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The NBA's most active ball hawks. Players who create turnovers and transition opportunities through steals.
| # | Player | Pos | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | Oklahoma City Thunder | SG | 30.1 | 5.5 | 6.2 | 2 |
| 2 | De'Aaron Fox | Sacramento Kings | PG | 26.6 | 4.6 | 5.6 | 2 |
| 3 | Donovan Mitchell | Cleveland Cavaliers | SG | 26.6 | 5.1 | 4.5 | 1.8 |
| 4 | Luka Doncic | Dallas Mavericks | PG | 33.9 | 9.2 | 9.8 | 1.4 |
| 5 | Nikola Jokic | Denver Nuggets | C | 26.4 | 12.4 | 9 | 1.4 |
| 6 | Anthony Edwards | Minnesota Timberwolves | SG | 25.9 | 5.4 | 5.1 | 1.3 |
| 7 | LeBron James | Los Angeles Lakers | SF | 25.7 | 7.3 | 8.3 | 1.3 |
| 8 | Trae Young | Atlanta Hawks | PG | 25.7 | 2.8 | 10.8 | 1.3 |
| 9 | Giannis Antetokounmpo | Milwaukee Bucks | PF | 30.4 | 11.5 | 6.5 | 1.2 |
| 10 | Tyrese Haliburton | Indiana Pacers | PG | 20.1 | 3.9 | 10.9 | 1.2 |
| 11 | Anthony Davis | Los Angeles Lakers | PF | 24.7 | 12.6 | 3.5 | 1.2 |
| 12 | Jaylen Brown | Boston Celtics | SG | 23 | 5.5 | 3.6 | 1.2 |
| 13 | Jayson Tatum | Boston Celtics | SF | 26.9 | 8.1 | 4.9 | 1 |
| 14 | Joel Embiid | Philadelphia 76ers | C | 34.7 | 11 | 5.6 | 1 |
| 15 | Devin Booker | Phoenix Suns | SG | 27.1 | 4.5 | 6.9 | 1 |
| 16 | Damian Lillard | Milwaukee Bucks | PG | 24.3 | 4.4 | 7 | 1 |
| 17 | Kevin Durant | Phoenix Suns | SF | 27.1 | 6.6 | 5 | 0.9 |
| 18 | Jalen Brunson | New York Knicks | PG | 28.7 | 3.5 | 6.7 | 0.9 |
| 19 | Ja Morant | Memphis Grizzlies | PG | 25.1 | 5.6 | 8.1 | 0.8 |
| 20 | Stephen Curry | Golden State Warriors | PG | 26.4 | 4.5 | 5.1 | 0.7 |
Steals create transition opportunities and demoralize opponents. While steals alone do not define great defense, players who combine high steal rates with disciplined positioning are invaluable. Players like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and De'Aaron Fox exemplify what it means to lead in this category.
League average for starters is about 0.8 SPG. Above 1.5 SPG is elite. Above 2.0 SPG is historically rare and typically leads the league. Only a handful of players have averaged 2+ SPG for a career.
Not always. Some players gamble for steals, leaving their defensive assignment open. The best defenders combine steals with low opponent FG% and good help defense. Steals are one piece of the defensive puzzle.