An assist is credited for a pass that directly leads to a made basket.
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In plain English
An assist is awarded when a pass directly creates a basket for a team-mate. It captures part of a player's creation and a team's ball movement. It does not describe every good pass, but it records the passes that immediately produce points.
Derived terms
AST%
Assist Percentage: an estimate of the share of team-mate field goals a player assists while on the court.
AST/TO Ratio
Assist-to-Turnover Ratio: assists divided by turnovers, combining playmaking output with ball security.
Why it matters
Assists help identify players and teams that consistently create quality shots for others. A high total can indicate fluid ball movement or an influential playmaker, but it should be considered alongside pace, shooting efficiency and turnovers.
Practical example
A point guard draws two defenders and passes to an open team-mate, who immediately makes a three-pointer. The passer is credited with an assist.
Related terms
Statistic•Basketball
Turnovers (TOV)
A turnover occurs when the offence loses possession before completing its attack.
