I know different people have different ideas about what is an assist. (1)If a player breaks to the basket and is picked up by the defense of another player and he passes off and the boy shoots a three and hits, is that an assist? (2)I know a player breaking to the basket with no defense on him and receives the ball and scores,I know that's an assist. (3)If you throw the ball to a player breaking to the basket who has a defense on him and scores , is this an assist.( 4) if a boy breaks to the free throw line and is passed the ball and turns and shoots and hits with defense close, is that counted as an assist. It seems as though everyone has a different opinion concerning assists. I was watching a college game last week and a boy was passed the ball out 3-4 feet past the 3 point line and scored and they gave an assist to the boy who passed him the ball ? What's your opinion? :confused:

It depends on what the player who receives the ball has to do to score. If he receives the ball and has to make a "basketball move" to score, no assist. If he catches it and shoots, then the passer receives an assist.

An assist is awarded to a player when a pass is made which allowed a person to score and no dribble was used by the receiver.

It depends on what the player who receives the ball has to do to score. If he receives the ball and has to make a "basketball move" to score, no assist. If he catches it and shoots, then the passer receives an assist.

 

What about from the 3 point line where he receives the ball with no defense close and shoots and scores, is that an assist?

What about from the 3 point line where he receives the ball with no defense close and shoots and scores, is that an assist?

 

Yes!

What about from the 3 point line where he receives the ball with no defense close and shoots and scores, is that an assist?

 

If the ball is passed to him anywhere on the court, and he does not have to make a move to get a shot off, it's an assist. So...if a guy is sitting beyond the arc and a teammate drives to the basket, is cut off, and kicks it to him on the outside, and he shoots and scores, that's an assist. The fact he is guarded or not guarded is irrelevant.

 

Per Wikipedia, which quotes the NCAA rules:

 

In basketball, an assist is attributed to a player who passes the ball to a teammate in a way that leads to a score by field goal, meaning that he or she was "assisting" in the basket. This person is known as the "assistor." According to the Official 2004 NCAA Basketball Statistics Rules, an assist has to be "a major part of the play," which either finds the player already with a "positional advantage," or helps him or her get one. There is thus some judgment involved in deciding whether a passer should be credited with an assist. An assist can be scored for the passer even if the player who receives the pass makes a basket after dribbling the ball. The original definition of an assist did not include such situations, so the comparison of assist statistics across eras is a complex matter. (source: wikipedia)

An assist is awarded to a player when a pass is made which allowed a person to score and no dribble was used by the receiver.

 

So if I have the ball at midcourt and have a man in front of me and I pass him the ball and he has to take a couple of dribbles for the lay-up, isn't this an assist. Has to be!

Ive always understood an assist to be a player scores on a pass and takes 2 dribbles or less. It doesnt matter how many defenders are on him, where he is at on the floor, or where the pass is made from. A pass is made, 2 dribbles or less is taken, and the player scores, the passer is awarded an assist (just my understanding of an assist).

Ive always understood an assist to be a player scores on a pass and takes 2 dribbles or less. It doesnt matter how many defenders are on him, where he is at on the floor, or where the pass is made from. A pass is made, 2 dribbles or less is taken, and the player scores, the passer is awarded an assist (just my understanding of an assist).

 

That's the reason I was asking. I think a lot of Stat keepers see it differently. If you were out front on a break and no one around and received the ball and took 3-4 dribbles, that would have to be an assist, wouldn't it.

So if I have the ball at midcourt and have a man in front of me and I pass him the ball and he has to take a couple of dribbles for the lay-up, isn't this an assist. Has to be!

 

The interpretation that I read uses the standard of THREE dribbles or less.

There is judgment by the stat keeper involved too. That is why I used the term "Basketball Move". One dribble off a catch does not always negate an assist. Say a player is cutting to the basket and the passer throws him the ball, he takes a dribble on the run and scores, it is an assist.

There actually is no clear cut "rule" on assist on any level. Some coaches over report assists. I have seen players credited with assists by coaches for some pretty stange things, but what you describe is definitely an assist.

There is judgment by the stat keeper involved too. That is why I used the term "Basketball Move". One dribble off a catch does not always negate an assist. Say a player is cutting to the basket and the passer throws him the ball, he takes a dribble on the run and scores, it is an assist.

There actually is no clear cut "rule" on assist on any level. Some coaches over report assists. I have seen players credited with assists by coaches for some pretty stange things, but what you describe is definitely an assist.

 

I agree with a lot of what you say and again I think a lot of stat people see it differently and score it differently. Somewhat like an official, a lot of judgment calls.(and some being wrong)

These questions are exactly why you can't judge a PG by his stats without actually seeing him/her play.

What if a player is passed the ball for a layup, misses the shot, is fouled and makes the free throws. Is this an assist? I would think not!

Glad to see this discussion. This is always an issue it seems.