Thunder Assist Numbers Should Receive a Boost With Added Passing Talent

Despite Josh Giddey’s elite passes being praised across sports media platforms last season and the abundant talent at the guard position for Oklahoma City, the team ranked 28th in assists last season.

Now with another year under their belts and a new young talented guard entering the rotation, the Thunder have the potential to finish better than the basement finish the team saw last season in assists.

The team averaged 22.2 assists per game with Josh Giddey leading the way of eligible leaders with 6.4 per game.

With Giddey entering his second season, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continuing to become more of the leader of the team and the addition of Jalen Williams amongst the other guards on the roster the Thunder shouldn’t have any reason to not finish better than 28th in assists this season.

The Thunder’s shooting should also improve, which in turn would help more assists be facilitated. OKC’s lineup is full of players who can make plays at the rim. With guards with a high level of passing prowess, the chance for assists grows even higher.

Giddey is as pure of a passer as there is with his floor IQ and feel for the game with the ball in his hands, his ability to thread tight windows with passes will also help garner a higher assist rate.

Williams enters his first season in the NBA after ending his last college season, at Santa Clara, with 4.2 assists per game. Williams will likely join Tre Mann as the main guards off of the bench for the Thunder, and as a duo could be explosive with their balancing skill sets.

With a talented group of guards and a ton of young potential, OKC has, on paper, good enough passers and enough weapons to rise out of the basement of assist totals this season.

After a 28th place finish in the category last season, OKC could rise into the middle of the pack with the talent at their disposal.

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