An assist in basketball is a statistic recorded when a player passes the ball to a teammate on the same team, and that pass leads directly to a scored basket). The pass must go to a teammate who scores a basket, and only one assist can occur during a play like this. The definition of an assist can vary slightly depending on the league. For example, in the NBA, an assist is defined as the last pass to a teammate that leads directly to a field goal. In collegiate basketball, rulings on assists come from home statisticians, and they have room for interpretation on what is ruled an assist and what is not.

There are some situations where a pass does not count as an assist. For example, a pass that leads to a shooting foul and scoring by free throws does not count as an assist in the NBA, but does in FIBA play). Additionally, a pass that leads to a basket after the receiving player dribbles the ball for a short distance can still be credited as an assist).

It is important to note that basketball players do not get rewarded for assists on free throws, and in situations like fast break layups or dunks, it is usually up to scorekeepers to judge if a pass should be credited as an assist.

In terms of basketball positions, the point guard is usually one of the top players on the team in terms of assists, as they are typically responsible for playmaking and creating scoring opportunities for their teammates.