The great big men could all pass, because besides extraordinary size—which allows them to utilize great vision—they’ve also usually had great hands. Really great passing from big men is not as unusual as you might think. Hakeem could pass. David Robinson could pass. Shaq could pass. The Joker in Denver is just the latest installment.
But by all accountable measures, he’s the best at it—ever.
“Assist makes 2 guys happy. A point makes 1 guy happy.” – Nikola Jokic
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— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife)
April 28, 2019
This week, Jokić passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on the all-time assist list for centers. Of course, he did it in far less time. He also currently sits 50th all-time in NBA history among all players, regardless of position, in regular-season assists. He also holds the record for most assists in a season by a center, with 716 in the 2024–25 season.
So what makes Jokić so special? For one, he sees the floor more like a gigantic quarterback, calmly surveying the action. If teams come to double him, he can take off and make the defense pay. He naturally creates space for himself simply with his size.
He passes with touch, not velocity. His passes lead teammates into advantageous positions, turning reads into assists. There have been great passing big men throughout history, but the assist numbers aren’t anywhere close to what they have been for the Joker—and he’s done it in far fewer games.
Jokić specializes in no-look cross-court darts, one-handed flicks out of double teams, and passes delivered before the defense even arrives.
