Top 5 Players To Break The NBA Assists Record
In case you didn’t know, Scott Skiles holds the record for most assists in an NBA game with 30. Setting the record on Dec. 30, 1990 during the Magic’s 155-116 victory over the Nuggets, Skiles broke Kevin Porter‘s previous record of 29 and went on to earn the NBA’s Most Improved Player award that season. Since then, no one has even reached 28 in the past 15 seasons. But who, if anyone, do you think has a chance to break it?
Right off the top of my head, these would be my top five guys that have chance:
1. Rajon Rondo
2. Steve Nash
3. Russell Westbrook
4. Brandon Jennings
5. Jason Kidd
In high school at Oak Hill Academy, Rondo broke the school records of 31, so we know he’s capable. With a high-powered offense in Phoenix, Nash (even at this age) could easily drop 30 on any given night. Playing alongside scorers like Kevin Durant, Jeff Green and James Harden, Westbrook could easily drop 30 dimes in one night. Jennings, if he gets some more talent around him, could also achieve the feat. And finally with Kidd, although you think if it was going to happen it would have already, might just need to add one more record to the book before he’s done.
What do you think? Who, if anyone, do you think has a chance to break the NBA assist record?
Other Stories About The NBA’s Top Point Guards:
- Rajon Rondo Ignored Team USA
- Is Chris Paul A Product Of The System?
- Brandon Jennings’ Pro Debut At MSG
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March 3rd, 2010 at 11:53 am
life-p says:
I believe Deron Williams could do it if the Jazz had hot night!
March 3rd, 2010 at 11:54 am
danocasa says:
as much as i dont really have an opinion on who will break it first, it definitely will happen because assists are waaaay easier to get these days. dudes can take like three steps and two dribbles after they receive a pass and the dude can still register an assist.
March 3rd, 2010 at 11:54 am
LakeShow84 says:
Chris Paul could do it..
He’ll score 20-30 and still get 10-14 assists a night.. if he wouldnt try to score and throw dimes all game i could see him doing it..
Maybe Nash too.. Nash has had a couple 20 assist games..
March 3rd, 2010 at 11:55 am
Raj S says:
Chris Paul could do it. So could Lebron James if he was being double teamed the entire night.
March 3rd, 2010 at 11:55 am
UncheckedAggression says:
Is there some special reason you left Paul off the list? I know he’s hurt, but he’ll be back fairly soon.
March 3rd, 2010 at 11:55 am
control says:
My choice would be Steve Nash. Westbrook is killing shit lately, so he might make it someday.
If LeBron changes teams, and ends up with a few high powered scorers, I could see him doing it with his vision and passing abilities…
March 3rd, 2010 at 12:02 pm
Heckler says:
a lot of guys have the potential/ability to get 30. but it aint never gonna happen. the key is getting double-digit assists in the 1st quarter. but if it did:
andre miller
(yup. scott skiles has the record. not stockton,isiah or magic). so dont just count on a big name top point guard.
its crazy how your top 5 includes a rookie and two agiing point guards, but yet dont feature chris paul nor deron williams
March 3rd, 2010 at 12:03 pm
pleasepleaseplease says:
Chris Duhon had 22 assists in one game last year (Knicks franchise record), so it can’t be that hard, right? Right?
March 3rd, 2010 at 12:03 pm
dapro says:
Na Kidd won’t do it because he’s one of the few pg’s that give the ball up early to set up the extra pass.
Paul and Nash would be the most likely players because they keep the ball in their hands more and like to make the pass themselves
March 3rd, 2010 at 12:08 pm
mess says:
Paul needs to top the 20-assist mark before i’d consider him as a candidate, plus I don’t know that he has the supporting cast to do such an thing anyway. I think Collison set the franchise record for assists in a game with 18(?) the other day.
March 3rd, 2010 at 12:08 pm
srb says:
I think CP and Deron carry too much of a scoring load to have a shot to get up to 30. Getting to 20 is in the cards for them, but not much higher than that.
Plus 30 just seems so outrageous of a number to touch, it’s impossible to theorize who will get it.
March 3rd, 2010 at 12:14 pm
rell says:
1. Steve Nash
2. Rajon Rondo
3. Jason Kidd
4. Russell Westbrook
5. Deron Williams
I would leave off Jennings because he doesn’t have enough consistent scorers to break the mark.
March 3rd, 2010 at 12:19 pm
isotope says:
If he was still alive, Yinka Dare.
March 3rd, 2010 at 12:26 pm
RC says:
No particular order
1)Steve Nash
2)Rajon Rondo
3)Chris Paul
4)Russell Westbrook
5)Jason Kidd
6)Deron Williams
Lebron has no chance reaching 30 assist because of his shot volume
March 3rd, 2010 at 12:31 pm
Mike Honcho says:
LOL @ Yinka Dare!!!!!
