Stockton, John (1962-…), ranks among the greatest guards in professional basketball history. He became especially known for his ball handling and his defensive skill. Stockton played his entire 19-year professional career with the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He set the NBA records for most career assists with 15,806 and most career steals with 3,265. Stockton also holds several single-season records for assists.
John Houston Stockton was born on March 26, 1962, in Spokane, Washington. He attended Gonzaga University. He played on the school basketball team for four seasons, graduating in 1984. Utah drafted him as the 16th selection in the first round of the NBA draft in 1984. Stockton was a mefmber of the United States basketball teams that won gold medals in the 1992 and 1996 Summer Olympic Games. In 1996, he was named to the NBA’s 50th anniversary all-time team. He retired after the 2002-2003 NBA season. In 2009, he was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
