Sue Bird is the WNBA's all-time leader in assists, with 3,234.
The following is a list of the players who have achieved the most assists during their WNBA careers.
- Statistics accurate as of August 28, 2026.
WNBA most assists
| Rank |
Player |
Pos |
Team(s) played for (years) |
Total assists |
Games played |
Assists per game average[b] |
| 1 |
Sue Bird* |
G |
Seattle Storm (2002–2022) |
3,234 |
580 |
5.6 |
| 2 |
Courtney Vandersloot^ |
G |
Chicago Sky (2011–2022, 2025–present) New York Liberty (2023–2024) |
3,001 |
457 |
6.6 |
| 3 |
Ticha Penicheiro |
G |
Sacramento Monarchs (1998–2009) Los Angeles Sparks (2010–2011) Chicago Sky (2012) |
2,599 |
454 |
5.7 |
| 4 |
Diana Taurasi† |
G |
Phoenix Mercury (2004–2024) |
2,394 |
565 |
4.2 |
| 5 |
Lindsay Whalen* |
G |
Connecticut Sun (2004–2009) Minnesota Lynx (2010–2018) |
2,348 |
480 |
4.9 |
| 6 |
Chelsea Gray^ |
G |
Connecticut Sun (2015) Los Angeles Sparks (2016–2020) Las Vegas Aces (2021–present) |
2,134 |
408 |
5.2 |
| 7 |
Alyssa Thomas^ |
F |
Connecticut Sun (2014–2024) Phoenix Mercury (2025–present) |
2,128 |
395 |
5.4 |
| 8 |
Natasha Cloud^ |
G |
Washington Mystics (2015–2023) Phoenix Mercury (2024) New York Liberty (2025) Chicago Sky (2026–present) |
1,923 |
365 |
5.3 |
| 9 |
Skylar Diggins^ |
G |
Tulsa Shock/Dallas Wings (2013–2018) Phoenix Mercury (2020–2022) Seattle Storm (2024–2025) Chicago Sky (2026–present) |
1,861 |
354 |
5.3 |
| 10 |
Becky Hammon* |
G |
New York Liberty (1999–2006) San Antonio Silver Stars/San Antonio Stars (2007–2014) |
1,708 |
450 |
3.8 |
| 11 |
Candace Parker* |
F/C | Los Angeles Sparks (2008–2020) Chicago Sky (2021–2022) Las Vegas Aces (2023) |
1,634 |
410 |
4.0 |
| 12 |
Cappie Pondexter |
G |
Phoenix Mercury (2006–2009) New York Liberty (2010–2014) Chicago Sky (2015–2017) Los Angeles Sparks (2018) Indiana Fever (2018) |
1,578 |
416 |
3.8 |
| 13 |
Courtney Williams^ |
G |
Phoenix Mercury (2016) Connecticut Sun (2016–2019, 2022) Atlanta Dream (2020–2021) Chicago Sky (2023) Minnesota Lynx (2024–present) |
1,530 |
371 |
4.1 |
| 14 |
Tamika Catchings* |
F |
Indiana Fever (2002–2016) |
1,488 |
457 |
3.3 |
| 15 |
Danielle Robinson† |
G | San Antonio Silver Stars/San Antonio Stars/Las Vegas Aces (2011–2016, 2020) Phoenix Mercury (2017) Minnesota Lynx (2018–2019) Indiana Fever (2021–2022) Atlanta Dream (2023) |
1,479 |
359 |
4.1 |
| 16 |
Erica Wheeler^ |
G |
Atlanta Dream (2015, 2022) New York Liberty (2015) Indiana Fever (2016–2019, 2023–2024) Los Angeles Sparks (2021, 2026–present) Seattle Storm (2025) |
1,453 |
379 |
3.8 |
| 17 |
Shannon Johnson |
G |
Orlando Miracle/Connecticut Sun (1999–2003) San Antonio Silver Stars (2004–2006) Detroit Shock (2007) Houston Comets (2008) Seattle Storm (2009) |
1,424 |
352 |
4.0 |
| 18 |
Tanisha Wright |
G |
Seattle Storm (2005–2014) New York Liberty (2015–2016, 2019) Minnesota Lynx (2018) |
1,422 |
457 |
3.1 |
| 19 |
Jordin Canada^ |
G |
Seattle Storm (2018–2021) Los Angeles Sparks (2022–2023) Atlanta Dream (2024–present) |
1,417 |
268 |
5.3 |
| 20 |
Temeka Johnson |
G |
Washington Mystics (2005) Los Angeles Sparks (2006–2008, 2015) Phoenix Mercury (2009–2010) Tulsa Shock (2011–2013) Seattle Storm (2014) |
1,382 |
327 |
4.2 |
| 21 |
Jasmine Thomas† |
G |
Washington Mystics (2011–2012) Atlanta Dream (2013–2014) Connecticut Sun (2015–2022) Los Angeles Sparks (2023) |
1,355 |
390 |
3.5 |
| 22 |
Briann January |
G |
Indiana Fever (2009–2017) Phoenix Mercury (2018–2019) Connecticut Sun (2020–2021) Seattle Storm (2022) |
1,340 |
393 |
3.4 |
| 23 |
Teresa Weatherspoon* |
G |
New York Liberty (1997–2003) Los Angeles Sparks (2004) |
1,338 |
254 |
5.3 |
| 24 |
Dawn Staley* |
G |
Charlotte Sting (1999–2005) Houston Comets (2005–2006) |
1,337 |
263 |
5.1 |
| 25 |
Kristi Toliver† |
G |
Chicago Sky (2009) Los Angeles Sparks (2010–2016, 2021–2022) Washington Mystics (2017–2019, 2023) |
1,301 |
380 |
3.4 |
Progressive list of assist leaders
This is a progressive list of assist leaders showing how the record increased through the years.[1]
- Statistics accurate as of August 23, 2026.
