On Monday night, the Utah Jazz fell just short in a 110-106 loss to the Charlotte Hornets. While the defeat added to a difficult season, rookie guard Isaiah Collier provided a silver lining with another impressive performance. The 20-year-old finished with 17 points on 6-of-11 shooting, converting five of his six free throws.
Collier also flashed his defensive potential with three steals and a block, but it was his playmaking that made history. With his seventh assist of the night, he recorded his 416th of the season, surpassing franchise icon John Stockton for the most assists by a rookie in Jazz history, per the NBA.
The milestone is particularly significant given Stockton’s status as the NBA’s all-time assist leader. Collier, the 29th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, arrived in Utah with tempered expectations but has quickly emerged as a key figure in the team’s rebuild. His ability to orchestrate the offense, push the tempo and create for teammates has made him an invaluable part of the Jazz’s young core.
Stockton, who dished out 415 assists as a rookie in 1984-85, went on to amass 15,806 assists in his Hall of Fame career—an NBA record that remains untouched. While Collier has a long way to go before being mentioned alongside Stockton in a historical context, his achievement is an encouraging sign for both his development and Utah’s future.
The 6-foot-3 guard has improved as the season has progressed, averaging 9.5 assists per game in February. Since the All-Star break, he has posted 11.7 points, 3.8 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 1.3 steals per game. These are strong numbers despite inconsistent shooting efficiency.
Collier leads all rookies in assists per game (6.2) and total assists while ranking 10th in scoring (561 points) and third in steals (64). His 203 turnovers are the most among rookies, well ahead of Stephon Castle’s 150. However, such growing pains are expected for a young guard shouldering significant playmaking duties, especially on a Jazz team sitting at the bottom of the Western Conference with a 16-60 record.
For perspective, Collier’s turnover total ties him for eighth-most in the NBA alongside Jayson Tatum. Trae Young leads the league with 330, while stars like James Harden, LeBron James, Anthony Edwards and Nikola Jokic all rank between Young and Collier.
Though turnovers remain a concern, they highlight his prominent role as a primary ball-handler—a responsibility few rookies are entrusted with so early in their careers.
