Assist (basketball)
Encyclopedia
In basketball
, an assist is attributed to a player who passes the ball to a teammate in a way that leads to a score by field goal
, meaning that he or she was "assisting" in the basket. There is some judgment involved in deciding whether a passer should be credited with an assist. An assist can be scored for the passer even if the player who receives the pass makes a basket after dribbling the ball. However, the original definition of an assist did not include such situations, so the comparison of assist statistics across eras is a complex matter.
Only the pass directly before the score may be counted as an assist, so no more than one assist can be recorded per field goal (unlike in other sports, such as ice hockey
.) A pass that leads to a shooting foul and scoring by free throws does not count as an assist.
Point guard
s tend to get the most assists per game (apg), as their role is primarily that of a passer and ballhandler. Centers
tend to get fewer assists, but centers with good floor presence and court vision can dominate a team by assisting. Being inside the key, the center often has the best angles and the best position for "dishes" and other short passes in the scoring area. Center Wilt Chamberlain
led the NBA in assists in 1968. A strong center with inside-scoring prowess, such as former NBA center Shaquille O'Neal
, can also be an effective assistor because the defense's double-teaming him which helps the offense's shooters being open.
The NBA single-game assist record is 30, held by Scott Skiles
of the Orlando Magic against the Denver Nuggets, on December 30, 1990.
The NBA record for most career assists is held by John Stockton
with 15,806.
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, an assist is attributed to a player who passes the ball to a teammate in a way that leads to a score by field goal
Field goal (basketball)
In basketball, the term field goal refers to a basket scored on any shot or tap other than a free throw, worth two or three points depending on the distance of the attempt from the basket. "Field Goal" is the official terminology used by the National Basketball Association in their rule book,...
, meaning that he or she was "assisting" in the basket. There is some judgment involved in deciding whether a passer should be credited with an assist. An assist can be scored for the passer even if the player who receives the pass makes a basket after dribbling the ball. However, the original definition of an assist did not include such situations, so the comparison of assist statistics across eras is a complex matter.
Only the pass directly before the score may be counted as an assist, so no more than one assist can be recorded per field goal (unlike in other sports, such as ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
.) A pass that leads to a shooting foul and scoring by free throws does not count as an assist.
Point guard
Point guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
s tend to get the most assists per game (apg), as their role is primarily that of a passer and ballhandler. Centers
Center (basketball)
The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
tend to get fewer assists, but centers with good floor presence and court vision can dominate a team by assisting. Being inside the key, the center often has the best angles and the best position for "dishes" and other short passes in the scoring area. Center Wilt Chamberlain
Wilt Chamberlain
Wilton Norman "Wilt" Chamberlain was an American professional NBA basketball player for the Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers; he also played for the Harlem Globetrotters prior to playing in the NBA...
led the NBA in assists in 1968. A strong center with inside-scoring prowess, such as former NBA center Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal , nicknamed "Shaq" , is a former American professional basketball player. Standing tall and weighing , he was one of the heaviest players ever to play in the NBA...
, can also be an effective assistor because the defense's double-teaming him which helps the offense's shooters being open.
The NBA single-game assist record is 30, held by Scott Skiles
Scott Skiles
Scott Allen Skiles is the head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks and former American professional basketball player. He also is the former head coach of the NBA's Chicago Bulls and Phoenix Suns. Skiles holds the NBA record for assists in one game, with 30...
of the Orlando Magic against the Denver Nuggets, on December 30, 1990.
The NBA record for most career assists is held by John Stockton
John Stockton
John Houston Stockton is a retired American professional basketball player who spent his entire career as a point guard for the Utah Jazz of the NBA from 1984 to 2003. Stockton is regarded as one of the best point guards of all time, holding the NBA records for most career assists and steals by...
with 15,806.
See also
- List of National Basketball Association career assists leaders
- List of National Basketball Association season assists leaders
- List of National Basketball Association players with most assists in a game