When it comes to the NBA’s all-time assist leader, most people would immediately think of Magic Johnson. However, with 15,806 career assists, John Stockton is the true leader in this category.
- John Stockton’s Early Life And College Career
- John Stockton Joins The Utah Jazz And Becomes NBA All-Time Assists And Steals Leader
- John Stockton’s Personal Life
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Despite his undeniable talent, Stockton’s story has often been overshadowed by his contemporaries, including Michael Jordan and Larry Bird. In this article, we’ll delve into the untold story of John Stockton, from his upbringing in Spokane, Washington, to his college basketball career at Gonzaga, and finally, his incredible 19-year career with the Utah Jazz.
We’ll also explore how Stockton’s skill set revolutionized the point guard position and his impact on the game of basketball as a whole. So, sit back and get ready to learn about one of the greatest players in NBA history.
This is the biography of the all-time assist leader, John Stockton.
John Stockton’s Early Life And College Career
John Stockton was born on March 26, 1962, in Spokane, Washington, to Clementine and Jack Stockton. Growing up in Spokane, Stockton played basketball at an early age and attended Gonzaga Prep high school, where he excelled on the court, setting the city record for most career points.
After high school, Stockton attended Gonzaga University, where his grandfather played football, and his father also attended the school. At Gonzaga, Stockton became a star player for the Bulldogs.
During his time at Gonzaga, Stockton became the school’s all-time leader in assists and steals during his four years. Stockton was named the West Coast Conference Player of the Year in 1984, his senior year, after averaging 20.9 points, 7.2 assists, and 3.9 steals per game.
Despite his success at the college level, Stockton was not highly touted by NBA teams and was not selected until the 16th overall pick in the 1984 NBA Draft by the Utah Jazz.
Stockton’s college career not only set records but also shaped him as a player. His vision and passing abilities were heavily influenced by his time at Gonzaga and the coaching he received there.
The competitive nature of college basketball also instilled a work ethic in Stockton that would carry him throughout his NBA career. These early years would set the foundation for what would become a legendary NBA career.
John Stockton Joins The Utah Jazz And Becomes NBA All-Time Assists And Steals Leader
John Stockton was now a member of the Utah Jazz after the franchise selected him with the 16th overall pick in the 1984 NBA Draft. Not too many people expected Stockton to become a franchise player, but after the Jazz’s pick in the 1985 Draft, the team would have not one but two franchise players that would become one of the best duos of all time.
Yes, the John Stockton and Karl Malone twosome would begin their run of dominating the league with unstoppable pick-and-roll actions in the 1985-86 season. In the 1987–88 season, Stockton became the Jazz’s starting point guard, a move the team would not regret.
In his first year as a starter, Stockton put up numbers of 14.7 points, 13.8 assists, and 3.0 steals per game. Stockton’s assists average was enough to lead the league, and it started a streak of leading the league in assists for nine consecutive seasons.
The Jazz would reach the playoffs every single year Stockton played, but the team’s best success clearly came in the 1996-97 and 1997-98 seasons. Stockton, along with Malone, led the Jazz to back-to-back NBA Finals appearances.
This includes his epic game-winner in Game 6 of the 1997 Western Conference Finals against the Houston Rockets. After the Jazz trailed the Rockets 49-43 at the half, Stockton knew he had to step up after recording just 4 points and 4 assists while having a -7 +/- rating while playing.
In the second half, Stockton would shine. He scored 21 second-half points and recorded 9 assists while shooting 7-10 from the field and 3-5 from three.
Then, with 2.8 seconds remaining in the game, the score was tied 100-100. The Jazz held possession, and Stockton was ready to push his team over the edge.
Bryon Russell inbound the ball to Stockton, who broke free of his defender. Stockton caught the ball and took one big dribble, and pulled up from three as Charles Barkley rushed up to him. Stockton’s three got off over the outstretched arms of Barkley… the ball swished into the hoop.
