FIBA Basketball World Cup Top 20 passers

MIES (Switzerland) - We've reached the 20-day mark in the countdown for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023. To commemorate the occasion, we highlight the top 20 passers in the competition's history dating back to the 1994 event in Toronto, when FIBA began archiving assists.

20. Luis SCOLA

POWER FORWARD

Birth date: 30/04/1980

Assists: 280
Games played: 41
Participations: 5 (2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2019)
Medals:🥈(2002, 2019)

Already highlighted as the leading rebounder in World Cup history dating back to 1994, Scola also makes the top 20 in this category. The World Cup in which the Argentina legend tallied his highest number of assists was in 2014, when he averaged 2.3 per game.

His top assist performance at that World Cup was in Seville against the Philippines, when Scola had four in an 85-81 Argentina win. Scola wasn't just a great rebounder and passer, but also a scorer. He has scored the second most points in World Cup history with 716. 

19. Rudy FERNANDEZ

SMALL FORWARD

Birth date: 05/04/1985

Assists: 65
Games played: 33
Participations: 4 (2006, 2010, 2014, 2019)
Medals:🥇(2006, 2019)

We've already highlighted Spain's Fernandez as one of the all-time greats in World Cup history. He ranks No. 30 in scoring and No. 18 in rebounding. When it comes to assists, he accumulated most of his at the 2019 edition in China, when helping Spain capture their second title in the competition. Rudy averaged three per game.

In a First Round triumph over Puerto Rico, Rudy had six and a few games later against Italy, he had five.

Moreover, he's one of the few players on this list that move up this year as he's been named to the preliminary roster for Spain.

18. Marc GASOL

CENTER

Birth date: 29/01/1985

Assists: 66
Games played: 32
Participations: 4 (2006, 2010, 2014, 2019)
Medals:🥇(2006, 2019)

If you didn't know his size and position and just looked at the stats, one might think Marc Gasol played as a guard because he had numerous games with several assists and especially in 2019, when he helped Spain win the World Cup.

The 2.15m (7ft 1in) pivot had six in a Second Round win over Serbia, seven in a Quarter-Final triumph over Poland and seven again in the Final against Australia. One of two Spain stars to celebrate titles at both the World Cup in 2006 and 2019, Gasol also ranks sixth all-time in rebounds and 28th in scoring.

17. Kerem TUNCERI

GUARD

Birth date: 14/04/1979

Assists: 66
Games played: 21
Participations: 3 (2002, 2010, 2014)
Medals:🥈(2010)

Tunceri was a fiery guard who made his World Cup debut in 2002 in Indianapolis when he had his best game in an 86-66 triumph over Angola with seven assists. His most famous World Cup was eight years later in Istanbul, and not just because he averaged a team-high four assists.

Tunceri scored on a drive in the last seconds of regulation of the Semi-Final against Serbia to force overtime and Turkey then won to advance to the title game. Tunceri had five assists in the Final but Turkey fell to USA, 81-64.

16. Goran DRAGIC

GUARD

Birth date: 06/05/1986

Assists: 67
Games played: 17
Participations: 3 (2006 2010, 2014)
Medals: 0

Dragic is a bona fide legend of international basketball after representing Slovenia in multiple tournaments, including FIBA EuroBasket 2017 when he reached the top of the podium and was MVP. In three World Cups, he made his mark, including in 2010 when was taking off as a star in the NBA.

The 1.93m (6ft 4in) blazing-fast playmaker averaged a team-high 4.1 assists per game and had eight in wins over Tunisia and Australia. In 2014, in Spain. His assist average was 4.3 per content, the best of his World Cup career even if he did not tally more than six in a game. He was, however, the leading scorer of the 2014 team at 16.0 points per game.

15. Tomas SATORANSKY

GUARD

Birth date: 30/10/1991

Assists: 68
Games played: 8
Participations: 1 (2019)
Medals: 0 

The Czech Republic hoops icon has played in just one World Cup and ranks in the top 15! He was spectacular in 2019, averaging 8.5 dimes per game. Only Dennis Schroder's rate of 9.4 assists per game was better.

Satoransky was the undisputed leader of the team in China, spearheading their surprising run to sixth place. He had 13 assists in a Quarter-Final defeat to Australia and 12 in a Classification Round win over Poland.

14. Pero CAMERON

FORWARD

Birth date: 05/06/1974

Assists: 69
Games played: 21
Participations: 3 (2002. 2006, 2010)
Medals: 0

The beloved New Zealand Tall Black who is now coach of the national team, Cameron captured the imagination of not just everyone in the land of the long white cloud, but international basketball as a whole. A stout forward who could get hot from long range, Cameron was also a great passer.

At the 2002 World Cup in Indianapolis, Cameron led New Zealand to the Semi-Finals. He was second on the team in assists at 3.6 per game. He had five in a 65-63 Quarter-Final victory over Puerto Rico and eight in a Third-Place Game defeat to Dirk Nowitzki and Germany. Cameron was inducted to the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2017.

