Back to the trend of the day: Detroit's basketball star has more room to play, and the team is unbeaten

Poly Rating · from the trend of the day

NBA Catch and Shoot Stats 2026-27: Top 10 Passers

Cade Cunningham created 19.5 potential assists a game last season, nearly three more than anyone else, but Nikola Jokić's teammates made 59% of the shots off his passes, against 56% for Cunningham's.

No. 1: Nikola Jokic
10 places
Current as of October 27, 2026, 09:03 EDT

01Final list

The leading AIs each built their own list of ten independently. Here is one result that is easy to check: every place has a reason, a source, and the list of AIs that included it.

Order: from most to least AI agreement.

A bright badge means this AI put the entry on its list. A dim badge means it did not.

1
Nikola Jokic
Teammates hit 59% off his passes, tied for best among the top creators. He also led the NBA at 10.7 assists. His own passing makes the space more than his shooters do.
Included it: Claude, ChatGPT, Meta, Grok, Gemini, Nova, Kimi, Qwen. Did not include: DeepSeek, Wenxin.
In their lists: Claude: 1 · ChatGPT: 1 · Meta: 2 · Grok: 1 · Gemini: 1 · Nova: 3 · Kimi: 2 · Qwen: 1
What each AI noted 8
- Claudeplace 1
  His teammates shoot 59% off his passes, the best rate among the top-five passers on the Sports Info Solutions list, and the Nuggets' point differential with him on the floor was reported at +16.3.
  Source ↗
- ChatGPTplace 1
  A center produced 697 assists in 65 games last season, leading the entire NBA at 10.7 per game.
  Source ↗
- Metaplace 2
  59% of teammate shots off his passes go in with 321 rim assists – spacing is his passing, not just shooters
  Source ↗
- Grokplace 1
  Highest-quality creator: teammates converted his passes at 59% FG while he led the league in assists (10.7) and became the first player ever to lead in both assists and rebounds.
  Source ↗
- Geminiplace 1
  Converts 62.9% of his potential assists into made baskets, yielding 24.2 assist points per game from the highest-percentage passes in basketball.
- Novaplace 3
  16.5 PA with 61% catch-and-shoot from teammates keeps Denver’s floor elastic
  Source ↗
- Kimiplace 2
  The best conversion in the league: teammates shoot 59% off his passes — the same as Luka's mark — and Denver posted the NBA's best catch-and-shoot 3P% (40.5%) in 2025-26.
  Source ↗
- Qwenplace 1
  Denver gives up traditional rim-running for elite shooting; Jokic's space comes entirely from his own passing gravity (18.5 potential assists/game), not his drives.
  Source ↗
8 AIs put it here
Source ↗
2
Cade Cunningham
Most passes into shots in the NBA, 19.5 a game with teammates hitting 56%. Detroit won 60 games despite ranking 28th in made threes, and is 3-0 with new shooters.
Included it: Claude, ChatGPT, Meta, Grok, Gemini, Nova, Kimi, Wenxin. Did not include: DeepSeek, Qwen.
In their lists: Claude: 2 · ChatGPT: 2 · Meta: 1 · Grok: 2 · Gemini: 4 · Nova: 1 · Kimi: 1 · Wenxin
What each AI noted 8
- Claudeplace 2
  He led the league in potential assists at 19.5 per game, nearly 3 more than anyone else, and his teammates still shot 56% off his passes.
  Source ↗
- ChatGPTplace 2
  Detroit won 60 games despite ranking 28th in made threes; its new shooters are intended to unlock an offense that already won the East.
  Source ↗
- Metaplace 1
  19.5 potential assists leaves 8.5 nightly on the table – Pistons 3-0 after surrounding him with five 40% shooters
  Source ↗
- Grokplace 2
  League-leading 19.5 potential assists per game last year; new shooters (Isaiah Joe, Duncan Robinson, others) are turning his passes into points and opening one-on-one space, as Detroit starts 3-0.
