In basketball, a steal is a "defensive action" that causes the opponent to turn the ball over. The National Basketball Association's (NBA) steal title is awarded to the player with the highest steals per game average in a given season. The steal title was first recognized in the 1973–74 season when statistics on steals were first compiled. To qualify for the steal title, the player must appear in at least 58 games (out of 82). However, a player who appears in fewer than 58 games may qualify as annual steals leader if his steal total would have given him the greatest average, had he appeared in 58 games. This has been the requirement since the 2013–14 season.
Alvin Robertson holds the all-time records for total steals (301) and steals per game (3.67) in a season; achieved in the 1985–86 season. Among active players, Dyson Daniels had the highest season steal total (229) and the highest season steal average (3.01) in the 2024–25 season.
Chris Paul has won the most steal titles, with six. Micheal Ray Richardson, Robertson, Michael Jordan and Allen Iverson all follow with three. Magic Johnson, Mookie Blaylock, Baron Davis and John Stockton are the only other players to win more than one steal title, with two. Paul has won the most consecutive steal titles, with four. Four players have won both the steal title and the NBA championship in the same season: Rick Barry in 1975 with the Golden State Warriors, Johnson in 1982 with the Los Angeles Lakers, Jordan in 1993 with the Chicago Bulls and Draymond Green in 2017 with Golden State.
Key ^Denotes player who is still active in the NBA*Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame†Not yet eligible for Hall of Fame consideration‡Denotes player who won the Defensive Player of the Year award that yearPlayer (X)Denotes the number of times the player had been thesteals leader up to and including that season
PG Point guard SG Shooting guard SF Small forward PF Power forward C Center
Annual leaders
SeasonPlayerPositionTeamGamesplayedTotal stealsSteals per gameReferencesG/FPortland Trail Blazers812172.67 *FGolden State Warriors802282.85GSeattle SuperSonics822613.18GIndiana Pacers812813.47GPhoenix Suns822252.74FDetroit Pistons801972.46GNew York Knicks822653.23 *GLos Angeles Lakers371273.43 * (2)GLos Angeles Lakers782082.67 (2)GGolden State WarriorsNew Jersey Nets641822.84GUtah Jazz812152.65 (3)GNew Jersey Nets822432.96 ‡GSan Antonio Spurs823013.67 (2)GSan Antonio Spurs812603.21 ‡ *GChicago Bulls822593.16 *GUtah Jazz822633.21 * (2)GChicago Bulls822272.77 (3)GMilwaukee Bucks812463.04 * (2)GUtah Jazz822442.98 * (3)GChicago Bulls782212.83GSeattle SuperSonics732162.96*FChicago Bulls792322.94 ‡*GSeattle SuperSonics812312.85GAtlanta Hawks782122.72 (2)GAtlanta Hawks701832.61GNew Jersey Nets501342.68G/FCharlotte Hornets721922.67*GPhiladelphia 76ers711782.51* (2)GPhiladelphia 76ers601682.80* (3)GPhiladelphia 76ers822252.74GNew Orleans Hornets671582.36GWashington Wizards611762.89 FCharlotte Bobcats551382.51 (2)GGolden State Warriors631352.14 †GNew Orleans Hornets802172.71 † (2)GNew Orleans Hornets782162.77GBoston Celtics811892.33 † (3)GNew Orleans Hornets801882.35 † (4)GLos Angeles Clippers601522.53 † (5)GLos Angeles Clippers701692.41 † (6)GLos Angeles Clippers621542.48 ‡ ^ FSan Antonio Spurs641482.31 ^GGolden State Warriors791692.14 ‡ ^FGolden State Warriors761542.03 †GIndiana Pacers751772.36 ^FOklahoma City Thunder771702.21 †GPhiladelphia 76ers571192.09 ^FMiami Heat521082.08 ^GSan Antonio Spurs681382.09 ^FToronto Raptors671281.91 ^GSacramento Kings741502.03 Dyson Daniels^GAtlanta Hawks762293.01 Ausar Thompson^SF/SGDetroit Pistons731462.00
Multiple-time leaders RankPlayerTeamTimes leaderYears1Chris PaulNew Orleans Hornets (3) / Los Angeles Clippers (3)6, , , , , 2Allen IversonPhiladelphia 76ers3, , Michael JordanChicago Bulls, , Micheal Ray RichardsonNew York Knicks (1) / Golden State Warriors (1) / New Jersey Nets (1), , Alvin RobertsonSan Antonio Spurs (2) / Milwaukee Bucks (1), , 6Mookie BlaylockAtlanta Hawks2, Baron DavisNew Orleans Hornets (1) / Golden State Warriors (1), Magic JohnsonLos Angeles Lakers, John StocktonUtah Jazz,
Notes
See also NBA records List of NBA career steals leaders List of NBA annual scoring leaders List of NBA annual 3-point scoring leaders List of NBA annual rebounding leaders List of NBA annual assists leaders List of NBA annual blocks leaders
References General
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