In their 31 years of NBA play, the Grizzlies have featured a slew of gifted facilitators for the Memphis and Vancouver franchises.
This article will focus on the goaltenders that have contributed the most assists per game throughout the history of the franchise.
Mike Bibby – 2001, 8.4 APG
The Grizzlies made Bibby the second overall pick in the 1998 NBA Draft after he spent two years in college at Arizona.
In 2000-01, his third season as a pro, Bibby appeared in all 82 games and put up 15.9 points, 8.4 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 39 minutes a night.
The dimes represent a career-best mark for the 6-foot-1 guard, as he posted 17 double-doubles and had three outings with 18 helpers, also a career high. Over three years in Vancouver, Bibby averaged 14.7 ppg, 7.8 apg, 3.5 rpg and 1.5 spg in 214 contests.
Jason Williams – 2003, 8.3 APG
Williams slots in at a close second in Grizzlies history, tallying a smooth 8.3 assists per game during the 2002-03 campaign.
Following a productive three seasons with the Kings that saw him finish second for the 1999 Rookie of the Year award, Sacramento dealt ‘J-Will’ to Memphis in exchange for Bibby ahead of the 2001-02 season. In 76 outings, Williams went on to average 12.1 ppg, 1.2 spg and a career-high 8.3 apg against only 2.2 turnovers, recording 20 double-doubles and 25 games with ten or more assists.
Mike Bibby – 2000, 8.1 APG
In his sophomore campaign at age-21, Bibby impressed with averages of 14.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, 8.1 assists and 1.6 steals on 44.5 / 36.3 / 78.0 shooting splits in 82 games.
The Cherry Hill, New Jersey native enjoyed a 14-year career in the NBA, where he spent time with the Grizzlies, Kings, Atlanta Hawks, Washington Wizards, Miami Heat and New York Knicks before retiring in 2012. In 1,001 total outings (950 starts), Bibby tallied 14.7 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 5.5 apg and 1.2 spg.
Ja Morant – 2023, 8.1 APG
Following a breakout 2021-22 season where he earned the Most Improved Player award and his first-ever All-Star and All-NBA selections, Morant posted 26.2 points, 5.9 rebounds, 8.1 assists and 1.1 steals per game across 61 contests in 2023.
The 2020 Rookie of the Year garnered a second consecutive All-Star nod and finished 12th in the MVP race after amassing 20 double-doubles and seven triple-doubles. Morant’s explosive athleticism and downhill pressure allows him to create quality looks for his teammates, culminating in a career average of 7.4 apg in 307 outings across his six professional campaigns.
Jason Williams – 2002, 8.0 APG
Williams rounds out Memphis’ list with the 8.0 apg he dished out during the 2001-02 season. At 26 years of age, the flashy guard poured in a career-high 14.8 ppg and swiped 1.7 spg in 65 outings, all of which he started.
A 2006 NBA champion as a member of the Heat, Williams played a combined 12 years in the league with Memphis, Miami, Sacramento and Orlando before officially retiring in 2011. He recorded career averages of 10.5 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 5.9 apg and 1.2 spg in 788 total games.
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