Muggsy Bogues 100% should be on the honorable mentions bare minimum. Guy was 5'3 yet was not a defensive liability, because of his ability to generate steals. To quote Vince Carter, "We had a Muggsy Bogues rule. When you dribble the ball and you don't see Muggsy Bogues, you probably should pick it up because he's behind you and about to steal it." If you got players coining a rule after you, you deserve to be on the list, even if your raw numbers aren't the best.
Mugsy was a trip to watch. He was freakishly strong for his size. But he was hit or miss. If he got someone in the back court he was going to get a turnover. But if someone got him to the 3 point line they could pass over him, shoot over him, or abuse him in the post. I miss that guy. The NBA is never going to let a guy like that play again. Isiah Thomas had to fight tooth and nail to play when he was healthy, and when he finally got a chance he was all NBA.
@@joeschmoe6908 First off, comparisons aren't meant to be exact.. so calm down with that nonsense. 2nd, he didn't compare them in the slightest, TF you talking about
Good to see Michael Ray and Alvin Robertson get love. Hakeem needs more recognition in the Goat conversation. Tops in blocks, top 10 in steals, top 20 in rebounds and nasty on offense.
@GEMINIRED300: The NBA wanted consciously to be GOD of the league, not only of his otherworldly skills but to make the NIKE brand the GOD of marketing and consumerism shoes. There is a reason why Jordan overshadows just about every NBA player that ever laced them up.
@@wwfchriswwfI guarantee bill russel, Nate Thurmond, and probably wilt Chamberlain and Willis reed wouldve been close or surpassed this feat by hakeem
Alvin Robertson, John Stockton, Michael Jordan, & Hakeem Olajuwon were all drafted in 1984. Charles Barkley was pretty good at steals for his position as well.
While I do think Jerry West deserves to be in the top 5, he played in an era where steals and blocks were not officially recorded. Do people like Harvey Pollack have unofficial records of other players in that era besides Wilt?
@@user-fc5om8pp4ofalse ball handling rules were much stricter and guys weren't allowed to do with the ball what guys today can so ball handling appears weaker in that era but I promise you if forced to play under those same rules a lot of players handles today would look worse
@@jonnyarnettyou have Jordan in the list might as well put him on the thumbnail for extra views it's not like it's clickbait if he is going to be top 4 fr
Micheal Jordan’s road game steals and blocks in 1987-88-94 road steals + 47 road blocks = 141 road stocks MJ's road stocks in all other full seasons with the 1984-85 - 138 road sticks 1986-87- 164 1988-89 - 142 1989-90 - 120 1990-91 - 132 1991-92 - 117 1992-93 - 130 1995-96 - 107 1996-97 - 88 1997-98 - 90 Entire season combined steals and blocks totals for all other perimeter Defensive Players of the Year. Sidney Moncrief 1982-83 - 129 stocks 1983-84 - 135 stocks Alvin Robertson 1985-86 - 340 stocks Michael Cooper 1986-87 - 121 stocks Dennis Rodman 1989-90 - 112 stocks 1990-91 - 120 stocks Gary Payton 1995-96 - 250 stocks Ron Artest/Metta World Peace 2003-04 - 202 stocks Marcus Smart 2021-22 - 137 stocks Conclusion - Michael Jordan's road stocks ALONE in MULTIPLE SEASONS were HIGHER than 6 of the 9 complete DPOY seasons of the other perimeter defenders to ever win the award.
i often say Bob Lanier is the most underrated basketball player ever (and he truly is) but Mo Cheeks is a close second. i cherish the basketball he signed for me. great man.
Honestly, it’s kind of l…well, stupid, how people don’t give Stockton his due as a defender, and more specifically a ball thief. He’s the ALL TIME steals leader. Nobody is else is even within 500 steals of his career record.
Walter Frazier is a glaring omission. I understand they didn't track steals until his 7th season, so his career totals don't stack up. However, he was 1st team all defense 7 straight seasons during his prime (most of which was before steals were tracked) and it is said that he could "steal the hubcaps off a moving car." I bet Jerry West would have made your list if they tracked steals prior to 1973-74 as well.