13. Matthew DELLAVEDOVA

GUARD

Birth date: 08/09/1990

Assists: 72
Games played: 14
Participations: 2 (2014, 2019)
Medals: 0

A tough-as-nails guard, Australia's Dellavedova made his World Cup bow in Spain back in 2014 and averaged a team-best 3.7 assists per game. The feisty 1.91m (6ft 3in) playmaker was far more influential in 2019 when he helped Australia finish fourth.

Delly averaged 6.3 assists per game and had as many as nine twice - against France in the Second Round and Spain in the Semi-Finals when the Boomers fell after two overtimes.

Dellavedova has a chance like Fernandez, as mentioned above, to add on to his tally as he has been named to the Boomers' preliminary roster. (editors note: Australia reduced 15-man squad on August 9 to 13 players and Dellavedova was not retained).

12. Joe INGLES

FORWARD

Birth date: 02/10/1987

Assists: 75
Games played: 19
Participations: 3 (2010, 2014, 2019)
Medals:: 0

Australian Ingles is an all-rounder on the basketball court, excelling in every facet of the game with his long, wiry frame and unrivaled court awareness. Setting up fellow Boomers for buckets is but one of his gifts, and he did so at a very high rate at the last World Cup when he had 26 assists in the first three games alone!

Ingles averaged 5.6 for the tournament, which ranked ninth overall.  Ingles does what's needed to win, be it scoring, rebounding, coming up with steals, blocking shots or drawing defenses to himself so he can pick out teammates for baskets.

Like Dellavedova, the seasoned veteran stands a chance to move up into the Top 10 players on this list after being named to the Boomers' preliminary roster as well.

11. Carlos ARROYO

GUARD

Birth date: 30/07/1979

Assists: 79
Games played: 16
Participations: 4 (2002, 2006, 2010, 2014)
Medals: 0

The Puerto Rico legend's best World Cup was his first in 2002 when he averaged a tournament-best 6.4 assists per game in Indianapolis - nearly two assists better than Mark Dickel of New Zealand and Miloud Dubal of Algeria, who were tied for second at 4.6.

Were it not for a narrow defeat to New Zealand in the Quarter-Finals, 65-63, Arroyo would have played for a spot on the podium. He had nine assists when the Boricuas beat eventual champions Yugoslavia, 85-83, and against the USA in the Classification Round. His highest number of World Cup assists in a game was 10 in a 90-87 victory over China at the 2006 World Cup in Japan. Arroyo also had 25 points in that game. 

10. Juan Carlos NAVARRO

GUARD

Birth date: 13/06/1980

Assists: 79
Games played: 33
Participations: 4 (2002, 2006, 2010, 2014)
Medals:🥇(2006)

La Bomba was Spain's ultimate weapon on offense, an explosive guard famous for hitting crazy shots, burying three-balls or making teardrop layups. The 1.91 (6ft 3in) Navarro also excelled at sharing the basketball. In Spain's 75-74 triumph over Argentina at the 2006 World Cup, he had five assists. Spain then won the title with a romp over Greece.

Four years later and Navarro was set to be the player of the game against Serbia in the Quarter-Finals with 27 points and five assists but a late Milos Teodosic three-pointer lifted his team to a 92-89 victory. In the next game, Navarro had his World Cup high of seven assists in a Classification Round win over Slovenia. One of Navarro's biggest achievements was also being named EuroBasket 2011 MVP.

9. Milos TEODOSIC

GUARD

Birth date: 19/03/1987

Assists: 79
Games played: 16
Participations: 2 (2010, 2014)
Medals:🥈(2014)

If ever a player was born to pass, it was Teodosic, whose majestic efforts have gone viral over the years, be it in international basketball, or as a professional in Europe or the NBA.

His 5.6 assists per game average ranked third at the 2010 World Cup. He had 11 in a 83-82 Semi-Final defeat to Turkey. Four years later and the pass master averaged 4.4 as Serbia finished second.

8. Boris DIAW

FORWARD

Birth date: 09/05/1998

Assists: 80
Games played: 24
Participations: 3 (2006, 2010, 2014)
Medals:🥉(2014)

Diaw was a picture of versatility, a player with sublime passing skills. The long-time NBA player could score, too, yet he seemed to get more joy from setting up teammates for baskets.

He and Thomas Heurtel each led France with an average of 4.0 assists per game at the 2014 World Cup, when Les Bleus reached the podium. Four times at that event in Spain, he had five assists in games.

7. Marcelo MILANESIO

GUARD

Birth date: 11/02/1965

Assists: 83
Games played: 32
Participations: 4 (1986, 1990, 1994, 1998)
Medals: 0

One of the best passers in the history of international basketball, Milanesio's tally is actually higher than 83 yet FIBA only began archiving assist stats in 1994. Therefore, his assist totals from the 1986 and 1990 World Cups are not included.

