The Los Angeles Lakers hosted the Phoenix Suns on Friday night at Crypto.com Arena. The Lakers entered the game with a 51-29 record, and they were also just one game behind the Denver Nuggets for the third seed in the Western Conference standings.
But in the middle of all that playoff pressure, LeBron James took a moment to join an exclusive club.
LeBron James’ Latest Milestone on Friday Night
In the first quarter, with just over seven minutes left on the clock, James threw a fullcourt pass to Deandre Ayton, who laid it in. It was an ordinary play that James has made countless times before, but that pass was the King’s 12,000th career assist. This made him just the fourth player in NBA history to ever reach that number.
LEBRON GETS HIS 12,000th ASSIST 👑
He becomes the 4th player in NBA history to reach this mark! pic.twitter.com/tWnDok3i8I
— NBA (@NBA) April 11, 2026
On February 1, 2023, during a game against the New York Knicks, James passed both Mark Jackson and Steve Nash to rank fourth on the NBA’s all-time assists record.
So now, who are the three players that are still ahead of him?
The 12k+ assist club pic.twitter.com/XtfsXnh8oc
— Oh No He Didn’t (@ohnohedidnt24) April 11, 2026
Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd sits in the third position. He retired with 12,091 career assists to his name. Moreover, he led the league in assists five times throughout his career (during the 1998-99, 1999-00, 2000-01, 2002-03, and 2003-04 seasons).
Chris Paul is at No. 2 with 12,552 career assists. However, the 2025-26 season did not go as expected for the 40-year-old veteran. After reuniting with the Los Angeles Clippers, his stint was cut short as he was sent home in early December after playing just 16 games.
He was later moved to the Toronto Raptors but didn’t stay long, as he was waived soon after. Following those events, Paul decided to call it a career and announced his retirement in February.
Finally, the No. 1 position is held by John Stockton, who recorded a whopping 15,806 assists. This record has been untouchable for decades. He spent his entire career with the Utah Jazz and led the league in assists for nine straight seasons.
James is still more than 3,800 assists away from Stockton. The fact that James hasn’t been able to crack the top-three with his longevity and passing ability is a testament to Stockton, Paul, and Kidd.
The Lakers are currently without their two important players. Luka Dončić is sidelined with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain, and Austin Reaves is out with a Grade 2 oblique injury. In this crucial moment, James, who was dubbed a third option just a few weeks back, is putting the Lakers on his back.