- Geminiplace 4
  Created 21.9 assist points nightly on 17.5 potential assists after Detroit flanked him with elite spacing to offset Ausar Thompson and Jalen Duren in the paint.
- Novaplace 1
  Detroit’s engine: 15.4 PA + 58% team catch-and-shoot with added floor spacers
- Kimiplace 1
  Leads the whole NBA at 19.5 potential assists per game — 2.6 more than second place — yet had 8.5 of them 'left on the table' every night before Detroit added five 40%-plus shooters this summer.
- Wenxin
  Named differently in its own list: open the full list.
8 AIs put it here
Source ↗
3
Luka Doncic
Teammates convert 59% of his 16.0 potential assists, the same rate as Jokić. He also led the NBA at 33.5 points, so the space starts with his own scoring and drives.
Included it: Claude, ChatGPT, Meta, Grok, Gemini, Nova, Kimi, Qwen. Did not include: DeepSeek, Wenxin.
In their lists: Claude: 3 · ChatGPT: 3 · Meta: 3 · Grok: 3 · Gemini: 3 · Nova: 7 · Kimi: 3 · Qwen: 3
What each AI noted 8
- Claudeplace 3
  He generates 16.0 potential assists per game, and his teammates convert 59% of them, a rate tied with Jokić.
  Source ↗
- ChatGPTplace 3
  His 530 assists came alongside a league-leading 33.5 points per game: defenders must choose between the scorer and his receivers.
  Source ↗
- Metaplace 3
  22.2 drives per game at 64.8% FG on drives – Lakers 3-0 with 8.3 assists baseline
  Source ↗
- Grokplace 3
  High-volume creator whose passes converted at 59% FG last year; space comes mostly from his own driving gravity rather than pure shooters around him.
  Source ↗
- Geminiplace 3
  Generates 18.0 potential assists per game by collapsing three defenders to gift wide-open corner threes hitting at a 61.2% effective clip.
- Novaplace 7
  13.4 PA with dual-threat creation; Lakers +12 net with him on floor
  Source ↗
- Kimiplace 3
  Creates almost as many shots as Cade (16.0 potential assists) with the same 59% conversion — but on a 38.1% usage rate, the highest on this list, so the space starts with his own drives.
  Source ↗
- Qwenplace 3
  The Lakers do not give up defense for him; Luka's space comes from his own historic step-back and pull-up gravity, forcing defenders to stay glued to him rather than helping off shooters.
  Source ↗
8 AIs put it here
Source ↗
4
Trae Young
Leads the early 2026-27 assist table at 11.33 over a few games. His 20.7 potential assists come from 2024-25, so no current figure shows how often his teammates convert his passes.
Included it: ChatGPT, Meta, Grok, Gemini, Nova, Kimi, Qwen. Did not include: Claude, DeepSeek, Wenxin.
In their lists: ChatGPT: 9 · Meta: 5 · Grok: 4 · Gemini: 7 · Nova: 2 · Kimi: 4 · Qwen: 5
What each AI noted 7
- ChatGPTplace 9
  The early-season assists leaderboard shows 11.33 per game, ahead of every other player listed, but that alone cannot establish the best shooting support.
  Source ↗
- Metaplace 5
  71 total potential assists in first 3 games 2026-27 – 11.3 APG early with Washington
  Source ↗
- Grokplace 4
  Historically the volume king of potential assists; early 2026-27 leader in official assists (11.3) after limited 2025-26 action.
  Source ↗
- Geminiplace 7
  Tops the entire NBA with 20.7 potential assists and 27.1 points created, yet watches nearly 700 potential assists slip away on cold perimeter shooting.
- Novaplace 2
  League-best 20.7 PA but Hawks middle-tier offense shows finishing limits
  Source ↗
- Kimiplace 4
  Leads the NBA in assists right now (11.3 per game) while shooting just 36.6% — the purest case on the list of space coming from the pass, not the shooter's fear of the star's own shot.
  Source ↗
- Qwenplace 5
