Nikola Jokić and best Bigmen passers of all time

[Nuntius]

Arvydas Sabonis is the best passing big of all time but I'd put Jokić at #2. He's right up there, too.

Sabonis had 964 total career assists in 7 seasons

Jokic has 782 in 2 1/2 seasons.

Jokic > Sabonis and its not even close

I think that Winsome Gerbil covered all the bases. Arvydas wasn't 100% when he came over. Portland's medical team said that he could qualify for a handicapped spot based on their X-Rays. He couldn't play the same amount of minutes that Jokić does.

That said, I will admit that I'm biased here. Arvydas Sabonis is probably my favorite player of all time.

[Nazrmohamed]

As a whole I think he might be the best passing center of all time. The thing he has other centers don't have is excellent ballhandling and outside scoring skills, so he can bring the ball up and punish off ball defenders who don't see a backdoor cut coming in semi transition. He can pass from inside and out and off the dribble.

Purely going off of vision though I think Sabonis is the best of all time. Amazing that he once averaged 3apg one season when he was as immobile as they came.

See, you added an element that I want thinking about. I was gonna say Blade and Webber but you're right. Most of the other bigs did it all in the post exclusively. Jocic hits guys from everywhere. He's good.

[Pachinko_]

I love watching that player because he's just so different, as in the ways he finds to be successful are different. It's like he read a book on how to be a successful big in the NBA, how you have to be massive and athletic and strong with giant hands, and he said nah **** that I'm gonna be a marshmallow and figure out the rest.

I read somewhere that he played a fair bit of water polo growing up and it all kinda made sense then, it's like he has fused the two sports into a different thing that only he plays. Notice how he catches and balances the ball in one hand (as opposed to palming it) and how he makes space for himself with his elbows above his head, those are water polo moves. He also has an uncanny ability to keep his balance and his spacial awareness even when he spins or is being pushed by various NBA monsters, water teaches you that as well.

Awesome player, I don't know what he will end up achieving in the NBA but I know I'll always want to watch him play. He totally re calibrates my eye test and shows me what else is possible on a basketball court.

[_Joker]

Clearly I'm biased... But I will say that the Joker shows that cerebral players with that touch of class can still make it big in an athlete's league.

It would have been great to see him in the all-star game dishing some no-lookers.

[Scuall]

It's Walton, and to see him with such few votes is sad. In his Blazer days, he was pretty much point-center from the high post.

[ChilledAlex]

Clearly I'm biased... But I will say that the Joker shows that cerebral players with that touch of class can still make it big in an athlete's league.

It would have been great to see him in the all-star game dishing some no-lookers.

Give him to us if you want him to be All-star

KP and Jokic frontcourt would be magical

[Sothron]

Jokic is easily the best passing big man of all time. I'm probably one of the few posters here that started watching the NBA in the late 70's. His passing ability is just that good. And yes, he should be an All Star this year.

[NO-KG-AI]

Kevin Garnett was a more effective passer than a few of the guys mentioned. Jokic might really be the best though. People use the term best without it actually being the most effective at creating for others, but Jokic is on the very short list, if not the best.

I searched for the highest assist percentage for guys that played a significant amount of minutes(500 for a season), and his assist % is the second highest of all time last season, behind a guy who only played 14.7 minutes per game (Tom Boerwinkle, and excellent passer).

Kevin Garnett, Joakim Noah and Nikola Jokic(if this season holds up) will be the only big men that register 25% or higher assist percentage for a season playing over 500 minutes twice. KG did it twice in 2 decades, Noah wasn't much of a scorer and passed way more often... Jokic is likely going to do it twice (28.8 and 26.6) in 2 of his first 3 seasons... he's going to have a ton more.

I'll say this, he's having the best start among any of the best passing bigs ever, both by the eye test and the statistics. If he holds up, he'll be the GOAT big passer, IMO.

[The_Hater]

Arvydas Sabonis is the best passing big of all time but I'd put Jokić at #2. He's right up there, too.

Sabonis had 964 total career assists in 7 seasons

Jokic has 782 in 2 1/2 seasons.

Jokic > Sabonis and its not even close

That’s not the best measure for passing greatness, Sabonis was utilized differently than Jokic and didn’t join the NBA until after his prime. If we’re going to use solely APG, Wilt Chamberlain had 1332 over a 2 season span once.