The Jazz won the game 103-100 behind Stockton’s 25 points, 13 assists, and 2 steals. Stockton talked about the importance of his game-winner over the Rockets:
“Even though I hit the shot, I never sensed so much that it was me that hit it,” Stockton said. “It was a, ‘We did it.’ I remember breathlessly saying, ‘We did it!’ We finally reached the Finals, and that was something we had been knocking at the door for a number of times.”
Yes, Stockton and his Utah Jazz were off to play in their first NBA Finals. The only problem was Michael Jordan, and his Chicago Bulls were waiting.
The Jazz suffered the same fate as every other team that faced Jordan’s Bulls in the NBA Finals… They lost. Unfortunately for Utah, they suffered defeat twice at the hand of the Bulls in the 1997 and 1998 NBA Finals, both in heartbreaking Game 6 defeats.
Stockton, who was 35 and 36 by the time the 1997 and 1998 Finals came around, still played well in the series, despite the losses. In the 1997 Finals, Stockton put up averages of 15.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 8.8 assists, and 2.0 steals per game.
He followed that up with averages of 9.7 points, 2.5 rebounds, 8.7 assists, and 2.0 steals per game. Stockton would never get back to the NBA Finals after the 1997-98 season, and he’d play up until the 2002-03 season when he called it a career after 19 seasons.
Stockton had a tremendous overall career, and it’s a shame people don’t talk about his greatness as much as they should. For one, his playing style was unique and set him apart from other players of his time.
Stockton was not the tallest or the most athletic player on the court, but he had a level of skill and precision that few could match. His signature move was the pick-and-roll, which he executed to perfection and helped him become the NBA’s all-time assist leader.
Stockton was known for his unselfish approach to the game, always putting his team’s success ahead of his personal glory. He was a master of passing, often making no-look passes and threading the needle between defenders to find his teammates for easy baskets. He had an incredible basketball IQ and was able to anticipate what his teammates were going to do before they even did it.
Stockton finished his career with averages of 13.1 points, 10.5 assists, 2.7 rebounds, and 2.2 steals per game. These are impressive, but his career totals are even more mind-blowing.
Stockton scored a total of 19,711 points, he tallied the most assists all time with 15,806, and what is often less talked about is his 3,265 career steals, which is also the most all-time.
Stockton was a 10x All-Star and a 2x Olympic gold medalist, including playing on the famous 1992 Dream Team. He’s a 9x assists champion, 2x steals champion, an 11x selection to the All-NBA Team (2x First Team, 6x Second Team, 3x Third Team), and has 5x NBA All-Defensive Second Team sections.
All of this earned Stockton a place in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. He was inducted in 2009. If people truly look at Stockton’s achievements, they certainly would rank him higher on the all-time greatest players list because he’s earned it.
John Stockton’s Personal Life
While John Stockton’s on-court achievements are well-known and widely celebrated, his off-court life and philanthropic work are equally impressive.
Off the court, Stockton was a devoted husband and father of six children.
He often spoke about his family being the most important thing in his life and how he tried to balance his NBA career with spending time with his loved ones.
Stockton was also a deeply committed philanthropist, giving back to his community in various ways.
Stockton has done volunteer work for many places in Salt Lake City, where he played for the Utah Jazz. This includes the Primary Children’s Medical Center, Children’s Miracle Network and the Utah Chapters of the National Society to Prevent Blindness, Multiple Sclerosis Society, and the NBA’s “Stay in School” program.
In addition to his volunteer work, Stockton was also involved in coaching youth basketball teams and helping young players develop their skills. He often held basketball camps and clinics for kids, where he would share his knowledge and experience with the next generation of players.
Stockton has also worked as an assistant coach for Montana State University, and at one time, he worked with the Jazz to help train Jazz players Deron Williams and Trey Burke.
Stockton has recently been caught in some controversy for his stance on the COVID-19 vaccine and the pandemic as a whole. This has dimmed some people’s opinion of him, while others praised him for having the courage to speak out on these issues.
Overall, Stockton’s personal life and philanthropic work show that he was not only a great athlete but also a compassionate and generous human being who used his success to make a positive impact on the world around him.
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