Chris Paul, point guard for the San Antonio Spurs, became the third player in NBA history to reach 12,000 assists in his career after dishing out 11 in his team’s loss to the Lakers (115-120). He surpassed that barrier by giving his third assist just three and a half minutes into the game.
Paul joined a list that only two legends precede him, John Stockton (15,806) and Jason Kidd (12,091). “I remember the first time I played in Utah, I looked up and saw that John Stockton was the all-time leader in assists and steals, and I thought, ‘I’m going to catch up with him,'” he said. “Well, that’s a lie, but to be behind them is really cool.”
I remember the first time I played in Utah, I looked up and saw that John Stockton was the all-time leader in assists and steals, and I thought, ‘I’m going to catch him.
Paul entered the NBA record books with 8:26 left in the first quarter after throwing a lob to Wembanyama, an alley-oop that the French giant finished with a two-handed dunk. “Wow, that’s a huge number,” Wemby said of Paul’s 12,000-assist milestone. “It’s hard to imagine how many you have to average and for how many years to get to that number. In the end, all players want to see their names up there someday. It’s just amazing.”
Wow, that’s a huge number, it’s hard to imagine how many you have to average and for how many years to achieve so many. In the end, all the players want to see our names there someday. It’s just amazing
518 double-doubles with at least 10 assists
The 39-year-old veteran point guard finished with 11 points, 11 assists and 2 steals in his sixth game with 10 or more assists this season, in which he has five double-doubles with 10 or more assists and a total of 518 in his career with at least 10 assists, the second most in history with that statistical combination, only surpassed by the legendary Stockton.
Neither his experience nor his seniority nor his unquestionable ascendancy are enough for now with such a young team: “The first thing I say in any of these situations is that you have to show the guys that we can play good basketball. I didn’t come here trying to be anybody’s coach. You can tell them whatever you want, but they’re the ones who have to see how much I train and work. They want to see it.”
