Lakers' Russell Westbrook Passes Gary Payton for 10th on NBA's Career Assists List

Los Angeles Lakers guard Russell Westbrook moved into the top 10 in NBA history in assists during Monday night's 121-104 loss to the Brooklyn Nets.

According to ESPN's Dave McMenamin, Westbrook surpassed Hall of Fame guard Gary Payton, who was a longtime Seattle SuperSonics star and also played for the Lakers.

With 10 assists to go along with 17 points and eight rebounds, Westbrook gave himself 8,972 career assists, moving past Payton's mark of 8,966 dimes.

When asked about his impressive feat after the game, Westbrook said the following:

"If somebody had told me 15 years ago, 20 years ago that you'd be top 10 in assists, I'd look at them like they was crazy. In the NBA, never dreamt of being in this position, nor getting to the point to where I'm next to some of the greats. I'm just truly grateful and thankful for an opportunity to keep playing at the highest level, and I don't take any of that for granted."

For a long stretch of time, Westbrook was the best distributor in the NBA. He finished four consecutive seasons from 2015 to 2019 averaging at least 10 assists per game, and he did it in five out of six seasons from 2015 to 2021.

He led the NBA in assists per game three times, including twice with the Oklahoma City Thunder and once with the Washington Wizards when he put up a career-high 11.7 helpers per game in 2020-21.

Compared to his career marks of 22.5 points, 8.4 assists and 7.3 rebounds per game, Westbrook's production has dropped off during his two seasons in L.A.

Last season, Westbrook averaged 18.5 points, 7.4 rebounds and 7.1 assists per game, and so far this season he is putting up 15.8 points, 7.5 assists and 6.3 boards per contest.

The Lakers have struggled as a whole this season with a 23-28 record, but things may finally be looking up despite Monday's loss. Both LeBron James and Anthony Davis sat out Monday with foot injuries, but they are expected to be back in action Tuesday.

Davis has missed much of the season because of injury, but if he can stay healthy the rest of the way alongside LeBron, Westbrook and Co., the Lakers have a chance to make some noise in the Western Conference.

As for Westbrook, he has the third-most assists of any active NBA player behind only Chris Paul of the Phoenix Suns and his Lakers teammate in LeBron.

He also has a strong chance to move up one more spot on the all-time list in the near future, as he is just 89 assists behind Detroit Pistons legend Isiah Thomas for ninth place.

The jump is significant after that, though, since Oscar Robertson is 915 assists ahead of Westbrook in eighth place.

Westbrook's push toward Thomas will begin Tuesday night in the Big Apple when the Lakers face the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.