  Atlanta sacrifices wing defense for shooting; Trae's space comes entirely from his shooters pulling defenders to 30 feet, allowing his pocket passes to thrive without him needing to drive.
7 AIs put it here
Source ↗
5
Tyrese Haliburton
He missed 2025-26 with a torn Achilles, so there is no baseline. He returned on Oct 7 and is averaging 9.5 to 9.7 assists early, depending on the source.
Included it: Claude, ChatGPT, Meta, Grok, Gemini, Nova, Qwen. Did not include: Kimi, DeepSeek, Wenxin.
In their lists: Claude: 9 · ChatGPT: 7 · Meta: 9 · Grok: 5 · Gemini: 2 · Nova: 4 · Qwen: 4
What each AI noted 7
- Claudeplace 9
  He played his first game since the Achilles tear on October 7, 2026, and I found no 2026-27 tracking data on him.
  Source ↗
- ChatGPTplace 7
  His early 2026-27 average of 9.50 assists revives the case for one of basketball's most pass-oriented creators.
  Source ↗
- Metaplace 9
  9.7 APG in first 3 games 2026-27 on 53.3% FG – Pacers 5-out gives wide-open reads
  Source ↗
- Grokplace 5
  Elite historical potential-assists producer whose return from injury keeps him among the top pure facilitators.
  Source ↗
- Geminiplace 2
  Drives the league's most lethal uptempo catch-and-shoot web, turning 15.8 potential assists into 22.5 points created per night.
- Novaplace 4
  15.8 PA fuels Pacers’ 3P-heavy attack; teammates shoot 56% catch-and-shoot
  Source ↗
- Qwenplace 4
  Indiana's pace gives up half-court defense for transition; Haliburton's space comes from his shooters running the floor ahead of him, rather than his own driving penetration.
  Source ↗
7 AIs put it here
Source ↗
6
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
The MVP's 6.6 assists come off his own drives. His shooters finish the kick-outs, but the room comes from him. Sources disagree on his playoff potential assists: 16.0 or 15.1.
Included it: Claude, ChatGPT, Meta, Gemini, Kimi, Qwen. Did not include: Grok, Nova, DeepSeek, Wenxin.
In their lists: Claude: 5 · ChatGPT: 4 · Meta: 7 · Gemini: 5 · Kimi: 6 · Qwen: 6
What each AI noted 6
- Claudeplace 5
  He scores 31.1 points per game for a team ranked first in net rating, and his own driving matters more than his teammates' shooting.
  Source ↗
- ChatGPTplace 4
  The reigning 2025-26 MVP created perimeter opportunities while also being the league's Clutch Player of the Year.
  Source ↗
- Metaplace 7
  League-leading 23.9 drives per game scores 15.4 points on drives alone
  Source ↗
- Geminiplace 5
  Parleys a league-topping 23.1 drives per game into pristine perimeter kickouts that convert at a staggering 63.5% effective field goal rate.
- Kimiplace 6
  The MVP's playoff engine: 16.0 potential assists per game in the 2026 postseason with an 8.0-to-16.0 real-to-potential ratio — fewer raw chances than Cade, but on the league's best regular-season team.
  Source ↗
- Qwenplace 6
  OKC does not sacrifice finishing inside; SGA's space comes from his own 22.4 drives per game collapsing the paint, forcing kick-outs to shooters rather than relying on them to stretch the floor.
6 AIs put it here
Source ↗
7
Josh Giddey
Third in potential assists at 16.6 a game, with teammates converting 54%. His 9.1 assists came in only 54 games, so some qualified leaderboards leave him out.
Included it: Claude, ChatGPT, Meta, Grok, Kimi, Qwen. Did not include: Gemini, Nova, DeepSeek, Wenxin.
In their lists: Claude: 7 · ChatGPT: 10 · Meta: 6 · Grok: 6 · Kimi: 8 · Qwen: 9
What each AI noted 6
- Claudeplace 7
  Giddey's 16.6 potential assists and 9.1 assists per game came with teammates shooting 54%, putting him between Morant and Cunningham in conversion.
  Source ↗