All that said, I would rank Jokic ahead of Sabonis and every other big man that I personally saw play. But it’s close with Sabonis.

[kennydorglas]

I love watching that player because he's just so different, as in the ways he finds to be successful are different. It's like he read a book on how to be a successful big in the NBA, how you have to be massive and athletic and strong with giant hands, and he said nah **** that I'm gonna be a marshmallow and figure out the rest.

I read somewhere that he played a fair bit of water polo growing up and it all kinda made sense then, it's like he has fused the two sports into a different thing that only he plays. Notice how he catches and balances the ball in one hand (as opposed to palming it) and how he makes space for himself with his elbows above his head, those are water polo moves. He also has an uncanny ability to keep his balance and his spacial awareness even when he spins or is being pushed by various NBA monsters, water teaches you that as well.

Awesome player, I don't know what he will end up achieving in the NBA but I know I'll always want to watch him play. He totally re calibrates my eye test and shows me what else is possible on a basketball court.

those touch passes in the post are pure water polo moves too.
u're damn right about him mixing up two sports in one

[Green89]

KAJ or Karl Malone - both averaged 3.6 APG over long careers.

And Horford has more assists this season than Jokic.

[Green89]

Jokic is easily the best passing big man of all time. I'm probably one of the few posters here that started watching the NBA in the late 70's. His passing ability is just that good. And yes, he should be an All Star this year.

So, Jokic is averaging the same 5.3APG as Horford this season, Horford has more total assists this season, and Horford is an all star but Jokic is not, but Jokic is not only the best passing big man this year, but of all time.

[Sothron]

Jokic is easily the best passing big man of all time. I'm probably one of the few posters here that started watching the NBA in the late 70's. His passing ability is just that good. And yes, he should be an All Star this year.

So, Jokic is averaging the same 5.3APG as Horford this season, Horford has more total assists this season, and Horford is an all star but Jokic is not, but Jokic is not only the best passing big man this year, but of all time.

Horford is a good passer but he's nowhere near Jokic. Jokic actually runs the offense on a high percentage of plays and has been for two seasons now. Horford is not out there running the offense. Get back to me when he does.

And for that matter since you brought it up...Horford is a joke as an All Star. He's the most fake hustle player in the NBA. His numbers are anemic compared to other players (like Jokic) that actually should be All Stars.

[70sFan]

He's definitely in conversation. I think Sabonis and Walton are on the same level but they had different roles. Another one that I believe is in conversation is Tom Boerwinkle. Watch any 1970s Bulls game and you'll see that he was truly post playmaker for them - something very few players could have done.

Wes Unseld is also among the very best. His outlet passes are pure art, but his high post playmaking is underrated too.

Of course, it depends on what would you call "best passer". Most crafty? Probably him or Sabonis. Most efficient? Kareem should be mentioned here, Walton too. Wilt was tremendous - Boerwinkle-style but with better outlet passing.

[Mike87]

I’d add horford to the list. Not a flashy passer but one of the smartest. Almost a 3:1 assist to to ratio is crazy for a big.

[NuggetsWY]

I'm not wise enough to say who is the "best" - but I do know I love watching Jokic and can't wait to see if he's going to make another eye-popper. Even with teams double-teaming him more this year, he can still surprise everyone.

Jokic is easily the best passing big man of all time. I'm probably one of the few posters here that started watching the NBA in the late 70's. His passing ability is just that good. And yes, he should be an All Star this year.

There are still quite a few around that started watching in the 1960s.

[UcanUwill]

Noah was a great passer, would have included him in the poll for sure, but I completely forgot about him. Horford didn't came to my mind at all for some reason, his numbers are insane though.

I voted Jokic myself. These tap passes, I feel like only Sabonis and Jokic can do. Those hands and awareness is something special. Sabonis had an edge on those one handed passes I feel, because he had truly GOAT hands in basketball. But Jokic is damn close.

Watch on YouTube

[draftnightsuit]

Joakim Noah deserves a mention.

[OkcSinceSGA]

Somehow every single best passing bigmen list leaves off Blake Griffin who's numbers stack up well with all these guys regarding passing (and no not just assists per game). Also yes, Horford deserves a mention and Noah was phenomenal.

[76ciology]

Modern day Brad Miller