In 1994, he averaged a whopping 6.9 per game in Toronto - his best effort an 11-assist performance in a victory over Egypt. In 1998 in Greece, he averaged 3.1 assists, which included nine in a game against the USA.

6. Mantas KALNIETIS

GUARD

Birth date: 06/09/1986

Assists: 83
Games played: 23
Participations: 3 (2006, 2010, 2019)
Medals:🥉(2010)

Kalnietis, deemed by many not to be the ideal playmaker, evolved into a dependable and effective point guard. After bursting onto the World Cup scene in 2006 with tremendous, high-flying athleticism in the Group Phase in Hamamatsu, his highest assist average in FIBA's flagship event came in his participation, in 2019, at 5.4 per game.

Yet it was in 2010 when Kalnietis enjoyed his finest hour, as Lithuania lost just once, to eventual champions USA in the Semi-Finals. His 3.4 assists per game were tops on the team. He had five dimes in wins over Spain, China, Argentina and Serbia.

5. Facundo CAMPAZZO

GUARD

Birth date: 23/03/1991

Assists: 88
Games played: 14
Participations: 2 (2014, 2019)
Medals:🥈(2019)

Argentina's passing wizard was mesmerizing at the 2019 World Cup in China, where he collected assist after assist slick, incredible deliveries.

It was definitely showtime when Facu was in the game as he helped his country reach the Final, averaging 7.8 assists - No. 3 overall in the tournament. His best game was in the Quarter-Final victory over Serbia, a 12-assist spectacle to go with his 18 points.

4. Marcelino HUERTAS

GUARD

Birth date: 25/05/1983

Assists: 95
Games played: 23
Participations: 4 (2006, 2010, 2014, 2019)
Medals: 0

The evergreen point guard of Brazil, poised to joined elite company by playing at the World Cup for the fifth time, should view 2010 as his best World Cup. He teamed up with Tiago Splitter on numerous pick-and-rolls to collect many of his assists. He finished with the second best average in the tournament of 5.8 per game.

His five assists contributed to a near upset of the USA in Istanbul, a game that finished 70-68, while his biggest total was 10 in the next group game against Slovenia. If teams tried to curtail his passing, Marcelinho scored instead. In the 2010 Round of 16 game against Argentina. Marcelinho had two assists yet scored 32 points.

It won't take much for Huertas to make it into the top 3, if he makes the final cut after being listed on Brazil's preliminary roster for this year's competition.

3. Pepe Sanchez

GUARD

Birth date: 08/05/1977

Assists: 95
Games played: 23
Participations: 3 (1998, 2002, 2006)
Medals:🥈(2002)

Sanchez was close to celebrating the world title with his team in 2002, in Indianapolis, yet Yugoslavia edged the encounter after overtime. He averaged 4.1 assists per game, while in the Final Sanchez had six dimes. He had nine assists in a victory over Venezuela on day one. After celebrating 2004 Olympic Gold Medal success in Athens, Argentina sought 2006 World Cup glory in Japan.

Sanchez dished out 5.8 assists per game and had 10 in a win over Serbia and Montenegro. When teammate Andres Nocioni's potential game-winning three-ball bounced off the rim at the end of the Semi-Final against Spain, though, giving the Europeans a 75-74 win, Sanchez's bid to reach the top of the World Cup podium came was dashed.

2. Pablo PRIGIONI

GUARD

Birth date: 17/05/1977

Assists: 106
Games played: 24
Participations: 3 (2006, 2010, 2014)
Medals: 0

Prigioni played for Argentina at the World Cup for the first time well into his career in 2006, when he was 29, as the backup to Sanchez (above). The fact that he ranks No. 2 all time, therefore, is hugely impressive.

His best World Cup was the 2010 edition, when Argentina reached the Quarter-Finals. Prigioni averaged an event-best 6.4 assists per game. He had nine against both Jordan and Serbia, and eight in the famous Round of 16 victory over Brazil. His best World Cup game with assists was against Puerto Rico in 2014, when he had 10.

1. Ricky RUBIO

GUARD

Birth date: 21/10/1990

Assists: 130
Games played: 24
Participations: 3 (2010, 2014, 2019)
Medals:🥇(2019)

The 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup MVP is far away No. 1 in assists in the competition's history. After averaging 5.1 per game at both the 2010 and 2014 World Cups, he made it 6.0 per contest four years ago. Rubio's 12 assists in a double overtime Semi-Final triumph over Argentina was his highest total in a World Cup game.

In 2010, Rubio had 11 assists in a victory over New Zealand in just his second World Cup game. Rubio has done so many things to help Spain, which is reflected by his No. 39 ranking overall in the history of World Cup rebounding. His 16.4 points per game led Spain in scoring four years ago when they captured the World Cup. 

If you liked this editorial piece, please make sure to check the FIBA Basketball World Cup Top 100 scorers here and  the FIBA Basketball World Cup Top 50 rebounders here.

FIBA