I see CP3 pulling it off…he can cause defenses to collapse on him and dish off for an easy assist all game long and teams can’t play off, because then he’ll get buckets.
And come on people….do we really want LBJ to just outright be the man??? Seriously…he’ll never do it, even with Chris Bosh, D Wade, Kobe and Yao MIng standing at the basket with his hands up!
March 3rd, 2010 at 12:32 pm
karizmatic says:
I would say
Rondo
Chris Paul
Deron WIlliams
Jason Kidd
Steve Nash
March 3rd, 2010 at 12:34 pm
karizmatic says:
I think LBJ could do it in some freak situation where he just decided to pass the ball all night and his team was hot. It probably will never happen though.
March 3rd, 2010 at 12:40 pm
Aron Phillips says:
@UncheckedAggression
CP3 is more of a scoring point than dishing one. Don’t get me wrong, he can definitely dish the rock, but I just wouldn’t have him in my Top 5 to break it.
March 3rd, 2010 at 12:44 pm
VCN says:
1-shaq
2-lebron
3-kwame brown
March 3rd, 2010 at 12:51 pm
Mike Honcho says:
And I can’t see Rondo doing it, IF the Celts break up….only reason being, Rondo is more of a “system” type of PG. He gets his assists within the Celtics system, but you don’t often see him moving the defense around or reacting to him and creating assists in the process
March 3rd, 2010 at 12:59 pm
RC says:
I think CP just needs another scoring threat or a big man that catches lobs. Then he can break this record. How bout instead of Emeka lets put Amare in there. A pick and roll with CP and Amare is almost impossible to guard. Both exploding to the basket the defense wont know who to guard. CP’s floater, the lob or the bounce pass. David West since he’s more of a mid range guy he can stand on the wings and knock down the jumper if the defense collapse on CP and Amare.
Just wishful thinking.
March 3rd, 2010 at 1:03 pm
isotope says:
30 is a lot. If you look at the list you have names like ?Stockton and Magic all up in there. But even, they couldnt get past 28. I think it’ll take a fluke game (see Duhon and Skiles) to do it. Andre Miller is a good guess. Maybe even Collison
March 3rd, 2010 at 1:08 pm
Mike Mihalow says:
Rondo couldn’t even get an inbound pass
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zzOfsTZEVg
March 3rd, 2010 at 1:12 pm
Chilirey says:
***RICKY RUBIO*** HA!
March 3rd, 2010 at 1:21 pm
BiGShoTBoB says:
Out of everyone I think Lebron could do it. But he would have to be under a system like NY playing with Wade and Bosh. But seeing as that’s probably not going to happen I say no one will for the next 15 seasons.
March 3rd, 2010 at 1:22 pm
LSUhornet17 says:
Um, Chris Paul led the league in assists the last two season in a row, and was leading this year before getting hurt. “More of a scoring PG”? No.
By the way, CP had 21 dimes against the Lakers in ’07, so he has reached 20 assists.
http://www.nba.com/playerfile/chris_paul/career_stats.html
I would argue more, but I just saw you put Brandon Jennings on the list and laughed, so I’m just not even bothering with actual basketball facts. Clearly none were used in writing this post.
March 3rd, 2010 at 1:29 pm
LSUhornet17 says:
@mess
That was the franchise record for a rookie.
March 3rd, 2010 at 1:37 pm
vince says:
no paul but you mention westbrook? crazy
March 3rd, 2010 at 1:42 pm
. says:
did you seriously just leave deron williams and chris paul off of this list
March 3rd, 2010 at 1:49 pm
quest??? says:
jj barea is gonna break that record lol…..why is dime trying to jam rondo down our throats…rondo is an average pg, but since he is in the celtics he gets exposure. I want to see him without the big 3, i am willing to bet any amount of money that without the big 3, he would b extremely average
March 3rd, 2010 at 2:47 pm
eyes says:
Did I notice Paul being calles a scoring guard. He does what it takes to win. He’s had no talent around him since he’s been in the league. Stojakovic & Peterson are terrible. Also Ty Chandler isn’t really a offensive basketball player at all. People that cover & are supposed to get better at covering basketball kill me with their opinions. Every record is meant to be broken. It will & all the above players could easily do it. It just matters what game or who the opponent is.
I’m pretty sure it’ll be broken in an All Star game before a regular season one though. Also why all the Brandon Jennings hate? He might be better than your favorite pg know. YOu just might not know yet. He had limited TV games like Melo his rookie game. Wait he only had one. I’m suprised no one jumped of a roof & said Steph Curry. Funny thing I could see D.Wade doing it. That man when possesed anything is possible. Like even being better than the King.
My keyboard froze while a picture of Lebron’s dunk against the Knicks just popped up on my screen.
