NBA Players with the Most Steals Recorded in Their Rookie Season

Explore the NBA players who delivered the best stats ever in a 1st NBA season, ranked by regular season total steals. See how the all-time greats compare in this top-50 historical list.

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3-Pointers Made Per Game

Total

Which NBA player had the most total steals in the Regular Season in his rookie year?

Playing for the 1977 Indiana Pacers, Don Buse recorded a total of 281 steals in 81 games — the highest total ever by an NBA player in his 1st season.

Total Steals, Rookie Season

281 stl
Don Buse
(1977 Indiana Pacers)

Note: = NBA champion in this season.

Total Steals in a Player's Rookie Season - Top 50

Regular Season

		Steals			Other stats
Rk	Player (Team)	Total	Per Game	Gms	Pts	Reb	Ast	Blk	3pm
1	Don Buse (1977 Pacers)	281	3.5	81	646	270	685	16	-
2	Dudley Bradley (1980 Pacers)	211	2.6	82	688	223	252	48	2
3	Ron Harper (1987 Cavaliers)	209	2.5	82	1,874	392	394	84	20
4	Mark Jackson (1988 Knicks)	205	2.5	82	1,114	396	868	6	32
5	Brian Taylor (1977 Kings)	199	2.8	72	1,227	238	320	16	-
6	George McGinnis (1976 76ers)	198	2.6	77	1,769	967	359	41	-
7	Michael Jordan (1985 Bulls)	196	2.4	82	2,313	534	481	69	9
	Brevin Knight (1998 Cavaliers)	196	2.5	80	723	253	656	18	0
9	Quinn Buckner (1977 Bucks)	192	2.4	79	681	264	372	21	-
10	Mike Gale (1977 Spurs)	191	2.3	82	843	273	473	50	-

		Steals			Other stats
Rk	Player (Team)	Total	Per Game	Gms	Pts	Reb	Ast	Blk	3pm
11	Penny Hardaway (1994 Magic)	190	2.3	82	1,313	439	544	51	50
12	Magic Johnson (1980 Lakers)	187	2.4	77	1,387	596	563	41	7
13	Bobby Jones (1977 Nuggets)	186	2.3	82	1,238	678	264	162	-
14	Chris Paul (2006 Hornets)	175	2.2	78	1,258	400	611	6	50
15	Maurice Cheeks (1979 76ers)	174	2.1	82	685	254	431	12	-
	Phil Ford (1979 Kings)	174	2.2	79	1,260	182	681	6	-
17	Larry Kenon (1977 Spurs)	167	2.1	78	1,705	879	229	60	-
18	M.L. Carr (1977 Pistons)	165	2.0	82	1,091	631	181	58	-
	Tim Hardaway (1990 Warriors)	165	2.1	79	1,162	310	689	12	23
	Gary Payton (1991 Supersonics)	165	2.0	82	588	243	528	15	1

		Steals			Other stats
Rk	Player (Team)	Total	Per Game	Gms	Pts	Reb	Ast	Blk	3pm
21	Mario Chalmers (2009 Heat)	160	2.0	82	818	228	403	8	114
22	Julius Erving (1977 76ers)	159	1.9	82	1,770	695	306	113	-
23	Allen Iverson (1997 76ers)	157	2.1	76	1,787	312	567	24	155
	Kerry Kittles (1997 Nets)	157	1.9	82	1,347	319	249	35	158
25	Ron Lee (1977 Suns)	156	1.9	82	836	299	263	33	-
26	Mark Macon (1992 Nuggets)	154	2.0	76	805	220	168	14	4
27	Fat Lever (1983 Trail Blazers)	153	1.9	81	633	225	426	15	5
28	Stephen Curry (2010 Warriors)	152	1.9	80	1,399	356	472	19	166
29	Jason Kidd (1995 Mavericks)	151	1.9	79	922	430	607	24	70
30	Willie Anderson (1989 Spurs)	150	1.9	81	1,508	417	372	62	4
	Isiah Thomas (1982 Pistons)	150	2.1	72	1,225	209	565	17	17

		Steals			Other stats
Rk	Player (Team)	Total	Per Game	Gms	Pts	Reb	Ast	Blk	3pm
32	Sherman Douglas (1990 Heat)	145	1.8	81	1,155	206	619	10	5
33	Gary Grant (1989 Clippers)	144	2.0	71	846	238	506	9	5
34	Larry Bird (1980 Celtics)	143	1.7	82	1,745	852	370	53	58
35	Elfrid Payton (2015 Magic)	142	1.7	82	731	349	533	20	11
36	Darwin Cook (1981 Nets)	141	1.7	81	904	236	297	36	6
	Clark Kellogg (1983 Pacers)	141	1.7	81	1,625	860	223	43	4
38	Ben Simmons (2018 76ers)	140	1.7	81	1,279	659	661	70	0
	Gus Williams (1976 Warriors)	140	1.8	77	903	159	240	26	-
40	Kevin Edwards (1989 Heat)	139	1.8	79	1,094	262	349	27	10

		Steals			Other stats
Rk	Player (Team)	Total	Per Game	Gms	Pts	Reb	Ast	Blk	3pm
41	Andre Iguodala (2005 76ers)	138	1.7	82	741	464	246	48	47
	Norm Nixon (1978 Lakers)	138	1.7	81	1,107	239	553	7	-
	David Robinson (1990 Spurs)	138	1.7	82	1,993	983	164	319	0
	Jamaal Tinsley (2002 Pacers)	138	1.7	80	751	298	647	40	42
45	Caron Butler (2003 Heat)	137	1.8	78	1,201	397	213	31	34
46	Tom Gugliotta (1993 Bullets)	134	1.7	81	1,187	781	306	35	38
47	Nerlens Noel (2015 76ers)	133	1.8	75	744	611	128	142	0
	Pooh Richardson (1990 Timberwolves)	133	1.6	82	938	217	554	25	23
49	Fatty Taylor (1977 Nuggets)	132	1.7	79	301	211	288	9	-
50	Lionel Hollins (1976 Trail Blazers)	131	1.8	74	800	175	306	28	-
	Eddie Jones (1995 Lakers)	131	2.0	64	897	249	128	41	91