- ChatGPTplace 10
  His 9.1 assists per game in 2025-26 missed some conventional qualifying leaderboards because he played 54 games.
  Source ↗
- Metaplace 6
  16.6 potential assists with 54% FG off pass – Bulls last in 3PA (26.4) yet 37.1% team 3P%
  Source ↗
- Grokplace 6
  Consistent high-volume creator (16.6 potential APG) whose teammates convert at a solid 54%.
  Source ↗
- Kimiplace 8
  Third in the NBA at 16.6 potential assists a night with a 54% conversion rate — a volume engine whose shooters cash in at a middle-of-the-pack rate for this group.
  Source ↗
- Qwenplace 9
  Chicago's lineup gives up interior scoring for spacing; Giddey's space comes strictly from the shooters around him, as his own lack of shooting gravity requires their spacing to find passing angles.
  Source ↗
6 AIs put it here
Source ↗
8
James Harden
Averaged 8.0 assists and made 3.1 threes a game across the Clippers and Cavaliers, so he spaces the floor himself as well as feeding shooters. No source gives his teammates' conversion rate.
Included it: Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, Nova, Kimi. Did not include: Meta, Grok, DeepSeek, Wenxin, Qwen.
In their lists: Claude: 8 · ChatGPT: 8 · Gemini: 9 · Nova: 6 · Kimi: 9
What each AI noted 5
- Claudeplace 8
  At 8.0 assists and 3.1 threes per game he creates for others and spaces the floor himself. His team was swept in the conference finals, and he shot 29.9% from three in the playoffs.
  Source ↗
- ChatGPTplace 8
  At 8.0 assists per game in 2025-26, Harden remained an elite organizer while recording 557 assists across two teams.
  Source ↗
- Geminiplace 9
  Coordinates 15.1 potential assists into 20.2 points created per game with pinpoint skip passing out of slow-tempo isolation sets.
- Novaplace 6
  13.7 PA but Clippers lag; relies on isolated creation over system spacing
  Source ↗
- Kimiplace 9
  Still a top-two assist man in the 2025-26 baseline (10.3 APG through late October, second only to Jokic) — the oldest pure pick-and-roll feeder on the list, now feeding Cleveland's shooters.
  Source ↗
5 AIs put it here
Source ↗
9
Ja Morant
Second in potential assists at 16.9, but teammates make only 52%, so 8.1 a game go unconverted. That is the clearest case on the list of shooters limiting the passer.
Included it: Claude, Meta, Kimi. Did not include: ChatGPT, Grok, Gemini, Nova, DeepSeek, Wenxin, Qwen.
In their lists: Claude: 6 · Meta: 8 · Kimi: 7
What each AI noted 3
- Claudeplace 6
  His potential assists (16.9) come second only to Cunningham's, but his teammates shoot only 52% off them, well behind the 59% of Jokić and Dončić.
  Source ↗
- Metaplace 8
  16.9 potential assists but 8.1 missed – teammates hit only 52% off his passes
  Source ↗
- Kimiplace 7
  Second in the league in potential assists (16.9) but only 52% of his teammates' shots off his passes fall — the biggest 'conversion gap' among the elite creators, meaning the shooters, not the passes, are the limit.
  Source ↗
3 AIs put it here
Source ↗
10
Jalen Johnson
A point forward who had 566 assists (7.9 a game) in 2025-26 and has opened 2026-27 at 10.00, second in the league. That early number is a small sample.
Included it: ChatGPT, Grok. Did not include: Claude, Meta, Gemini, Nova, Kimi, DeepSeek, Wenxin, Qwen.
In their lists: ChatGPT: 6 · Grok: 7
What each AI noted 2
- ChatGPTplace 6
  He delivered 566 assists in 2025-26 and opened 2026-27 averaging 10.00, making him a serious point-forward contender.
  Source ↗
- Grokplace 7
  Rising playmaker whose potential-assists volume sits just behind the elite tier while Atlanta builds around him.
  Source ↗
2 AIs put it here
Source ↗

