Jokic’s rare stat split

Nikola Jokić finished the 2025-26 regular season leading the National Basketball Association in both rebounds and assists per game, a first in league history. (nba.com) The Denver Nuggets center closed at 12.9 rebounds and 10.9 assists per game, according to National Basketball Association and ESPN stats pages published after the regular season ended on April 12. (nba.com) (espn.com) Jokić did it from a position that usually lives near the rim, not at the top of the playmaking table. National Basketball Association writer Steve Aschburner noted that only Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell had ever averaged even 5.0 assists in a season as centers through 1965-66. (nba.com) The closest historical comparison is Chamberlain in 1967-68, when he led the league in total rebounds and total assists. He did not officially lead in assists per game that season, because Oscar Robertson averaged more assists but played fewer games. (nba.com) That distinction matters because modern leaderboards are usually framed by per-game averages, and those lists are dominated by different player types. Rebounding leaders are usually centers and power forwards, while assist leaders are usually point guards. (nba.com) Jokić paired the split with another triple-double season. ESPN’s season page lists him at 27.8 points, 12.9 rebounds and 10.9 assists per game for Denver. (espn.com) Denver entered the postseason as the Western Conference’s No. 3 seed after a 54-28 finish, with the National Basketball Association’s playoff update saying the bracket was set after the April 12 finale. (nba.com) (foxsports.com) The stat line also lands in the middle of another Most Valuable Player case for Jokić, who already owns three awards. The league article said he was also on track to finish with the assists lead in total assists, even though he did not lead in total rebounds. (nba.com) The cleanest way to read the season is this: the National Basketball Association’s best rebounder was also its top table-setter, and both labels belonged to a 6-foot-11 center in Denver. (nba.com)