Great list, Jonny, and everyone you picked is deserving. But unfortunately, because I know you are a young man, you never saw the great Walt Frazier play when he was active. Also, steals were not tracked during most of his prime years. I can tell you without a doubt, that there has never been a more prolific stealer in NBA history than Clyde. He was unreal. He used to just pick guys clean, right off the dribble. The most amazing pickpocket who ever lived.
Stockton has a pretty good case for #1, but easily should at least be #2. Taking the highest steals per game average in multiple seasons with Richardson and Robertson favors their peaks over career. Their highs were the highest. But given both career were much shorter than Stockton’s, to me his ability to maintain an excellent yearly average for 20 years favors longevity/career AND some high peaks (led league 2x’s) while never falling off in his entire career that doubled Richardson’s and Robertson’s. Not to mention the sheer # of games played (82 for like 17 seasons) means his average is actually DIMINISHED by the totality of games he played. So he didn’t have the same peaks for multiples seasons, but he also had to produce even more steals each game in order to keep his numbers so high. 7th highest all time steal ave per game with a career that spanned longer than anyone but Kidd. And he wasn’t even close to catching him in steals in total or ace. Think about that for a minute.
I loved seeing some different faces here instead of a bunch of people we all know super well. I won't spoil anything, but your #9, #8, #2, and #1 picks were awesome!
I see a pickpocket as somebody who strips the ball from an opponent who is holding or dribbling the ball. Not somebody who gambles on passing lanes. That's part of why I think Kawhi Leonard deserves an honorable mention. One of my favorite pickpocket moments is when he stripped Ben Mclemore on two consecutive possessions, which led to fast break and-one and free throw opportunities for himself both times.
@@jonnyarnett when it comes to SPG A.I. is actually in a 4 way tie for 4th place. 2.2 SPG, Stockton is a part of that tie as well. And A.I. is the first player to earn 3 steal crowns in consecutive years. CP3 is the only other player to do that. A.I. is 14th all time in total steals but his career was shorter than a lot of players on the list.
Alvin Robertson is 100% the right pick for the #1 spot. Dude was an HOMBRE and honestly a scary person on the court and off. NOBODY messed with him. Not the best moral character in NBA history, but a hell of a player.
Awesome video, Jonny! It was great to learn more about Alvin Robertson and Michael Ray Richardson. I hadn't heard much about either, so it was fun and cool to learn about their steals too. The rest of the list is great also. I completely agree with Hakeem's inclusion. I am amazed at his ability to steal the ball. Not sure if we will ever see a center who is as good as steals at him, but he certainly sets a high bar. Great video again. Take care, Jonny 😊
No Scottie, no good. His wingspan and ability to play the passing was dangerous all through the late '80s and through the '90s. His ability to tip passes and turn them into steals was unprecedented. There is no way a top tenant steals should be made without this man making top five at the very least
Being a pick pocket is a lost art. I haven't seen anyone who really stands out to me at stealing the ball in a while. Also, Isiah Thomas should have at least been an honorable mention.
Great video and great evaluation and criteria for choosing your top 10. Having criterias that do not catered to any player to me is the way of determining the greatest at anything.
I would put Jerry West as at least an honourable mention. Some old timers have claimed he averaged as many as 5 steals per game. While I find that a little far fetched when we look at the 31 games that he played in his final season he averaged 2.6 steals per game, which is more than everyone’s career average except for Richardson and Robertson. A small sample to be sure, but pretty impressive for a 35 year old who was injured and ready to retire.
I'm glad Stephen Curry was at least acknowledged. He's a VERY underrated defender and needs some respect for what he does on that end of the floor. I'm a Celtics' fan btw☘️🍀☘️
Awesome list!!!! I think Payton might be up one or two but I ain't hard pressed once your in the top ten out of all the players welp you can't complain.
