NBA Players with the Highest Assist Averages in Playoffs in Their Rookie Season

Explore the NBA players who delivered the best stats ever in a 1st NBA season, ranked by playoff assists per game. See how the all-time greats compare in this top-50 historical list.

Year:

1st

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Show: Season - Playoffs / Other Stats

Other Stats

Assists Per Game

3-Pointers Made Per Game

Total

Which NBA player averaged the most assists in the Playoffs in his rookie year?

Playing for the 1988 New York Knicks, Mark Jackson averaged 9.8 assists in 4 games — the highest playoff assists per game average by any NBA player in his 1st season.

Assists Per Game, Rookie Season

9.8 apg
Mark Jackson
(1988 New York Knicks)

Note: No game minimums were used for this list / = NBA champion in this season.

Assists Per Game in a Player's Rookie Season - Top 50

Playoffs

		Assists			Other stats
Rk	Player (Team)	Per Game	Total	Gms	Pts	Reb	Stl	Blk	3pm
1	Mark Jackson (1988 Knicks)	9.8	39	4	14.3	4.8	2.5	0.0	1.3
2	Magic Johnson (1980 Lakers)	9.4	151	16	18.3	10.5	3.1	0.4	0.1
3	Chris Webber (1994 Warriors)	9.0	27	3	15.7	8.7	1.0	3.0	0.0
4	Ernie DiGregorio (1974 Braves)	8.7	52	6	13.7	2.7	0.2	0.0	-
5	Michael Jordan (1985 Bulls)	8.5	34	4	29.3	5.8	2.8	1.0	0.3
6	Frank Johnson (1982 Bullets)	8.4	59	7	15.6	3.1	1.4	0.0	0.7
7	Kelvin Ransey (1981 Trail Blazers)	8.3	25	3	16.3	4.0	2.0	0.3	0.0
8	Nate McMillan (1987 Supersonics)	8.0	112	14	5.1	3.9	1.0	0.7	0.0
9	Ben Simmons (2018 76ers)	7.7	77	10	16.3	9.4	1.7	0.8	0.0
10	Stephon Marbury (1997 Timberwolves)	7.7	23	3	21.3	4.0	0.7	0.0	2.0

		Assists			Other stats
Rk	Player (Team)	Per Game	Total	Gms	Pts	Reb	Stl	Blk	3pm
11	Slick Leonard (1957 Lakers)	7.6	38	5	21.4	6.0	-	-	-
12	Spud Webb (1986 Hawks)	7.2	65	9	12.2	3.4	0.4	0.1	0.0
13	Maurice Cheeks (1979 76ers)	7.0	63	9	18.8	3.9	4.1	0.4	-
	Penny Hardaway (1994 Magic)	7.0	21	3	18.7	6.7	1.7	2.0	1.7
15	John Lucas (1977 Rockets)	6.9	83	12	14.7	2.8	2.0	0.3	-
16	Derrick Rose (2009 Bulls)	6.4	45	7	19.7	6.3	0.6	0.7	0.0
17	Gary Payton (1991 Supersonics)	6.4	32	5	4.8	2.6	1.6	0.2	0.0
18	Brian Shaw (1989 Celtics)	6.3	19	3	17.0	5.7	1.0	0.0	0.0
19	Joe Dumars (1986 Pistons)	6.3	25	4	15.0	3.3	1.0	0.0	0.0
	Walt Frazier (1968 Knicks)	6.3	25	4	9.5	5.5	-	-	-

		Assists			Other stats
Rk	Player (Team)	Per Game	Total	Gms	Pts	Reb	Stl	Blk	3pm
21	Bob Cousy (1951 Celtics)	6.0	12	2	14.0	7.5	-	-	-
	Bud Ogden (1970 76ers)	6.0	6	1	12.0	1.0	-	-	-
	Jalen Rose (1995 Nuggets)	6.0	18	3	10.0	3.7	1.0	0.7	0.3
24	Connie Hawkins (1970 Suns)	5.9	41	7	25.4	13.9	-	-	-
25	Phil Ford (1979 Kings)	5.8	29	5	7.8	2.4	2.4	0.0	-
	Tom Gola (1956 Warriors)	5.8	58	10	12.3	10.1	-	-	-
27	Brevin Knight (1998 Cavaliers)	5.8	23	4	4.5	4.0	2.5	0.3	0.0
28	Bob Dandridge (1970 Bucks)	5.7	57	10	16.3	8.7	-	-	-
29	Dwyane Wade (2004 Heat)	5.6	73	13	18.0	4.0	1.3	0.3	0.2
30	Anthony Carter (2000 Heat)	5.6	56	10	7.7	4.0	1.2	0.2	0.1

		Assists			Other stats
Rk	Player (Team)	Per Game	Total	Gms	Pts	Reb	Stl	Blk	3pm
31	Jim Baechtold (1953 Bullets (1st))	5.5	11	2	19.0	4.0	-	-	-
32	Dick McGuire (1950 Knicks)	5.4	27	5	12.6	-	-	-	-
33	Jay Humphries (1985 Suns)	5.3	16	3	16.3	1.7	0.7	0.0	0.0
	Norm Nixon (1978 Lakers)	5.3	16	3	8.0	3.0	1.3	0.3	-
35	Rob Williams (1983 Nuggets)	5.3	37	7	8.1	1.9	1.1	0.1	0.3
36	Jerry West (1961 Lakers)	5.3	63	12	22.9	8.7	-	-	-
37	Ray Williams (1978 Knicks)	5.2	31	6	17.5	2.5	1.0	0.0	-
38	Alvan Adams (1976 Suns)	5.2	98	19	17.9	10.1	1.3	1.1	-
39	Archie Clark (1967 Lakers)	5.0	15	3	25.7	4.3	-	-	-
	Mike Gale (1977 Spurs)	5.0	10	2	11.0	5.0	2.0	1.0	-
	Chuck Person (1987 Pacers)	5.0	20	4	27.0	8.3	1.3	0.5	0.5
	Steve Smith (1992 Heat)	5.0	15	3	16.0	2.0	1.3	0.3	2.3
	Jamaal Tinsley (2002 Pacers)	5.0	25	5	3.6	2.0	0.4	0.0	0.0

		Assists			Other stats
Rk	Player (Team)	Per Game	Total	Gms	Pts	Reb	Stl	Blk	3pm
44	Rick Adelman (1969 Rockets)	4.8	29	6	11.7	2.5	-	-	-
45	Pete Maravich (1971 Hawks)	4.8	24	5	22.0	5.2	-	-	-
	Billy McKinney (1979 Kings)	4.8	24	5	7.2	1.4	1.0	0.0	-
47	Al Cervi (1950 Nationals)	4.7	52	11	7.6	-	-	-	-
48	Larry Bird (1980 Celtics)	4.7	42	9	21.3	11.2	1.6	0.9	0.4
	Max Morris (1950 Red Skins)	4.7	14	3	14.3	-	-	-	-
50	Louie Dampier (1977 Spurs)	4.5	9	2	6.0	1.5	0.5	0.5	-
	Ted McClain (1977 Nuggets)	4.5	27	6	7.3	2.3	1.7	0.3	-

* The NBA began recording rebounds in 1951, steals and blocks in 1974, and added the 3-point line in 1980.