These ten players are the best passers of all-time.
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Everyone loves prolific scorers. But, an elite playmaker is as fun to watch as any player in the NBA. These ten players are the best there’s ever been at setting up their teammates.
Magic Johnson
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This conversation has to start with the greatest point guard of all-time. The all-time leader in assists per game made ridiculously hard passes in transition look easy. His ability to see over defenses gave him a huge advantage over most point guards, and he could make any kind of pass possible.
John Stockton
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Stockton has more assists than anyone in NBA history, and it’s not even close. He has almost 3,500 more assists than Chris Paul, who is in second place. No duo in NBA history hooked up for more assists and baskets than John Stockton and Karl Malone. Stockton is arguably the best pick-and-roll passer of all-time.
Bob Cousy
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Cousy was the first truly great passer in NBA history. The Celtics legend led the NBA in assists for eight straight seasons in the 1950s. Only John Stockton has a longer consecutive assists title streak.
LeBron James
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James is the best wing passer of all-time, and it’s not particularly close. His strength allows him to make any pass with ease, and his creativity and vision allow him to see passes no one else sees. The NBA’s all-time leading scorer is in the top-five all-time for assists. Yeah, I’d say that’s pretty good.
Nikola Jokic
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Nikola Jokic has redefined a center’s role with his unreal passing. His ability to catch a pass himself and touch-pass it across the court as the help defense adjusts is something no other player in league history had. Never before has a team been able to run an offense through a center and know that the ball will be spread around like it is with Nikola Jokic.
Steve Nash
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Nash, a back-to-back MVP in 2005 and 2006, routinely had seasons that saw him average 10 assists per game. he was an incredible pick-and-roll passer and especially good in transition for the up-tempo Phoenix Suns of the mid-2000’s.
Chris Paul
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Though he’s not going to catch John Stockton, Chris Paul is expanding his lead on everyone else for second on the all-time list. Paul is probably the best alley-oop passer in NBA history, routinely finding Blake Griffin and Deandre Jordan with great passes for huge slam dunks. He played in era that saw traditional point guards go by the wayside, but he was a throwback.
Jason Kidd
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Jason Kidd was one of the most skilled passers of all-time. When he retired, he was second all-time in assists behind John Stockton, but has now been surpassed by Chris Paul. Kidd was an all-around great distributor.
Oscar Robertson
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The “Big O” was the first player in NBA history to average a triple-double, and remained the only player for over 50 years. Robertson was ahead of his time in terms of flair and style in his passing, and his ability to get in the lane and find players underneath for easy baskets.
Isiah Thomas
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Thomas was a pure point guard in every sense of the world. His incredible ball-handling allowed him to get passes off in a hurry and in traffic, and despite his small stature, he seemingly had x-ray vision at times.