NBA: Power Ranking The 10 Best Passers In The NBA

A great passer has the rare ability to make the game more enjoyable and easier for everyone else on the floor. Often a single player can be the key to an entire offense simply because of their ability to set up teammates and ensure the ball finds the right mark at the right time. The best passers in the NBA are an elite group that range from 19-year veterans to young players just starting to make their mark in the league. Here is our top 10 best passers in the NBA today.

Greivis Vasquez led the league in total assists this season. Photo Credit: Mark Allison, Flickr.com

10. Greivis Vasquez, New Orleans Pelicans

We start our list with the player who dished out the most assists in the NBA this season, Greivis Vasquez who had 704 dimes in 2012-13. Vasquez became the focal point of the New Orleans offense and was relentless with his work in the pick-and-roll with his big men. Combining the ability to dish to athletic inside finishers as well as drive and dish to his outside shooters, Vasquez became one of the most prolific passers in the game this season.

9. Marc Gasol, Memphis Grizzlies

The leading passer among the league’s big men, Marc Gasol led all power forwards and centers in assists per game. Gasol is the key for the Memphis offense that works inside-out with his ability to create for his smaller men from the top of the key. He is an exceptional passer from the post, both on the low block to cutting wing players as well as dishing inside to Zach Randolph from the high post. The playoffs are showing how much Gasol can dominate a game with his rare combination of defense, scoring and exceptional passing ability from the center position.

8. Jason Kidd, New York Knicks

You may not be able to remember the last time Jason Kidd actually hit a field goal, but there is a reason he is still getting significant minutes in the Knicks’ playoff rotation. The 19-year veteran still has the ability to make pin point passes to his more athletic teammates and always seems to make the right play with the ball in hand. No longer a high-volume assist player, Kidd is content with swinging the ball around to take advantage of mismatches and finding space for his high-scoring wing players. He can still provide highlight-reel dimes, threading the needle on bounce passes or lobbing it up for the perfect alley-oop finish.

7. Andre Miller, Denver Nuggets

It’s been 11 years since Andre Miller led the NBA in assists per game, but the crafty 14-year veteran is still one of the best passers in the league and utilizes his experience to bring the best out of his athletic big men in Denver. The Nuggets led the league in dunks and points in the paint and Miller was a huge catalyst for both with his pinpoint passes, giving his athletic teammates the perfect opportunity to finish easy looks inside. He still has the ability to throw alley-oop lob passes from well beyond half-court and was a big reason his teammates Kenneth Faried and Javale McGee wound up on so many highlight reels.

6. Jose Calderon, Detroit Pistons

Jose Calderon has long been one of the most efficient and reliable passers in the league and has maintained an outstanding assist-to-turnover ratio throughout his career. While his minutes dipped this season and he had to adjust to a new team after being traded to Detroit, Calderon still displayed the ability to make the perfect pass to set up his teammates both in the paint, as well as creating open looks for 3-point shooters. Toward the end of the season the Detroit big men really started to benefit from Calderon’s accurate passing and he will undoubtedly be a coveted free agent in the offseason.  

Steve Nash is one of the league’s greatest-ever playmakers. Photo Credit: MattyStevenson, Flickr.com

5. Steve Nash, Los Angeles Lakers

While the 2012-13 season was a disaster for Steve Nash and the Los Angeles Lakers, there is no denying that Nash remains one of the game’s true elite playmakers despite the rare opportunities to display it this season. Nash showed toward the end of the season–when the Laker roster was healthy–his ability to work with the big men and got Dwight Howard a number of easy finishes around the rim. While he struggled with his health and adjusting to a new system alongside another ball-dominant player in Kobe Bryant, Nash still has the ability to make the perfect pass and run an offense; we will see if L.A. can find a way to implement it more next season.

4. Ricky Rubio, Minnesota Timberwolves

While Rubio missed the majority of the 2012-13 season due to injury, upon his return fans were reminded of the excitement and flair the young Spaniard brings to the game with his playmaking. Rubio has a rare, natural passing ability and, along with his extensive international experience, it makes him an extremely high-IQ player despite his youth. Rubio makes the game easier for his teammates, setting them up with the perfect pass, and he knows where his teammates’ sweet spots are shooting the ball. We all look forward to a healthy Rubio wowing the league with his passing in 2013-14.

3. LeBron James, Miami Heat

LeBron James is clearly the best player in the game right now and has been rewarded with his fourth MVP. The thing that has set James apart from day one has been his exceptional passing ability, court awareness and willingness to pass when he obviously has the physical gifts to dominate a game by scoring. LeBron commands so much attention from opposing defenses that often the best play is a pass to a wide-open shooter and James has always had the ability and mentality to make that pass. Since joining Miami and due to the weapons he has at his disposal on the roster his ability to make long-range, highlight-reel passes has just continued to increase.

2. Chris Paul, Los Angeles Clippers

They call it Lob City and while Blake Griffin, Deandre Jordan and the rest of the Clippers’ athletic finishers get much of the credit, there is one man who makes it all happen and that is All-Star point guard Chris Paul. Paul has the rare ability to be an elite passer in transition as well as controlling the game in the half court. His accurate lob passes may have given the team its nickname, but his control of the offense in the half court is what allowed the Clippers to take the next step as a team. Paul can create off the dribble, draw attention and dish while on the fly as well as taking over a game for stretches in the pick-and-roll.

Rajon Rondo is arguably the league’s best passer. Photo Credit: Mark Runyon, Basketball Schedule

1. Rajon Rondo, Boston Celtics

The NBA’s premier passer, Rajon Rondo again led the NBA in assists per game this season despite having his 2012-13 campaign cut short due to injury. It was the second time in a row Rondo has led the league in the statistic and his loss was devastating to the Celtics, who rely on him to run the entire offense. While his shooting has improved, Rondo is still far from a dominant scorer, yet he can take over a game offensively due to his elite passing ability. He has broken Celtic team records, NBA assist streaks and continues to create some of the most unique highlight passes we have ever seen. Rondo has great control of the ball, knows exactly where to feed his teammates and is capable of making pinpoint passes on the run or in the half court. His Boston teammates will be anticipating his return in 2013-14 as his unique gift for passing the ball makes the game so much easier for the rest of the team.

Honorable Mention: Goran Dragic, Deron Williams, Stephen Curry