Russell Westbrook ranks 2nd all-time on the Thunder franchise leaderboard.
NBA legends such as Gary Payton and Russell Westbrook stand atop the Thunder franchise’s all-time assist leaders list.
The Thunder’s history books were largely written when the team was in Seattle but the franchise as a whole has a long list of incredible players. In terms of passers, no player in Thunder/SuperSonics history dished out more assists than Gary Payton.
1. Gary Payton – 7,384 Assists
Gary “The Glove” Payton was a perennial All-Star with the Seattle SuperSonics. He last played for the franchise in the 2002-03 season, and his name still stands atop the team’s record books in assists. Payton averaged at least six assists per game in all but one of his 13 seasons in Seattle and at least eight assists per game in six of those campaigns. Payton was of course accomplished in other facets of the game as he won Defensive Player of the Year in 1996 and retired as the franchise’s all-time leader in steals.
2. Russell Westbrook – 6,897 Assists
Westbrook was one of the league’s most unstoppable players during his time with the Thunder. Earning the nickname“Mr. Triple Double” after logging the stat line 138 times during his tenure in OKC. For context, no other player in Thunder history has more than 14 such games. Westbrook also had five games with 20 or more assists, including a career-best 24 dimes against the Spurs in 2019. Entering this season, Westbrook ranks ninth all-time in assists and is creeping up on Oscar Robertson’s career-assists total.
3. Nate McMillan – 4,893 Assists
McMillan spent his entire career with the franchise in Seattle and is one of its greatest passers ever. “Mr. Sonic” averaged 6.1 assists per game over his 12-year career. He was particularly prolific early in his career, averaging 8.3 assists per game over his first four seasons. His personal best came in 1988-89 when he dropped just under 10 assists per game. McMillan’s single-game career-high for assists (25) exceeds his single-game best for points scored (24).
4. Fred Brown – 3,160 Assists
Known to many as “Downtown Freddie Brown,” the former All-Star was a longtime staple with the SuperSonics in the 1970s and 80s. Brown was more of a scorer than a passer, but over time he accumulated impressive assist totals. During his peak, Brown averaged 18.9 points per game and 3.4 assists per game from 1974-78. The apex of his career came when the SuperSonics won the title in the 1978-79 season. He also led the league in three-point shooting percentage the first season it was introduced.
5. Gus Williams – 2,865 Assists
Williams began his career with the Golden State Warriors before joining the SuperSonics and establishing himself as an important part of franchise history. “The Wizard” averaged 20.3 points and 6.0 assists during his six years in Seattle and was an important piece of their championship run alongside Fred Brown in the 1978-79 season. At age 30, Williams popped off for 20 assists in a win over the Mavericks in 1983.
Here is the best of the rest when it comes to Thunder’s All-Time Assists Leaders
- Lenny Wilkens (2,777)
- Kevin Durant (2,363)
- Jack Sikma (2,345)
- Slick Watts (2,274)
- Luke Ridnour (1,805)
