 career assists, well clear of Chris Paul (12,552) and Jason Kidd (12,091). LeBron James has 12,016 through 2025-26, fourth all-time and just 75 behind Kidd. Stockton took the record in 1995, passing Magic Johnson, who had led at the end of 1991 with 9,921 after taking it from Oscar Robertson.

Robertson passed Bob Cousy (6,955), the first record holder, in 1969. Behind LeBron come Russell Westbrook (10,351), Steve Nash (10,335) and Mark Jackson (10,334), separated by 17 assists. Isiah Thomas finished with 9,061. Totals are NBA regular season only, with no ABA stats and no 2026-27 games, and retired players keep their final figures.

The data

Source: Basketball-Reference.com, player pages (Totals tables, NBA regular season only), per-season totals summed into cumulative career totals at the end of each season. Retrieved November 4, 2026. Column = year the season ends (2026 = 2025-26). NBA regular season only, ABA stats excluded. Data pulled 2026-11-04 after the 2026-27 season began; 2026-27 games are excluded. Players keep their final total after retiring. Includes Bob Cousy and Oscar Robertson as former record holders.

NBA All-Time Assists Leaders, Career regular-season assists, cumulative, 1951-2026, 1951–2026
Date	🇺🇸 John Stockton	🇺🇸 Chris Paul	🇺🇸 Jason Kidd	🇺🇸 LeBron James	🇺🇸 Russell Westbrook	🇨🇦 Steve Nash	🇺🇸 Mark Jackson	🇺🇸 Magic Johnson	🇺🇸 Oscar Robertson	🇺🇸 Isiah Thomas	🇺🇸 Bob Cousy
1951	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	341
1952	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	782
1953	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1,329
1954	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1,847
1955	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2,404
1956	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3,046
1957	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3,524
1958	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3,987
1959	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4,544
1960	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	5,259
1961	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	690	0	5,846
1962	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1,589	0	6,430
1963	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2,347	0	6,945
1964	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3,215	0	6,945
1965	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4,076	0	6,945
1966	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4,923	0	6,945
1967	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	5,768	0	6,945
1968	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	6,401	0	6,945
1969	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	7,173	0	6,945
1970	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	7,731	0	6,955
1971	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	8,399	0	6,955
1972	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	8,890	0	6,955
1973	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	9,441	0	6,955
1974	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	9,887	0	6,955
1975	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	9,887	0	6,955
1976	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	9,887	0	6,955
1977	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	9,887	0	6,955
1978	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	9,887	0	6,955
1979	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	9,887	0	6,955
1980	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	563	9,887	0	6,955
1981	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	880	9,887	0	6,955
1982	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1,623	9,887	565	6,955
1983	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2,452	9,887	1,199	6,955
1984	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3,327	9,887	2,113	6,955
1985	415	0	0	0	0	0	0	4,295	9,887	3,236	6,955
1986	1,025	0	0	0	0	0	0	5,202	9,887	4,066	6,955
1987	1,695	0	0	0	0	0	0	6,179	9,887	4,879	6,955
1988	2,823	0	0	0	0	0	868	7,037	9,887	5,557	6,955
1989	3,941	0	0	0	0	0	1,487	8,025	9,887	6,220	6,955