More about the top three ↓

02More about the top three

The ranking is above. Here is more about the three places at the top: what they are, why they are here, and what is worth knowing.

Jokić and Doncic are compared on how often teammates score, but Cunningham stands out for how many chances he creates, so quality and volume are not the same measure.

1Nikola Jokic

No. 1 — Nikola Jokic. On the lists of 8 of 10 AIs; median place there: 1. Teammates make 59% of shots off his passes, and he led the NBA in assists, so his own passing creates the space.

Nikola Jokic free throw (cropped) — All-Pro Reels · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Did you know

Jokić was picked 41st in the 2014 draft while ESPN showed a Taco Bell ad. He has said he was asleep in Serbia at the time and has never eaten Taco Bell.
Source ↗

What it is: Denver center who runs the offense with his passing.
Its edge: Teammates score on 59% of his passes, with far fewer drives needed.
Who should know: Useful for fans who wonder if a big man's passing can open the floor.

Teammates' FG% off passes59% of teammates' shots made

Wikipedia · Wikidata

Why it is here

Jokic became the first center to reach 6,000 career assists. He did it with a pass to Jamal Murray for a layup, in a game where he had a season-high 19 assists. — Eurohoops
Source ↗

History

In December 2016, Denver moved Nikola Jokić from backup to starter, changing the team’s direction. The Nuggets’ president said there was no better offense in the league after the switch. — NBA.com
Source ↗

Keep in mind

Jokić tends to play down fame and stats. After the Finals he said of his 30-20-10 line: "I don't care, it's just a stat." That low-key style may be part of why his attention is smaller than his value.
Source ↗

What people say

Basketball is not the main thing in my life. It's something that I'm good at. — Nikola Jokić
Source ↗

Where to go further

Open his ESPN stats page and look at the per-game line first: points, rebounds, assists. Notice how much he does with the ball, since his passing drives his team's offense.
Source ↗

Video: How Good Is Nikola Jokić Actually? · Hoops Central

Compare the top three ↓

2Cade Cunningham

No. 2 — Cade Cunningham. On the lists of 8 of 10 AIs; median place there: 2. He sets up the most shots in the NBA, and teammates still hit 56%, so Detroit's offense runs through his passing.

Did you know

On Nov 10, 2025, Cade Cunningham scored 46 points with 12 rebounds, 11 assists, five steals and two blocks. The article calls him the first player in NBA history with 45+ points, 10+ rebounds, 10+ assists and 5+ steals in one game.
Source ↗

What it is: Detroit guard who handles most of the team's offense.
Its edge: Most chances created, 19.5 a game, nearly three more than anyone.
Who should know: Useful for fans who want to see how volume of passes matters, not only accuracy.

Teammates' FG% off passes56% on 19.5 chances a game

Wikipedia · Wikidata

Why it is here

Cunningham averaged 9.9 assists a game in 2025-26, with 634 in total over 64 games. He also scored 23.9 points a game, so he both set up teammates and scored himself. — Land of Basketball
Source ↗
Detroit finished 60-22, first in its division, with Cunningham's 634 assists and 1,531 points leading the team. The page lists 1,531 as the team's top scoring total. — StatsCrew
Source ↗

Did you know

In 2024–25, Cunningham and Oscar Robertson were the only players with 25+ points, 5+ rebounds and 9+ assists per game at age 23 or younger. In the 2026 playoffs he also scored 45 against Orlando, a Pistons playoff record.
Source ↗

History

In 2021 the Pistons won the draft lottery and got the No. 1 pick, which they used on Cade Cunningham. The team had struggled for years, and that pick became the start of its rebuild.
Source ↗

Keep in mind

Handling so much of the offense has a cost. The page says Cade's 58 playoff turnovers were the most of any player, including 8 in one loss to Cleveland, 3 of them in the last three minutes.
Source ↗

Where to go further

Open his stats page and check the game log first. Look at his assists per game, then at how often his passes lead to shots. Compare nights with more and fewer minutes on the floor.
Source ↗

Meta, Nova, Kimi put it first. What they saw in it

Meta: 19.5 potential assists leaves 8.5 nightly on the table – Pistons 3-0 after surrounding him with five 40% shooters
Nova: Detroit’s engine: 15.4 PA + 58% team catch-and-shoot with added floor spacers
Kimi: Leads the whole NBA at 19.5 potential assists per game — 2.6 more than second place — yet had 8.5 of them 'left on the table' every night before Detroit added five 40%-plus shooters this summer.

