Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic made NBA history on Thursday night, becoming the all-time assists leader among centers in league history. Jokic eclipsed long-standing Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s mark during Denver’s 126-115 win over the Orlando Magic at Ball Arena.

In a yet another triple-double performance, Jokic finished with 23 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds, using a crafty feed to Jalen Pickett late in the first half to surpass Abdul-Jabbar’s previous career total of 5,660. The milestone – now sitting at 5,667 career assists and counting – places Jokic atop the NBA assists leaderboard for centers, a feat many believed would stand for decades as Jokic continues to write his story.

Jokic passed Abdul-Jabbar’s record – a mark set over a 20-year Hall of Fame career – in just his 11th season. According to career assists data, Jokic now stands far ahead of any other center in NBA history, leading by sheer efficiency with roughly 7.4 assists per game – a rate unmatched by predecessors at the position. 

Jokic’s achievement also ranks him among the top 50 all-time NBA assist leaders overall, underscoring his unique combination of scoring, rebounding and playmaking at the five-man spot.