NBA Steals Leaders by Season
Steals became an official NBA statistic beginning with the
1973-74 season. The table below lists the league
leader in steals per game for every season since the statistic was
introduced.
Alvin Robertson owns the NBA single-season records
for both steals per game and total steals, averaging 3.67 steals and
recording 301 steals for the San Antonio Spurs in 1985-86.
| Season |
Player |
Team |
Steals Per Game |
Total Steals |
Games |
| 2025-26 | Ausar Thompson | Detroit Pistons | 2.00 | 132 | 66 |
| 2024-25 | Dyson Daniels | Atlanta Hawks | 3.01 | 229 | 76 |
| 2023-24 | De'Aaron Fox | Sacramento Kings | 2.03 | 150 | 74 |
| 2022-23 | OG Anunoby | Toronto Raptors | 1.91 | 128 | 67 |
| 2021-22 | Dejounte Murray | San Antonio Spurs | 2.03 | 138 | 68 |
| 2020-21 | Jimmy Butler | Miami Heat | 2.08 | 108 | 52 |
| 2019-20 | Ben Simmons | Philadelphia 76ers | 2.09 | 119 | 57 |
| 2018-19 | Paul George | Oklahoma City Thunder | 2.21 | 170 | 77 |
| 2017-18 | Victor Oladipo | Indiana Pacers | 2.36 | 177 | 75 |
| 2016-17 | John Wall | Washington Wizards | 2.01 | 157 | 78 |
| 2015-16 | Stephen Curry | Golden State Warriors | 2.14 | 169 | 79 |
| 2014-15 | Kawhi Leonard | San Antonio Spurs | 2.31 | 148 | 64 |
| 2013-14 | Chris Paul | Los Angeles Clippers | 2.48 | 154 | 62 |
| 2012-13 | Chris Paul | Los Angeles Clippers | 2.41 | 169 | 70 |
| 2011-12 | Chris Paul | Los Angeles Clippers | 2.53 | 152 | 60 |
| 2010-11 | Chris Paul | New Orleans Hornets | 2.35 | 188 | 80 |
| 2009-10 | Rajon Rondo | Boston Celtics | 2.33 | 189 | 81 |
| 2008-09 | Chris Paul | New Orleans Hornets | 2.77 | 216 | 78 |
| 2007-08 | Chris Paul | New Orleans Hornets | 2.71 | 217 | 80 |
| 2006-07 | Baron Davis | Golden State Warriors | 2.14 | 135 | 63 |
| 2005-06 | Gerald Wallace | Charlotte Bobcats | 2.51 | 138 | 55 |
| 2004-05 | Larry Hughes | Washington Wizards | 2.89 | 176 | 61 |
| 2003-04 | Baron Davis | New Orleans Hornets | 2.36 | 158 | 67 |
| 2002-03 | Allen Iverson | Philadelphia 76ers | 2.74 | 225 | 82 |
| 2001-02 | Allen Iverson | Philadelphia 76ers | 2.80 | 168 | 60 |
| 2000-01 | Allen Iverson | Philadelphia 76ers | 2.51 | 178 | 71 |
| 1999-00 | Eddie Jones | Charlotte Hornets | 2.67 | 192 | 72 |
| 1998-99 | Kendall Gill | New Jersey Nets | 2.68 | 134 | 50 |
| 1997-98 | Mookie Blaylock | Atlanta Hawks | 2.61 | 183 | 70 |
| 1996-97 | Mookie Blaylock | Atlanta Hawks | 2.72 | 212 | 78 |
| 1995-96 | Gary Payton | Seattle SuperSonics | 2.85 | 231 | 81 |
| 1994-95 | Scottie Pippen | Chicago Bulls | 2.94 | 232 | 79 |
| 1993-94 | Nate McMillan | Seattle SuperSonics | 2.96 | 216 | 73 |
| 1992-93 | Michael Jordan | Chicago Bulls | 2.83 | 221 | 78 |
| 1991-92 | John Stockton | Utah Jazz | 2.98 | 244 | 82 |
| 1990-91 | Alvin Robertson | Milwaukee Bucks | 3.04 | 246 | 81 |
| 1989-90 | Michael Jordan | Chicago Bulls | 2.77 | 227 | 82 |
| 1988-89 | John Stockton | Utah Jazz | 3.21 | 263 | 82 |
| 1987-88 | Michael Jordan | Chicago Bulls | 3.16 | 259 | 82 |
| 1986-87 | Alvin Robertson | San Antonio Spurs | 3.21 | 260 | 81 |
| 1985-86 | Alvin Robertson | San Antonio Spurs | 3.67 | 301 | 82 |
| 1984-85 | Micheal Ray Richardson | New Jersey Nets | 2.96 | 243 | 82 |
| 1983-84 | Rickey Green | Utah Jazz | 2.65 | 215 | 81 |
| 1982-83 | Micheal Ray Richardson | Golden State Warriors / New Jersey Nets | 2.84 | 182 | 64 |
| 1981-82 | Magic Johnson | Los Angeles Lakers | 2.67 | 208 | 78 |
| 1980-81 | Magic Johnson | Los Angeles Lakers | 3.43 | 127 | 37 |
| 1979-80 | Micheal Ray Richardson | New York Knicks | 3.23 | 265 | 82 |
| 1978-79 | M.L. Carr | Detroit Pistons | 2.46 | 197 | 80 |
| 1977-78 | Ron Lee | Phoenix Suns | 2.74 | 225 | 82 |
| 1976-77 | Don Buse | Indiana Pacers | 3.47 | 281 | 81 |
| 1975-76 | Slick Watts | Seattle SuperSonics | 3.18 | 261 | 82 |
| 1974-75 | Rick Barry | Golden State Warriors | 2.85 | 228 | 80 |
| 1973-74 | Larry Steele | Portland Trail Blazers | 2.68 | 217 | 81 |
NBA Steals Leader Records
Highest single-season steals average:
Alvin Robertson — 3.67 steals per game for San Antonio in 1985-86.
Most steals in one NBA season:
Alvin Robertson — 301 steals for San Antonio in 1985-86.
Highest average since 2000:
Dyson Daniels — 3.01 steals per game for Atlanta in 2024-25.
Five-time steals leader:
Chris Paul led the NBA in steals per game in 2007-08, 2008-09,
2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13.
Because steals were not officially recorded by the NBA until
1973-74, players from earlier eras do not appear on the official
year-by-year leaderboard.
