NBA Stats Glossary
Assist Rate
Also: AST% · Assist Percentage
The percentage of teammate field goals a player assists on while they're on the floor.
Definition
Assist rate measures playmaking workload. It accounts for time on the floor and the number of makes available to assist, giving a cleaner picture than raw assist totals.
Formula
AST% = 100 × AST / ((Min / (Team Min / 5)) × Team FGM − FGM)
Example
An AST% of 40%+ is elite playmaking (primary ball-handlers). 25–35% is a secondary creator. Under 15% is a non-creator.
Why it matters for research
Assist rate is the primary driver of assist prop lines. A player taking on more ball-handling responsibility typically sees a rising AST%, which lifts assist prop volume.
Related terms
Apply Assist Rate in research
Ask any NBA question using this metric. The assistant pulls the actual numbers and explains what they mean for tonight's lines.