5 Youngest NBA players to record 10 or more assists in a game

LeBron James is one of the best playmakers to ever grace a basketball court [Photo: Bleacher Report]

The NBA has recorded assists since it began in 1946. Throughout the years, the league has seen players who are virtuosos with the ball in their hands. Their adept ball handling and manipulation of the defense have allowed them to set up their teammates to score baskets.

Assists were originally just the domain of point guards. NBA legends like Bob Cousy, Magic Johnson and John Stockton are the heralds of the playmakers that the league is seeing today. In recent years, “positionless” basketball has allowed players of every type and designation to be playmakers. The reigning MVP Nikola Jokic and former two-time MVP Tim Duncan are such examples.

Only three players in NBA history have amassed 25K points, 15K rebounds and 4K assists in their careers:

Wilt Chamberlain
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Tim Duncan

Put some respect on The Big Fundamental 🐐 https://t.co/jYWSbSVY6Z

With the explosion of the NBA’s popularity, players who are coming in have also become younger. Despite their tender age, there have been players through the years who have managed to pile up their assists total.

In particular, there have been games where they have dished out double-digit assists even when they have barely begun their pro basketball careers in the NBA.

Here’s the list of the youngest NBA players who tallied at least 10 assists in a single game.

#5 Frank Ntilikina (Age: 19 years, 153 days. 11 assists)

Frank Ntilikina of France tries to get past Devin Booker of the United States in the Tokyo Olympics basketball finals

The New York Knicks drafted Frank Ntilikina as the 8th overall pick in the 2017 draft. Tony Parker’s countryman was the second-youngest player in the NBA that year. To develop his huge potential, the Knicks started him slowly off the bench.

Ntilikina’s rookie season was his most productive in the NBA in terms of assists. In that year he averaged 5.9 points, 2.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 78 games, which would be a career-best. As the primary backup to Tim Hardaway Jr., the Frenchman averaged 21.9 minutes per game.

The New York Knicks were an even 17-17 entering the game against the San Antonio Spurs on December 28, 2017. New York missed the playoffs yet again that year while the Spurs were on their way to a playoff spot with a 24-11 slate.

The game was fairly close from start to finish. It wasn't until the fourth quarter that LaMarcus Aldridge, Pau Gasol and Tony Parker ultimately topped the young New York Knicks team. In close to 32 minutes of play, Frank Ntilikina showed Parker what he could do when he ended up with 9 points, 11 assists, 3 rebounds, 3 steals and a single turnover. Sadly for the Knicks, they lost that game to a score of 119-107.

Frank Ntilikina has not played to his full potential yet and is now with the Dallas Mavericks, where he only played two games early into the 2021-22 NBA season.

#4 LaMelo Ball (Age: 19 years, 140 days. 11 assists)

LaMelo Ball is making the Charlotte Hornets must-see TV in the NBA

LaMelo Ball was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets 3rd overall in the 2020 NBA Draft. He was the third-youngest player in the entire league during the 2020-21 season. He finished his rookie campaign with 15.7 points, 5.9 rebounds and 6.1 assists in 51 games. The numbers were good enough to bag the Rookie of the Year award that season.

The match against the Atlanta Hawks on January 9, 2021, was heavily-anticipated as the Hawks had another electric point guard in the sweet-shooting Trae Young. LaMelo Ball’s Charlotte Hornets edged the Atlanta Hawks to even their season record to 5-5.

Another HUGE night for LaMelo:

22 PTS | 9/13 FG | 12 REB | 11 AST

Youngest player in NBA history with a triple double 😎 @MELOD1P (via @hornets) https://t.co/lQoh5rJajk

Ball was spectacular coming off the bench and ended up with 22 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists, becoming the youngest NBA player to record a triple double. He was lights out from the field, connecting on 7-11 field goals, including 3-5 from deep.

The Charlotte Hornets eventually traded Devonte’ Graham to the New Orleans Pelicans and made LaMelo Ball the team’s starting point guard. He led the Hornets to a franchise-best 3-0 start earlier this season before succumbing to the Boston Celtics in overtime.

LaMelo Ball’s presence in Charlotte makes Hornets basketball a must-see on TV. He is pegged to be one of the brightest stars in the NBA in the near future.

Also Read: Who is LaMelo Ball’s girlfriend, Ashlyn Castro?