March 3rd, 2010 at 2:55 pm
johnsacrimoni says:
Why is everyone so focused on the quality of scorers the candidates have around them instead of the pure playmaking abilities of the person? Special point guards, like Deron Williams, Chris Paul, and Steve Nash CREATE offense. Anybody can knock down an open jumper when their point guard frees the defense, it doesn’t have to be Kevin Durant.
March 3rd, 2010 at 3:11 pm
ProphetGK says:
Deron Williams!!! I swear he’s at least second in apg this season, if the Jazz get hot, D-will will be dishing them dimes like no tomorrow.
March 3rd, 2010 at 4:02 pm
Detroit Dave says:
Jameer Nelson has the talent on that team to accomplish the feat, but he aint a passer.
Derek Fisher has the weapons on the team but he aint a playmaker.
I’m gonna have to go with Royal Ivey.
March 3rd, 2010 at 4:08 pm
mules says:
I would say Jameer has an outside shot also. If 3 or 4 of their shooters got hot (say Vince, Rashard & Reddick) and Dwight was beasting down low, I could definitely see it happening…especially against a team like Golden State that might be able to score a bunch to keep it close and keep Jameer in the game.
March 3rd, 2010 at 4:11 pm
mules says:
@ #34, I didn’t see you post before I started writing mine but you’re right…Jameer’s not really a passer. Put Kidd or Nash on that team and they probably average 15-20.
March 3rd, 2010 at 4:30 pm
DoubleA says:
The Rubio reference was hilarious!
March 3rd, 2010 at 4:47 pm
Da Boy says:
Steph Curry one day; with Nelly’s run and gun system and a healthy roster of guys around him (assuming Monta can play off the ball like he used to)
March 3rd, 2010 at 5:36 pm
EN FUEGO says:
With the defense like the Warriors, Nets, Suns and Knicks have, anything is possible. Any decent point guard can put those kinds of assists against those teams.
March 3rd, 2010 at 5:37 pm
karizmatic says:
Aron said CP3 was more of a scoring guard than a dishing one…you can’t take that too seriously since he also said Mo Williams and Derrick Rose are in the same mold. Apparently anyone who score more than 20 pts and plays point guard is a scoring point guard to him.
March 3rd, 2010 at 5:48 pm
Mike Honcho says:
Wait………..did someone say Royal Ivey?
March 3rd, 2010 at 6:39 pm
Royal says:
Yea bitches I’m gonna break the record
March 3rd, 2010 at 9:01 pm
Captain Awesome says:
Ramon Sessions could break the record if he ever lands a starting spot in the league.
March 3rd, 2010 at 9:52 pm
Mark says:
Just raw numbers, Deron Williams has 26 games on Paul and 151 less assists (209 more turnovers also).
March 4th, 2010 at 10:26 am
sh!tfaced says:
If a bum like Duhon could dish 22 dopey dimes in a game, anything is possible…
March 4th, 2010 at 9:38 pm
sriracha sauce says:
Dear Aaron,
rondo should not be on the top of this list. he is a great young player, but people keep overrating him. just because he dropped 31 dimes in high school doesnt mean that he is capable of dropping 30 dimes in the nba. sure he’s surrounded by a great supporting cast, but that’s obviously not a requirement for getting 30 assists. i mean who was on scott skile’s team? dennis scott?? come on now…..
brandon jennings does not deserve to be on this list just yet…you know, he hasnt even gotten half of 30 assists yet. sure he’s damn creative and has the record holder as his coach, but can young money run a pick and roll? come on now…..
where is cp3 on this list? he’s a guy who can lead the league in assists and put up monster single game assist numbers with a pretty weak supporting cast. so he definitely has to be more ‘capable’ of getting 30 assists than rondo even with a weaker supporting cast (because like i said supporting cast doesnt matter too much). Come. On. Now….
to say that some of these players can “easily” get 30 assists is just dumb…
i dont think anyone can EASILY get 30 assists in one game. shoot..only 1 player has ever even done it in the nba. COME. ON. NOW…..
Sincerely,
Sauce
btw, steve nash is my man crush
April 3rd, 2010 at 1:15 am
RF15AD says:
Whoever said CP3 is more of a scoring point guard then a passing one is ignorant. He’s led the league in assists the past few seasons and has been leading per game for most of the season despite injury. He’s scoring more a game this season cause his team hasn’t been performing but he’s still dropping dimes all day. And whoever said Chris has never had 20 assists in a game and that Darren Collison has the record for assists in a game for the Hornets franchise is also ignorant. 18 isn’t the franchise record because Chris had 19 in a game this season alone and had 21 in ’07.
April 3rd, 2010 at 5:50 pm
aj says:
ARON PHILLIPS IS A DAMN RETARD