John Stockton is widely regarded as one of the greatest point guards in NBA history. His unshakable record of 15,806 career assists has stood the test of time, placing him far ahead of the competition. However, in recent years, allegations of “stat-padding” have surfaced, calling into question whether Stockton’s numbers were artificially inflated. Former NBA star Kenyon Martin addressed these claims.
While discussing John Stockton’s career on Gil’s Arena, Martin pointed out that Stockton’s consistency and availability were the primary reasons for his incredible assist total. Stockton played in a remarkable 1,504 games over 19 seasons, averaging 79.2 games per year, a feat that is nearly unheard of in today’s injury-prone league. Even in the twilight of his career, Stockton played all 82 games of the season.
Go look up John Stockton, each season, how many games he played. year in, year out. That’s why he has 15,000 assists, which nobody is going to touch. 15,000. His durability and his availability is outrageous.
Kenyon Martin on the Gil’s Arena
Recently, Stockton, a lightning rod for controversy, drew criticism due to the apparent discrepancy in his assist numbers at home versus on the road. Throughout his career, Stockton averaged 10.9 assists per game at Utah’s Delta Center compared to 10.1 assists in away games. This discrepancy fueled claims of home-court scorekeeping bias, which some argue padded his stats.
John Stockton’s assists record will never be touched 🐐 pic.twitter.com/fgJnBTV9mE
— Gilbert Arenas (@GilsArenaShow) December 16, 2024
Despite these claims, the home-road split in John Stockton’s numbers doesn’t significantly impact his record. Even if Stockton’s lower road assist average of 10.1 per game were used exclusively, he would still lead the all-time assist leaderboard by a staggering margin, with over 3,000 assists more than any other player in NBA history.
Gilbert Arenas once revealed ‘Dirty’ John Stockton’s story
John Stockton’s legacy is sprinkled with equal parts greatness and equal parts ‘dirty plays.’ He gained a reputation as one of “dirtiest” players in NBA history. Former All-Star Gilbert Arenas shared his experience facing Stockton early in his career, calling him a master of physical and aggressive tactics, and more specifically “the dirtiest player he ever played.”
Believe it or not, John Stockton. My first two years, I’m like, ‘Yo, this dude is just a dirty player, bro.’ He’s just dirty like, he’d pull you, elbow you, knee you, he’d do all of that. He did all of that. I’m glad I didn’t play in the 80s. This is not basketball right here.
Gilbert Arenas via Gil’s Arena
Arenas recalled feeling frustrated during his first few matchups with John Stockton. He noted how the Jazz legend’s subtle, uncalled fouls made him a tough opponent. Stockton’s reputation for clawing, scratching, and hip-checking was a hallmark of his defensive strategy, particularly in the later years of his career. Don’t believe Arenas? Just ask Steve Kerr!
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