Compare the top three ↓

3Luka Doncic

No. 3 — Luka Doncic. On the lists of 8 of 10 AIs; median place there: 3. Teammates hit 59% off his passes, matching Jokić, but his space starts with his own scoring and drives.

Did you know

Luka Doncic's first career triple-double came at 19, for Real Madrid against Real Betis in May 2018: 17 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists. It made him the youngest player ever to record a triple-double in Spain's ACB league.
Source ↗

What it is: Lakers guard who scores a lot and also passes.
Its edge: Led the NBA in scoring at 33.5 points, forcing defenders to stay on him.
Who should know: Useful for fans who want to see how a top scorer makes room for others.

Teammates' FG% off passes59% on 16.0 chances a game

Wikipedia · Wikidata

Why it is here

Doncic won the 2025-26 scoring title at 33.5 points a game, with 2,143 points in total. That was 26 more than Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who played four more games. — Newsweek
Source ↗
Besides scoring, Doncic averaged 8.3 assists and 7.7 rebounds. He is the first Laker to win the scoring title since Kobe Bryant in 2006-07, when Bryant averaged 31.5. — Newsweek
Source ↗

History

On February 2, 2025, Dallas traded Luka Doncic to the Lakers for Anthony Davis, a surprise that shocked many fans. Dallas's GM said a defensive center and an All-NBA player gave the team a better chance to win.
Source ↗

Keep in mind

Fitness has been a question. CBS writes that Dallas was reportedly unhappy with his conditioning, and some observers said he needed to be in better shape after the Lakers' first-round loss.
Source ↗
Defense is the other common complaint. A theScore writer says the worries are valid, writing: "Doncic is a massive defensive liability more often than not."
Source ↗

Where to go further

Open his stats page and start with the season totals: points, assists and shooting. Then scan the game log to see how often his drives and passes create open shots for teammates.
Source ↗

Video: The Wildest Night In NBA History (Luka Doncic Trade) · Nonstop

Compare the top three ↓

The top three side by side

	Nikola Jokic	Cade Cunningham	Luka Doncic
In the AIs' lists	8 / 10	8 / 10	8 / 10
Teammates' FG% off passes	59% of teammates' shots made	56% on 19.5 chances a game	59% on 16.0 chances a game
Put first by	Claude, ChatGPT, Grok, Gemini, Qwen	Meta, Nova, Kimi	—

Places with the same number of AIs are ordered by their average place in the AIs' own lists.

03Worth knowing

What the AIs noticed while building the list.

Cunningham's 19.5 potential assists a game led Ja Morant's 16.9 by 2.6, but 8.5 of them a night ended in missed shots.

Noticed by:

Included it: Claude, Meta, Grok, Kimi. Did not include: ChatGPT, Gemini, Nova, DeepSeek, Wenxin, Qwen.

01Final list

Nikola Jokic

Cade Cunningham

Luka Doncic

Trae Young

Tyrese Haliburton

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Josh Giddey

James Harden

Ja Morant

Jalen Johnson

02More about the top three

1Nikola Jokic

Did you know

2Cade Cunningham

Did you know

3Luka Doncic

Did you know

The top three side by side

More ratings

03Worth knowing

04How we counted

1The question

2Why this topic

3Where it applies

4What we looked at

5Who ranked

6How the places were set

05Each AI's own list

What Claude noticed

What ChatGPT noticed

What Meta noticed

What Grok noticed

What Gemini noticed

What Nova noticed

What Kimi noticed

What Qwen noticed