Choosing the Best Passer in NBA History – How They Shaped the Game

With so much new talent joining the NBA every draft season, deciding which players throughout the league’s history can be deemed the best at a particular skill can be a bit overwhelming.

Whether you are talking about the best dunker, top shooter, or even the best rebound retriever, the debate can rage endlessly. Determining the best passer in NBA history is no different.

Given that passing is one of the most important skills within the game, it is no surprise that the NBA has seen some truly world-class passers of the ball.

Today, we are going to take a look at some of the league’s greatest passers. Not only will we explain what made them stand out in a league overflowing with talent, but we will also look at how their passing prowess has revolutionized the game.

If you are ready to learn how the incredible passing abilities of some of the NBA’s greats have changed basketball, it is time to jump right in!

The Best Passers in NBA History

To help provide a more rounded picture of passing greatness in the NBA, we will look at several of the best passers rather than attempt to narrow things down to a single NBA player.

That said, we will still provide our ranking according to which players we believe had the most significant impact on the league and sport.

Not only is this useful for providing a more accurate picture of who the true passing legends have been, but it will also allow you to learn more about the history of the sport, and, with any luck, you will even pick up a few passing tips you can use to improve your own game!

1. Earvin “Magic” Johnson – The Flashy Visionary

With a nickname like Magic, it is no surprise that Magic Johnson had truly ground breaking skills. While he was known for having an all-around impressive game and an extremely likable personality, his incredible passing abilities made Magic Johnson the legendary figure he remains today.

Not only could Magic Johnson pass to teammates on the Los Angeles Lakers with incredible accuracy and speed, he could do so with a degree of flair that nobody had ever brought to the NBA before.

No-look and behind-the-back passes excited fans but still found a teammate with precision. While Magic Johnson’s flashy style was undoubtedly entertaining, his ability to see where teammates would be rather than where they were, made him an outstanding passer.

His passing accuracy and anticipation were outstanding. The fact he made it look so good only added to his legend as a player.

The Impact of Magic Johnson’s Passing Skills

Magic Johnson has had an enormous impact on the NBA and the entire sport of basketball. His legendary passing abilities revolutionized the point guard position by demonstrating the advantages of quickly spreading the ball to teammates.

His unique ability to involve all of his teammates in plays made his Los Angeles Lakers team difficult to beat and endlessly entertaining to watch.

Players looking to learn from Magic Johnson must realize that creating opportunities for their teammates through pinpoint passing is as important as scoring yourself.

Keep your head up and regularly scan the court for passing opportunities. Even if a teammate is behind you, it is worth passing if they have a better chance to drive toward the net.

2. Steve Nash – Precision Personified

Steve Nash was not the flashiest passer, but his precision was genuinely elite. The Canadian point guard had incredible vision and could pass the ball with surgical precision.

He could catch opposition teams by creating scoring opportunities out of nothing, thanks to his ability to put the ball in a teammate’s hands before anyone else knew what was happening.

The fact that Nash retired from the NBA with over 10,000 assists, or roughly nine per game, shows just how influential his passing abilities were.

Nash’s passing stood out enough to make him a two-time NBA MVP and land him an induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

The Impact of Steve Nash’s Passing Skills

There is much to learn from Steve Nash’s passing skills and career. The incredible speed he passed the ball regularly caught out the opposition, while his pinpoint accuracy made it easier for his teammates to receive the ball.

The combination of speed and accuracy often resulted in opponents making mistakes or being caught out of position.

If you want to learn from the legendary Canadian player, practice passing drills focusing on quick distribution and accurately passing to a teammate’s chest.

The longer you wait between passes, the more time your opposition has to get into position and cover your teammates. Catch other teams off guard, just like Nash did countless times throughout his career!

3. John Stockton – Peripheral Vision Passing

John Stockton is up there with Magic Johnson as one of the best point guards ever. While his dribbling and tenacity were impressive, his top passing skills made him an NBA legend.

Thanks to his incredible peripheral vision, Stockton seemed capable of making passes to any teammates. This allowed him to make no-look passes to teammates you would assume he had not seen.

The fact that Stockton led the NBA in assists and passes for nine straight seasons lets you know just how legendary his ability to pass the ball was.

The Impact of John Stockton’s Passing Skills

He had a unique ability to see open teammates that nobody else could see. In basketball circles, this is often referred to as “court-vision”, and it is used to describe players that can see the entire court at all times, even when it seems like other players obscure their view.

This unique skill involves constantly scanning the court and mentally noting where other players are. To have an accurate mental picture of the entire court, you must look for future passing opportunities, even when you do not have the ball.

If you want to learn from this and elevate your own passing game, start watching where players are throughout the game.

If you are on the bench, note where opposition players tend to position themselves. Learn where your teammates go and keep an eye on their movements at all times. This will allow you to catch opponents by passing before they know what is happening.

Final Words

Many great players could be considered the best passer. We didn’t even touch on Nikola Jokic, Isiah Thomas, Bob Cousy, Oscar Robertson, Jason Williams, Chris Paul, LeBron James, or Jason Kidd.

While narrowing down the best passers in NBA history is somewhat subjective, what cannot be argued is the importance of passing in basketball.

While other aspects of the sport might make the highlight reels more often, accurate and timely passing can be the difference between winning and losing.

No matter which position you play or what level of basketball you play, you can take your game to new heights by learning from some of the NBA’s best passers.

All of these legends were unselfish when sharing possession with teammates. After all, when it comes to winning a game of basketball, it does not matter if you score or your teammates score as long as your team scores more points than your opponents.

Make sure you are practicing passing regularly. Do not allow yourself to be one of those players who only works on shooting. Passing and defending are just as important as being a great basketball player.

To learn more and elevate your basketball skills to a higher level, we recommend reading What are the Basic Skills of Basketball?

You can also read 8 Ways to Get Better at Basketball. This straightforward guide is packed with tips to become a more effective player.