Nikola Jokić is the first player to lead the NBA in rebounds and assists per game

DENVER — Oct. 15, 2026 — Nikola Jokić closed 2025-26 as the NBA leader in both rebounds and assists per game. He averaged 12.9 rebounds and 10.7 assists, per Basketball-Reference, becoming the first player to top both per-game categories in the same season since the league began awarding those titles by average in 1969-70.

The closest historical parallel sits in the totals era. Wilt Chamberlain led the NBA in total rebounds (1,992) and total assists (702) in 1967-68, when leaders were still decided by raw totals rather than per-game marks. Jokić is the first to own both per-game crowns together.

The 2025-26 boards and dishes

Rebounds per game, per Basketball-Reference:

• Nikola Jokić, Nuggets: 12.9
• Karl-Anthony Towns, Knicks: 11.9
• Donovan Clingan, Trail Blazers: 11.6
• Victor Wembanyama, Spurs: 11.5
• Rudy Gobert, Timberwolves: 11.5

Assists per game:

• Nikola Jokić, Nuggets: 10.7
• Cade Cunningham, Pistons: 9.9
• Luka Dončić, Lakers: 8.3
• James Harden, total: 8.0
• Jalen Johnson, Hawks: 7.9

Jokić also led the league in total assists with 697. He finished fourth in total rebounds with 836 — behind Clingan (892), Towns (889) and Gobert (872) — so the rebounding title was purely a per-game win. He averaged 27.7 points as well, eighth in the league, and posted a 32.3 player efficiency rating that topped the NBA.

Why the combo is so rare

Big men have led the league in rebounding for decades. Guards and wings own the assist title almost every season. Pairing both in one year requires a center who is also the primary playmaker. NBA.com framed the feat as first-of-its-kind in the per-game era; Basketball-Reference’s final tables close the books at 12.9 and 10.7.

Jokić’s assist percentage (50.3) also led the league, meaning he assisted on more than half of his teammates’ made baskets while on the floor. That is an extreme share for any position, let alone a center who also led in boards.

What it sets up for 2026-27

Denver opens another season with the reigning rebounds and assists champion in the middle. The scoring title sits with Dončić (33.5), the blocks title with Wembanyama (3.1), and the steals per-game lead with Ausar Thompson (2.0). The one overlapping crown left from last season is Jokić’s unique double — and it is the number that has never been shared.