Why Is an Assist Called a Dime? Basketball Passing Terms Explained

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An assist is called a dime after the slang phrase “drop a dime,” which originally meant making a call from a pay phone that cost 10 cents, usually to tip someone off. On the court, the idea carried over to a pass that delivers the ball to a teammate for an easy basket, and dropping a dime became shorthand for a great assist. The glossary below covers the slang, the stats and the passes behind them.

Basketball passing glossary
20 terms for passes and assists
Slang, stats and the passes that set up baskets.
Slang
DimeAny assist, especially a sharp, perfectly placed one
Slang
DishA pass that sets up a basket; to dish is to assist
Slang
FeedGetting the ball to a teammate in scoring position, often in the post
Slang
HelperAnother name for an assist
Slang
Drop a dimeTo make a great pass; borrowed from slang for a 10 cent pay phone call
Stat
AssistThe official stat: a pass that directly leads to a made basket
Stat
Hockey assistThe pass before the assist; tracked by analysts, not an official NBA stat
Stat
Potential assistA pass that would have been an assist if the shot went in
Pass
Chest passA two handed pass from the chest; the most basic pass in the game
Pass
Bounce passA pass that hits the floor once, used to get past a defender’s hands
Pass
Overhead passA two handed pass from above the head, common after rebounds and against zones
Pass
Outlet passThe first pass after a defensive rebound to start a fast break
Pass
Entry passA pass into the post to a player with his back to the basket
Pass
Skip passA pass across the court that skips over the nearest teammate
Pass
Kick outA pass from the paint back out to an open shooter
Pass
Drive and dishAttacking the basket, drawing help, then passing to the open man
Pass
LobA high, arcing pass over the defense
Pass
Alley oopA lob caught in the air and finished at the rim
Pass
No look passA pass thrown while looking the other way
Pass
Touch passRedirecting the ball to a teammate without catching it
The NBA credits an assist only when the pass leads directly to a made field goal.

Where the Term Comes From

There is no official record of who first called an assist a dime. The most common explanation traces it to “drop a dime,” slang from the pay phone era for making a quick call. Basketball players and fans borrowed it for a pass that gets the ball exactly where it needs to go. Some people also connect it to a perfect 10, since a dime is worth ten cents and a perfect pass rates a 10 out of 10. Either way, the meaning is the same: a pass that sets a teammate up to score.

What Counts as an Assist

An assist goes to the player whose pass leads directly to a made basket. If the shooter dribbles to create his own shot after the catch, scorekeepers usually do not credit an assist. Passes that lead to free throws do not count either. John Stockton holds the NBA career record with 15,806 assists, according to the NBA, a mark widely considered one of the hardest records in sports to break.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does dime mean in basketball?

A dime is an assist, a pass that directly leads to a teammate’s basket.

What is a hockey assist in basketball?

The pass that leads to the assist. Some analysts track it, but it is not an official NBA stat.

Does a pass that leads to free throws count as an assist?

No. An assist requires a made field goal.

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The NBA defines an assist in its stats glossary.