Nikola Jokic added another historic accomplishment to a résumé that is already tracking toward the inner circle of NBA greatness.
Last Thursday, the Denver Nuggets superstar became the all-time assist leader among centers, passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the second quarter of a 126-115 win over the Orlando Magic.
With that milestone, Jokic strengthened an argument that has been building for years: he may not only be the best passing big man the league has ever seen, but one of the greatest passers, period. Nikola finished the night with 13 assists, pushing his career total to 5,667 and moving him past Abdul-Jabbar‘s long-standing mark of 5,660.
An achievement that came early for Jokic
The achievement came relatively early in Jokic’s 11th NBA season, which is what makes it especially striking. Kareem needed 20 seasons and 1,560 games to reach his assist total. Jokic has done it in just 771 career games, effectively passing one of the most durable and productive players in league history in roughly half the time.
For years, Jokic‘s passing brilliance has been obvious to anyone watching him play. His ability to read defenses, manipulate help coverage and deliver precise passes from anywhere on the floor has separated him from other stars at his position. What was once described as an eye-test phenomenon is now backed by hard numbers. Jokic didn’t just edge past Kareem‘s record; he blew by it, and at just 30 years old, he is still very much in his prime.
The statistical comparison only reinforces the point. Abdul-Jabbar averaged 3.6 assists per game over his career and peaked at 5.4 in a single season. Jokic is currently averaging 7.4 assists for his career, a number that continues to rise as his role expands. He averaged 10.2 assists per game last season and is up to 10.9 this year, numbers typically reserved for elite point guards, not centers operating in the paint.
Nikola is firmly atop the list
That production places Jokic firmly atop the list of passing big men, but it also opens the door to a broader conversation. By passing Kareem, Jokic moved into the top 50 on the NBA’s all-time assists list regardless of position. John Stockton‘s record of 15,806 remains a distant target, and only eight players in league history have eclipsed 10,000 assists.
Still, with Jokic showing no signs of slowing down and potentially having another five to eight seasons ahead of him, his climb up that leaderboard is far from finished. How long Jokic ultimately plays remains an open question, but if his career longevity even approaches that of Abdul-Jabbar, the numbers could become staggering.
Doubling Kareem‘s assist total is no longer an unrealistic thought experiment. If Jokic maintains anything close to his current level of play, he won’t just be remembered as the best passing center in NBA history. He may go down as one of the most complete offensive players the league has ever seen, redefining what a big man can be and reshaping how greatness at the position is measured.
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