Assist leader at the end of every season
| Season | Year-by-year leader | Assists | Active player leader | Total assists | Career record | Total assists | Single-season record | Assists | Season |
| 1997 | Teresa Weatherspoon*000NYL | 173 | Teresa Weatherspoon*000NYL | 173 | Teresa Weatherspoon*000NYL | 173 | Teresa Weatherspoon*000NYL | 173 | 1997 |
| 1998 | Ticha Penicheiro000SAC | 225 | 364 | 364 | Ticha Penicheiro000SAC | 225 | 1998 |
| 1999 | 226 | 569 | 569 | 226 | 1999 |
| 2000 | 236 | 773 | 773 | 236 | 2000 |
| 2001 | Teresa Weatherspoon*000NYL | 203 | 976 | 976 | 2001 |
| 2002 | Ticha Penicheiro000SAC | 192 | 1,157 | 1,157 | 2002 |
| 2003 | 229 | 1,306 | 1,306 | 2003 |
| 2004 | Nikki Teasley000LAS | 207 | Ticha Penicheiro000SAC | 1,443 | Ticha Penicheiro000SAC | 1,443 | 2004 |
| 2005 | Temeka Johnson000WAS | 177 | 1,592 | 1,592 | 2005 |
| 2006 | Nikki Teasley000WAS | 183 | 1,708 | 1,708 | 2006 |
| 2007 | Lindsay Whalen*000CON | 169 | 1,852 | 1,852 | 2007 |
| 2008 | Ticha Penicheiro000SAC | 172 | 2,024 | 2,024 | 2008 |
| 2009 | Sue Bird*000SEA | 179 | 2,179 | 2,179 | 2009 |
| 2010 | Ticha Penicheiro000LAS | 220 | 2,399 | 2,399 | 2010 |
| 2011 | Lindsay Whalen*000MIN | 199 | 2,561 | 2,561 | 2011 |
| 2012 | 178 | 2,600 | 2,600 | 2012 |
| 2013 | 197 | Lindsay Whalen*000MIN | 1,722 | 2013 |
| Diana Taurasi†000PHO | 2013 |
| 2014 | Lindsay Whalen*000MIN | 188 | Sue Bird*000SEA | 2,068 | 2014 |
| 2015 | Courtney Vandersloot^000CHI | 198 | 2,215 | 2015 |
| 2016 | Sue Bird*000SEA | 196 | 2,411 | 2016 |
| 2017 | Layshia Clarendon^000ATL | 226 | 2,610 | Sue Bird*000SEA | 2,610 | 2017 |
| 2018 | Courtney Vandersloot^000CHI | 258 | 2,831 | 2,831 | Courtney Vandersloot^000CHI | 258 | 2018 |
| 2019 | 300 | Diana Taurasi†000PHO | 1,867 | 300 | 2019 |
| 2020 | 219 | Sue Bird*000SEA | 2,888 | 2,888 | 2020 |
| 2021 | 275 | 3,048 | 3,048 | 2021 |
| 2022 | Natasha Cloud^000WAS | 239 | 3,234 | 3,234 | 2022 |
| 2023 | Alyssa Thomas^000CON | 316 | Courtney Vandersloot^000NYL/CHI | 2,701 | Alyssa Thomas^000CON | 316 | 2023 |
| 2024 | Caitlin Clark^000IND | 337 | 2,849 | Caitlin Clark^000IND | 337 | 2024 |
| 2025 | Alyssa Thomas^000PHO | 357 | 2,886 | Alyssa Thomas^000PHO | 357 | 2025 |
| 2026 | Caitlin Clark^000IND Alyssa Thomas^000PHO | 290 | 2,992 | 2026 |
| Season | Year-by-year leader | Points | Active player leader | Total points | Career record | Total points | Single-season record | Points | Season |
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