John Stockton
John Houston Stockton was born on the 26th of March 1962 in Spokane, Washington. He grew up as the grandson of Hust Stockton, who played professional football for the Frankford Yellow Jackets during the 1920s. His family history included a grandfather who won an NFL Championship team in 1926. John attended St. Aloysius grade school before moving to Gonzaga Prep high school. He graduated from that school in 1980 after breaking the city record for points scored in a single basketball season.
Stockton chose to stay close to home and play college basketball at Gonzaga University under coach Dan Fitzgerald. He became the third generation in his family to attend the university. Fitzgerald served as both head coach and athletic director until he stepped away for four years after Stockton's freshman year. Assistant Jay Hillock took over as head coach during that interim period. During his senior year in 1984, Stockton averaged 20.9 points per game while shooting 57% from the field. The Gonzaga Bulldogs finished with a 17, 11 record, their best performance in 17 years. He led the West Coast Athletic Conference in scoring, assists, and steals that same year. This performance earned him the WCAC Player of the Year award, making him the first Gonzaga player ever to receive it.
In June 1984, the Utah Jazz selected Stockton as the 16th overall pick in the NBA draft. Thousands of fans gathered at the Salt Palace on draft day to witness the announcement. Their reaction was stunned silence because Stockton remained relatively unknown during his college career despite his rising stock in the months leading up to the event. His highest scoring game as a rookie occurred on the 10th of November 1984 when he scored 19 points in just 19 minutes against the Denver Nuggets.
Stockton became the starting point guard for the Jazz beginning in the 1987, 88 season. That year he finished tenth in MVP voting and made the All-NBA Second Team after averaging 14.7 points, 13.8 assists, and 3 steals per game. He did not make the 1988 NBA All-Star Game but played in his first one the following season. In 1992, Stockton and Karl Malone led the Jazz to their first Western Conference Finals appearance before losing to the Portland Trail Blazers in six games. They were named co-MVPs of the 1993 All-Star Game held in Salt Lake City.
The team achieved 64 wins during the 1996, 97 season while leading the Western Conference. Stockton scored 25 points and dished out 13 assists in Game Six of that conference series. He hit a buzzer-beating three-point shot over Charles Barkley to send Utah to its first NBA Finals appearance. This moment later became known as The Shot. The Jazz won Game Three of those finals with Stockton recording 17 points, 7 rebounds, and 12 assists. Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls defeated them in six games overall. Stockton missed the first 18 games of the 1997, 98 season due to a knee injury but returned for another Finals run against the same opponent. A final three-pointer attempt by Stockton with 5.2 seconds left fell short as the Bulls won again.
Stockton played every game of 17 seasons during his 19-year career while missing only 22 total games. His durability earned him an old school tag among peers and fans who often ranked him among the toughest players in the league. Surveys conducted in 1997 placed him second behind Dennis Rodman regarding dirty play reputation despite his tenacity. He maintained a patented style of wearing short shorts long after other players adopted baggier looks.
His consistency allowed him to remain a starting player until retirement at age 41. Stockton avoided most endorsements and stayed loyal to Utah even when offered more money elsewhere. In 1996 he agreed to a deal creating salary-cap space so the team could improve while insisting on guaranteed Delta Center ice time for his son's hockey team. The partnership between Stockton and Malone resulted in them playing together in a record 1,412 regular season games. Many assists from Stockton went directly to Malone making them the greatest pick-and-roll combination ever recorded.
He holds the NBA record for career assists totaling 15,806 points. Stockton became the first player to reach milestones of 10,000 through 15,000 assists. He also set the record for assists-per-game average over one season with 14.5 during 1990. Three players have logged more than 1,000 assists in a single season including Kevin Porter and Isiah Thomas alongside Stockton who achieved this feat seven times. His defensive prowess earned him the NBA record for career steals at 3,265 total.
He later joined the 1996 U.S. men's Olympic basketball team which won another gold medal. Stockton received induction into the Hall of Fame twice: once in 2009 for his individual career and again in 2010 as part of the 1992 Olympic team. In 1996 he was named one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history. October 2021 saw him honored again by being named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team alongside other league legends.
On the 2nd of May 2003, Stockton announced his retirement through a written statement rather than holding a traditional news conference. The Jazz held a ceremony where Salt Lake City renamed the street outside their venue Delta Center as John Stockton Drive. His number 12 jersey was retired during a game on the 22nd of November 2004. A statue of Stockton stands in front of the arena while an accompanying statue of Karl Malone was placed nearby on the 23rd of March 2006. Both statues rest on a bronze plaque commemorating their shared achievements together.
Following retirement
Stockton moved back to Spokane and began coaching youth teams. He served as an assistant coach on seven or eight different teams simultaneously starting in 2003. The Jazz invited him to train Deron Williams and Trey Burke later in his career. He became involved in various business ventures including construction projects. An autobiography titled Assisted appeared in 2013 written with help from junior high school coach Kerry L. Pickett. Karl Malone wrote the foreword for the book. Stockton remained on the Jazz's long list of coaching candidates before Quin Snyder was selected as head coach.
In October 2015 Stockton joined Montana State University's women's basketball program as an assistant coach replacing Kellee Barney who left to pursue business opportunities. He had previously coached four players on that team when they competed in Amateur Athletic Union leagues. In 2021 he appeared in a video series called V-Revealed COVID Edition raising doubts about the pandemic and warning against vaccines. He claimed hundreds of athletes died due to receiving a vaccine which PolitiFact found false. Gonzaga suspended his season tickets in January 2022 because he refused to comply with their mask mandate.
During 2024 Stockton
co-founded Voices for Medical Freedom alongside Ken Ruettgers, a retired NFL tackle. This organization describes itself as a community of influencers including athletes, musicians, entertainers, scientists, business leaders, and military personnel. It hosts a podcast featuring discussions on medical freedom topics. Despite these controversies his legacy remains strong within Utah where he is remembered fondly by fans and former teammates alike.
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Common questions
When and where was John Stockton born?
John Houston Stockton was born on the 26th of March 1962 in Spokane, Washington. He grew up as the grandson of Hust Stockton who played professional football for the Frankford Yellow Jackets during the 1920s.
What college did John Stockton attend and what awards did he win there?
Stockton chose to stay close to home and play college basketball at Gonzaga University under coach Dan Fitzgerald. During his senior year in 1984 he earned the WCAC Player of the Year award making him the first Gonzaga player ever to receive it.
How many career assists does John Stockton have in the NBA?
He holds the NBA record for career assists totaling 15,806 points. Stockton became the first player to reach milestones of 10,000 through 15,000 assists.
When did John Stockton retire from professional basketball?
On the 2nd of May 2003 Stockton announced his retirement through a written statement rather than holding a traditional news conference. The Jazz held a ceremony where Salt Lake City renamed the street outside their venue Delta Center as John Stockton Drive.
Why was John Stockton's season ticket suspended by Gonzaga University?
Gonzaga suspended his season tickets in January 2022 because he refused to comply with their mask mandate. This decision followed his appearance in a video series called V-Revealed COVID Edition raising doubts about the pandemic and warning against vaccines.