List of WNBA career assists leaders explained

The following is a list of the players who have achieved the most assists during their WNBA careers.

Statistics accurate as of May 18, 2024.

^Active WNBA player
Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
Not yet eligible for Hall of Fame consideration
§1st time eligible for Hall of Fame in 2024
WNBA most rebounds collected
RankPlayerPosTeam(s) played for (years)Total assistsGames
played
data-sort-type=numberAssists
per game
average
1Sue BirdGSeattle Storm (20022012, 20142018, 20202022)3,2345805.6
2Courtney Vandersloot^GChicago Sky (20112022)
New York Liberty (2023–present)
2,717401
3Ticha PenicheiroGSacramento Monarchs (19982009)
Los Angeles Sparks (20102011)
Chicago Sky (2012)
2,6004545.7
4Lindsay WhalenGConnecticut Sun (20042009)
Minnesota Lynx (20102018)
2,3454804.9
5Diana Taurasi^GPhoenix Mercury (20042014, 2016–present)2,274531
6Becky HammonGNew York Liberty (19992006)
San Antonio Silver Stars/San Antonio Stars (20072014)
1,7084503.8
7Candace ParkerF/C Los Angeles Sparks (20082020)
Chicago Sky (20212022)
Las Vegas Aces (2023)
1,6344104.0
8Cappie PondexterGPhoenix Mercury (20062009)
New York Liberty (20102014)
Chicago Sky (20152017)
Los Angeles Sparks (2018)
Indiana Fever (2018)
1,5784163.8
9Chelsea Gray^GConnecticut Sun (2015)
Los Angeles Sparks (20162020)
Las Vegas Aces (2021–present)
1,499298.0
10Tamika CatchingsFIndiana Fever (20022016)1,4884573.3
11Danielle RobinsonG San Antonio Silver Stars/San Antonio Stars/Las Vegas Aces (20112016, 2020)
Phoenix Mercury (2017)
Minnesota Lynx (20182019)
Indiana Fever (20212022)
Atlanta Dream (2023–present)
1,479359
12Shannon JohnsonGOrlando Miracle/Connecticut Sun (19992003)
San Antonio Silver Stars (20042006)
Detroit Shock (2007)
Houston Comets (2008)
Seattle Storm (2009)
1,4243524.0
13Tanisha WrightGSeattle Storm (20052014)
New York Liberty (20152016, 2019)
Minnesota Lynx (2018)
1,4224573.1
14Temeka JohnsonGWashington Mystics (2005)
Los Angeles Sparks (20062008, 2015)
Phoenix Mercury (20092010)
Tulsa Shock (20112013)
Seattle Storm (2014)
1,3823274.2
15Jasmine ThomasGWashington Mystics (20112012)
Atlanta Dream (20132014)
Connecticut Sun (20152022)
Los Angeles Sparks (2023)
1,3563903.5
16Briann JanuaryGIndiana Fever (20092017)
Phoenix Mercury (20182019)
Connecticut Sun (20202021)
Seattle Storm (2022)
1,3393933.4
17Teresa WeatherspoonGNew York Liberty (19972003)
Los Angeles Sparks (2004)
1,3382545.3
18Dawn StaleyGCharlotte Sting (19992005)
Houston Comets (2005–2006)
1,3372635.1
19Kristi ToliverGChicago Sky (2009)
Los Angeles Sparks (20102016, 20212022)
Washington Mystics (20172019, 2023–present)
1,300380
20Natasha Cloud^GWashington Mystics (20152023)
Phoenix Mercury (2024–present)
1,271250
21Skylar Diggins-Smith^GTulsa Shock/Dallas Wings (20132018)
Phoenix Mercury (20202022)
Seattle Storm (2024–present)
1,264254.0
22Katie SmithG/FMinnesota Lynx (19992005)
Detroit Shock (20052009)
Washington Mystics (2010)
Seattle Storm (20112012)
New York Liberty (2013)
1,2584822.6
23Vickie JohnsonG/FNew York Liberty (19972005)
San Antonio Silver Stars (20062009)
1,2054102.9
24Leilani Mitchell§GNew York Liberty (20082013)
Phoenix Mercury (2015, 20172019)
Washington Mystics (2016, 20202021)
1,1973983.0
25Alyssa Thomas^GConnecticut Sun (2014–present)1,165282

Progressive list of assist leaders

This is a progressive list of assist leaders showing how the record increased through the years.[1]

Statistics accurate as of May 18, 2024.