1990	5,075	0	0	0	0	0	2,091	8,932	9,887	6,985	6,955
1991	6,239	0	0	0	0	0	2,543	9,921	9,887	7,431	6,955
1992	7,365	0	0	0	0	0	3,237	9,921	9,887	7,991	6,955
1993	8,352	0	0	0	0	0	3,961	9,921	9,887	8,662	6,955
1994	9,383	0	0	0	0	0	4,639	9,921	9,887	9,061	6,955
1995	10,394	0	607	0	0	0	5,255	9,921	9,887	9,061	6,955
1996	11,310	0	1,390	0	0	0	5,890	10,141	9,887	9,061	6,955
1997	12,170	0	1,886	0	0	138	6,825	10,141	9,887	9,061	6,955
1998	12,713	0	2,631	0	0	400	7,538	10,141	9,887	9,061	6,955
1999	13,087	0	3,170	0	0	619	7,924	10,141	9,887	9,061	6,955
2000	13,790	0	3,848	0	0	891	8,574	10,141	9,887	9,061	6,955
2001	14,503	0	4,601	0	0	1,400	9,235	10,141	9,887	9,061	6,955
2002	15,177	0	5,409	0	0	2,034	9,840	10,141	9,887	9,061	6,955
2003	15,806	0	6,120	0	0	2,632	10,215	10,141	9,887	9,061	6,955
2004	15,806	0	6,738	465	0	3,319	10,334	10,141	9,887	9,061	6,955
2005	15,806	0	7,283	1,042	0	4,180	10,334	10,141	9,887	9,061	6,955
2006	15,806	611	7,955	1,563	0	5,006	10,334	10,141	9,887	9,061	6,955
2007	15,806	1,180	8,691	2,033	0	5,890	10,334	10,141	9,887	9,061	6,955
2008	15,806	2,105	9,497	2,572	0	6,788	10,334	10,141	9,887	9,061	6,955
2009	15,806	2,966	10,199	3,159	435	7,505	10,334	10,141	9,887	9,061	6,955
2010	15,806	3,446	10,923	3,810	1,087	8,397	10,334	10,141	9,887	9,061	6,955
2011	15,806	4,228	11,578	4,364	1,757	9,252	10,334	10,141	9,887	9,061	6,955
2012	15,806	4,771	11,842	4,751	2,119	9,916	10,334	10,141	9,887	9,061	6,955
2013	15,806	5,449	12,091	5,302	2,726	10,249	10,334	10,141	9,887	9,061	6,955
2014	15,806	6,112	12,091	5,790	3,045	10,335	10,334	10,141	9,887	9,061	6,955
2015	15,806	6,950	12,091	6,301	3,619	10,335	10,334	10,141	9,887	9,061	6,955
2016	15,806	7,688	12,091	6,815	4,453	10,335	10,334	10,141	9,887	9,061	6,955
2017	15,806	8,251	12,091	7,461	5,293	10,335	10,334	10,141	9,887	9,061	6,955
2018	15,806	8,708	12,091	8,208	6,113	10,335	10,334	10,141	9,887	9,061	6,955
2019	15,806	9,181	12,091	8,662	6,897	10,335	10,334	10,141	9,887	9,061	6,955
2020	15,806	9,653	12,091	9,346	7,298	10,335	10,334	10,141	9,887	9,061	6,955
2021	15,806	10,275	12,091	9,696	8,061	10,335	10,334	10,141	9,887	9,061	6,955
2022	15,806	10,977	12,091	10,045	8,611	10,335	10,334	10,141	9,887	9,061	6,955
2023	15,806	11,501	12,091	10,420	9,162	10,335	10,334	10,141	9,887	9,061	6,955
2024	15,806	11,894	12,091	11,009	9,468	10,335	10,334	10,141	9,887	9,061	6,955
2025	15,806	12,499	12,091	11,584	9,925	10,335	10,334	10,141	9,887	9,061	6,955
2026	15,806	12,552	12,091	12,016	10,351	10,335	10,334	10,141	9,887	9,061	6,955

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Suggested caption: “Stockton has 15,806 assists. Nobody is within 3,000.” Credit the source in your caption; it heads off the 'source?' comments.

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Frequently asked questions

Who has the most assists in NBA history?

John Stockton has the most, with 15,806 career regular-season assists, a total he completed when he retired in 2003. Chris Paul is second with 12,552 and Jason Kidd third with 12,091.

Where does LeBron James rank in career assists?

LeBron James ranks fourth, with 12,016 assists through the 2025-26 season. He is 75 behind Jason Kidd's 12,091 for third place.

Who held the NBA assists record before John Stockton?

Magic Johnson held it, leading the career list at the end of 1991 with 9,921 assists. Stockton passed him in 1995, reaching 10,394 by season's end. Oscar Robertson had held it before Magic.

Where does this data come from?

Basketball-Reference.com, player pages (Totals tables, NBA regular season only), per-season totals summed into cumulative career totals at the end of each season. Retrieved November 4, 2026. Column = year the season ends (2026 = 2025-26). NBA regular season only, ABA stats excluded. Data pulled 2026-11-04 after the 2026-27 season began; 2026-27 games are excluded. Players keep their final total after retiring. Includes Bob Cousy and Oscar Robertson as former record holders. You can download the full table as a CSV from this page.

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