Chris Paul has spent more than two decades defining what it means to be a floor general in the NBA. His vision, control, and ability to dictate the pace of a game have made him one of the greatest point guards of all time. Yet even he knows there’s one record that will never be touched: the assists mark held by Utah Jazz legend John Stockton.
Speaking recently about Stockton’s record, Paul didn’t hesitate to set the record straight.
“I don’t like saying never, but ain’t nobody catching that. I don’t know who the statistician was who used to do the stats in Utah, but ain’t nobody catching that.”
Stockton’s record isn’t just impressive; it’s superhuman. He finished his career with 15,806 assists, nearly 3,300 more than Paul, who ranks second all-time with 12,515.
NBA All-Time Assists Leaders
1. John Stockton – 15,806 assists
2. Chris Paul – 12,515 assists
3. Jason Kidd – 12,091 assists
4. LeBron James – 11,584 assists
5. Steve Nash – 10,335 assists
6. Mark Jackson – 10,334 assists
7. Magic Johnson – 10,141 assists
8. Russell Westbrook – 9,944 assists
9. Oscar Robertson – 9,887 assists
10. Isiah Thomas – 9,061 assists
NBA All-Time Steals Leaders
1. John Stockton – 3,265 steals
2. Chris Paul – 2,724 steals
3. Jason Kidd – 2,684 steals
4. Michael Jordan – 2,514 steals
5. Gary Payton – 2,445 steals
6. LeBron James – 2,345 steals
7. Maurice Cheeks – 2,310 steals
8. Scottie Pippen – 2,307 steals
9. Julius Erving – 2,272 steals
10. Clyde Drexler – 2,207 steals
Stockton’s consistency is what makes his record untouchable. He played 19 NBA seasons, and in 15 of them, he appeared in all 82 games. That’s almost impossible in today’s league, where load management, injuries, and shorter careers prevent players from logging that kind of mileage.
For someone to even come close, they’d have to average 10 assists per game for 19 straight seasons without missing a single contest. That level of production and durability doesn’t exist in the modern NBA, where offenses are more scoring-oriented and pure pass-first point guards are rare.
Paul, for comparison, has averaged 9.2 assists and 2.0 steals per game across 21 seasons, while maintaining career marks of 17.0 points and 2.0 steals. His longevity and consistency are remarkable, but even he’s thousands of dimes behind Stockton.
And it’s not just the assists; Stockton also holds the all-time steals record with 3,265, another mark that seems unreachable. Paul again ranks second at 2,724. For a player to pass Stockton, they’d need to average two steals per game for 20 seasons, again, without missing a game.
That level of endurance and production just doesn’t happen anymore. Stockton’s durability was legendary; he missed just 22 games total in his entire 19-year career. He wasn’t flashy, but he was ruthlessly efficient, always in shape, and always available.
Even as Paul continues to build his legacy as one of the greatest facilitators ever, he understands where the ceiling lies.
There will be new stars, new styles, and new stats, but some records are simply beyond human reach. John Stockton’s assist and steal totals are two of them: carved in stone, untouchable, and eternal.