^Active WNBA player
Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
Not yet eligible for Hall of Fame consideration- §Eligible for Hall of Fame in 2021[2] -->
+Team(s) listed is the one player was on when she established the record.
ATLAtlanta DreamNYL
CHIChicago SkyPHOPhoenix Mercury
CONConnecticut SunSACSacramento Monarchs
LASLos Angeles SparksSEASeattle Storm
MINMinnesota LynxWASWashington Mystics
Assist leader at the end of every season
width=4%Season!width=18%Year-by-year leader!Assistswidth=18%Active player leader!Total assistswidth=18%Career record!Total assistswidth=18%Single-season record!Assistswidth=4%Season
Teresa Weatherspoonalign=center style="border-right: solid blue"173Teresa Weatherspoonalign=center style="border-right: solid blue"173Teresa Weatherspoonalign=center style="border-right: solid blue"173Teresa Weatherspoonalign=center style="border-right: solid blue"1731997
Ticha Penicheiroalign=center style="border-right: solid blue"225 align=center style="border-right: solid blue"364align=center style="border-right: solid blue"364Ticha Penicheiroalign=center style="border-right: solid blue"225 1998
align=center style="border-right: solid blue"226 align=center style="border-right: solid blue"569 align=center style="border-right: solid blue"569 align=center style="border-right: solid blue"2261999
align=center style="border-right: solid blue"236 align=center style="border-right: solid blue"773align=center style="border-right: solid blue"773 align=center style="border-right: solid blue" rowspan="19"236 2000
Teresa Weatherspoonalign=center style="border-right: solid blue"203align=center style="border-right: solid blue" 976 align=center style="border-right: solid blue" 976 2001
Ticha Penicheiroalign=center style="border-right: solid blue"192 align=center style="border-right: solid blue" 1,157 align=center style="border-right: solid blue" 1,157 2002
align=center style="border-right: solid blue"229 align=center style="border-right: solid blue" 1,306 align=center style="border-right: solid blue" 1,306 2003
Nikki Teasleyalign=center style="border-right: solid blue"207 Ticha Penicheiroalign=center style="border-right: solid blue" 1,443 Ticha Penicheiroalign=center style="border-right: solid blue" 1,443 2004
Temeka Johnsonalign=center style="border-right: solid blue"177 align=center style="border-right: solid blue" 1,592 align=center style="border-right: solid blue" 1,592 2005
Nikki Teasleyalign=center style="border-right: solid blue"183 align=center style="border-right: solid blue"1,708align=center style="border-right: solid blue"1,708 2006
Lindsay Whalenalign=center style="border-right: solid blue"169 align=center style="border-right: solid blue"1,852 align=center style="border-right: solid blue"1,852 2007
Ticha Penicheiroalign=center style="border-right: solid blue"172align=center style="border-right: solid blue" 2,024 align=center style="border-right: solid blue" 2,024 2008
Sue Bird align=center style="border-right: solid blue"179 align=center style="border-right: solid blue" 2,179 align=center style="border-right: solid blue" 2,179 2009
Ticha Penicheiroalign=center style="border-right: solid blue"220 align=center style="border-right: solid blue"2,399 align=center style="border-right: solid blue" 2,399 2010
Lindsay Whalenalign=center style="border-right: solid blue" 199 align=center style="border-right: solid blue" 2,561 align=center style="border-right: solid blue" 2,561 2011
align=center style="border-right: solid blue"178 align=center style="border-right: solid blue"2,600align=center style="border-right: solid blue" rowspan="6" 2,600 2012
align=center style="border-right: solid blue" rowspan="2"197 Lindsay Whalen1,7222013
Diana Taurasi^ 2013
Lindsay Whalenalign=center style="border-right: solid blue"188 Sue Birdalign=center style="border-right: solid blue"2,0682014
Courtney Vandersloot^align=center style="border-right: solid blue"198align=center style="border-right: solid blue"2,215 2015
Sue Birdalign=center style="border-right: solid blue"196 align=center style="border-right: solid blue" 2,411 2016
Layshia Clarendon^ align=center style="border-right: solid blue"226align=center style="border-right: solid blue"2,610 Sue Birdalign=center style="border-right: solid blue"2,6102017
Courtney Vandersloot^align=center style="border-right: solid blue"258align=center style="border-right: solid blue" 2,831 align=center style="border-right: solid blue" rowspan="2"2,831 Courtney Vandersloot^ align=center style="border-right: solid blue" 2582018
align=center style="border-right: solid blue"300Diana Taurasi^ align=center style="border-right: solid blue"1,867 align=center style="border-right: solid blue" rowspan="4"300 2019
align=center style="border-right: solid blue"219Sue Birdalign=center style="border-right: solid blue"2,888 align=center style="border-right: solid blue"2,888 2020
align=center style="border-right: solid blue"275align=center style="border-right: solid blue"3,048align=center style="border-right: solid blue"3,048 2021
Natasha Cloud^align=center style="border-right: solid blue"239align=center style="border-right: solid blue"3,234align=center style="border-right: solid blue" rowspan=33,234 2022
Alyssa Thomas^align=center style="border-right: solid blue"316Courtney Vandersloot^align=center style="border-right: solid blue"2,701Alyssa Thomas^align=center style="border-right: solid blue" rowspan=23162023
align=center style="border-right: solid blue"19align=center style="border-right: solid blue"2,7172024
SeasonYear-by-year leaderPointsActive player leaderTotal pointsCareer recordTotal pointsSingle-season recordPointsSeason

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: WNBA Progressive Leaders and Records for Assists . Basketball Reference. . 8 September 2022.
  2. Web site: 2021 Hall of Fame Candidates . basketball-reference.com . October 12, 2020.