NBA Players with the Highest Steal Averages in Their 6th Season

Explore the NBA players who delivered the best stats ever in a 6th NBA season, ranked by regular season steals per game. See how the all-time greats compare in this top-50 historical list.

Year:

6th

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Show: Season - Playoffs / Other Stats

Other Stats

Steals Per Game

3-Pointers Made Per Game

Total

Which NBA player averaged the most steals in the Regular Season in his 6th year?

Playing for the 1996 Seattle Supersonics, Gary Payton averaged 2.9 steals in 81 games — the highest steals per game average by any NBA player in his 6th season.

Steals Per Game, 6th Season

2.9 spg
Gary Payton
(1996 Seattle Supersonics)

Note: No game minimums were used for this list / = NBA champion in this season.

Steals Per Game in a Player's 6th Season - Top 50

Regular Season

		Steals			Other stats
Rk	Player (Team)	Per Game	Total	Gms	Pts	Reb	Ast	Blk	3pm
1	Gary Payton (1996 Supersonics)	2.9	231	81	19.3	4.2	7.5	0.2	1.2
2	Allen Iverson (2002 76ers)	2.8	168	60	31.4	4.5	5.5	0.2	1.3
3	Michael Jordan (1990 Bulls)	2.8	227	82	33.6	6.9	6.3	0.7	1.1
4	Clyde Drexler (1989 Trail Blazers)	2.7	213	78	27.2	7.9	5.8	0.7	0.3
5	Fat Lever (1988 Nuggets)	2.7	223	82	18.9	8.1	7.8	0.3	0.1
6	Eddie Jones (2000 Hornets)	2.7	192	72	20.1	4.8	4.2	0.7	1.8
7	Rickey Green (1984 Jazz)	2.7	215	81	13.2	2.8	9.2	0.2	0.0
8	John Stockton (1990 Jazz)	2.7	207	78	17.2	2.6	14.5	0.2	0.6
9	Alvin Robertson (1990 Bucks)	2.6	207	81	14.2	6.9	5.5	0.2	0.0
10	Mookie Blaylock (1995 Hawks)	2.5	200	80	17.2	4.9	7.7	0.3	2.5
	Johnny Moore (1986 Spurs)	2.5	70	28	13.0	3.1	9.0	0.2	0.1

		Steals			Other stats
Rk	Player (Team)	Per Game	Total	Gms	Pts	Reb	Ast	Blk	3pm
12	Rick Barry (1976 Warriors)	2.5	202	81	21.0	6.1	6.1	0.3	-
13	Quinn Buckner (1982 Bucks)	2.5	174	70	12.9	3.6	4.7	0.0	0.1
14	Doug Christie (1998 Raptors)	2.4	190	78	16.5	5.2	3.6	0.7	1.3
15	Doc Rivers (1989 Hawks)	2.4	181	76	13.6	3.8	6.9	0.5	0.6
16	Chris Paul (2011 Hornets)	2.4	188	80	15.9	4.1	9.8	0.1	0.9
17	Maurice Cheeks (1984 76ers)	2.3	171	75	12.7	2.7	6.4	0.3	0.1
18	Kevin Porter Jr. (2026 Bucks)	2.3	18	8	19.3	4.3	6.9	0.3	2.8
19	Michael Adams (1991 Nuggets)	2.2	147	66	26.5	3.9	10.5	0.1	2.5
20	Penny Hardaway (1999 Magic)	2.2	111	50	15.8	5.7	5.3	0.5	0.8

		Steals			Other stats
Rk	Player (Team)	Per Game	Total	Gms	Pts	Reb	Ast	Blk	3pm
21	Lester Conner (1989 Nets)	2.2	181	82	10.3	4.3	7.4	0.1	0.2
22	Caron Butler (2008 Wizards)	2.2	128	58	20.3	6.7	4.9	0.3	1.1
23	Shaquille Harrison (2023 Trail Blazers)	2.2	11	5	8.8	4.4	6.0	0.4	0.6
	Matisse Thybulle (2025 Trail Blazers)	2.2	33	15	7.5	3.5	1.9	0.6	1.4
25	Rick Fox (1997 Celtics)	2.2	167	76	15.4	5.2	3.8	0.5	1.3
26	Dwyane Wade (2009 Heat)	2.2	173	79	30.2	5.0	7.5	1.3	1.1
27	Mike Conley (2013 Grizzlies)	2.2	174	80	14.6	2.8	6.1	0.3	1.3
28	Gus Williams (1982 Supersonics)	2.2	172	80	23.4	3.1	6.9	0.5	0.1
29	Randy Smith (1977 Braves)	2.1	176	82	20.7	5.6	5.4	0.1	-
30	Micheal Ray Richardson (1984 Nets)	2.1	103	48	12.0	3.6	4.5	0.4	0.3

		Steals			Other stats
Rk	Player (Team)	Per Game	Total	Gms	Pts	Reb	Ast	Blk	3pm
31	Scottie Pippen (1993 Bulls)	2.1	173	81	18.6	7.7	6.3	0.9	0.3
32	Derek Harper (1989 Mavericks)	2.1	172	81	17.3	2.8	7.0	0.5	1.2
33	Hakeem Olajuwon (1990 Rockets)	2.1	174	82	24.3	14.0	2.9	4.6	0.0
34	Robert Covington (2019 more than 1 team)	2.1	74	35	13.3	5.5	1.3	1.3	2.4
35	Chris Mullin (1991 Warriors)	2.1	173	82	25.7	5.4	4.0	0.8	0.5
36	Monta Ellis (2011 Warriors)	2.1	168	80	24.1	3.5	5.6	0.3	1.7
37	Darrell Armstrong (2000 Magic)	2.1	169	82	16.2	3.3	6.1	0.1	1.7
38	Lucius Allen (1975 more than 1 team)	2.1	136	66	19.1	4.2	5.6	0.4	-
39	Foots Walker (1980 Cavaliers)	2.0	155	76	9.4	3.8	8.0	0.2	0.0
40	Stephen Curry (2015 Warriors)	2.0	163	80	23.8	4.3	7.7	0.2	3.6

		Steals			Other stats
Rk	Player (Team)	Per Game	Total	Gms	Pts	Reb	Ast	Blk	3pm
41	Eric Bledsoe (2016 Suns)	2.0	63	31	20.4	4.0	6.1	0.6	1.5
42	Chris Ford (1978 Pistons)	2.0	166	82	10.5	3.3	4.6	0.2	-
43	Shawn Marion (2005 Suns)	2.0	163	81	19.4	11.3	1.9	1.5	1.4
44	Don Buse (1982 Pacers)	2.0	164	82	9.7	2.7	5.0	0.3	0.9
	Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2024 Thunder)	2.0	150	75	30.1	5.5	6.2	0.9	1.3
	Jason Kidd (2000 Suns)	2.0	134	67	14.3	7.2	10.1	0.4	0.8
	Gerald Wallace (2007 Bobcats)	2.0	144	72	18.1	7.2	2.6	1.0	0.5
	David Wesley (1999 Hornets)	2.0	100	50	14.1	3.2	6.4	0.2	1.2
49	Muggsy Bogues (1993 Hornets)	2.0	161	81	10.0	3.7	8.8	0.1	0.1
	Julius Erving (1982 76ers)	2.0	161	81	24.4	6.9	3.9	1.7	0.0