When I think of Payton - I don’t usually think “pickpocket” I usually look at him as the Rodman type. That defensive stopper who could simply shut down and slow down their man like no other - then you look at Payton’s steals stats and what the fuck. He was picking pockets like crazy too. My favourite player.
Although they only tracked steals for 1 year during his career... but in Jerry Wests final year, he averaged 2.6 steals at age 35. I'm betting he averaged well over 3 a game for his entire career and the limited games I've seen of him, he could have gotten 4 per game.
Ginobili borderline top 10 pick pocket. Dude picked kobe like 3- 4 times in just 15 minutes in his first career game, had kobe asking bowen who that boy was
Cp3 has some of the fastest and strongest hands for a little guard that I’ve ever seen. He just used to snatch the ball out of players hands like and make them look stupid
Your inclusion of Cheeks alone gets a thumbs up from me. I've seen numerous games were he stole the ball 5 or 6 times in the course of two or three minutes and managed to score or assist on every steal. No other guard was ever able to do that even if he had more career steals or better SPG.
Excellent list as all 10 deserve their spots! The only disagreement would be Stockton and Richardson. I would have the former above the latter because MRR's career was so short that it made his per-game average inflated compared to Stockton or MJ. Hakeem definitely deserves a spot above others because even as an exclusive Center, he outclasses any PF's as well as most SF/SG's who have more opportunities. Had steals been counted since the beginning, Jerry West probably would have made this list because he averaged an absurd 2.6 steals in his final season--the first year they were counted as a statistic.
I totally forgot about Michael Ray Richardson. When you got to number two, I thought it would be Dennis Johnson. But MRR was a problem. Very talented. Just couldn't stay clean. I wondered what happened to him. I thought it was a good list.
I would've put Scottie Pippen top 10 potentially. I've been watching a lot of Bulls games recently and realizing how many points his steals gave them on a game-to-game basis.
I think Scottie and AI need to make the top 10. I get that the numbers may not be there for pip but his ability to steal the ball kept teams moving away from him.
Video/investigation idea: I've heard it said a lot that Magic Johnson could/did play all 5 positions. Did he? Three of these are really easy. He obviously played point. In his early years when he shared the backcourt with Norm Nixon, he'd often line up at the 2. And in his '96 comeback, he primarily played power forward. Center SEEMS easy...there's the very famous 1980 Finals Game 6. But I've heard it argued that Jim Chones, who played 43 minutes that game, was the Lakers' true center, and Magic was not so much taking over Kareem's position, but his role as the team's go-to scorer. So I think the first question is: Did he actually play center in that game? And, as a follow-up: Did he ever do that again? It seemed so wildly successful that I'd think the Lakers would attempt it at least once more over the next 11 seasons. And then the real puzzler: Did he ever play small forward?
A video about the best defenders without an all nba selection would be interesting to watch. There are so many underrated defenders out there that aren't really remembered due to their lack of defensive accomplishments.
Knicks fan bias speaking but really surprised at Walt Frazier not even getting an honourable mention, though I understand the lack of steals tracked in his prime, which makes sense for Jerry West's omission too (but surprised all the same)
Here's an instance when it's crucial to use the correct context for data. Steals aren't like points or even rebounds or assists. Steals are made either due to circumstance (luck), positioning, or anticipation. As players like Hakeem advanced in their careers, their last 3 to 4 seasons become much more focused on the more tangible assets of scoring, rebounding, or simply offering solid minutes off the bench. Thus, using Steals per game becomes misleading as a player like Hakeem has farcgreater value as a post scorer or rebounder than forcing turnovers. I'd suggest using Steals per 36 minutes played and perhaps even filter that further by incorporating Games Started as well.
Pipen would be number 11 for me. Tried to replace somebody for him , just couldn't do it. Great list couldn't agree more. Except for you calling Jason Kidd unathletic. No way.
Micheal-Ray didn’t violate the league’s drug policy three times, he did it four times. Once was before they instituted the three strikes and your out rule.
Am I crazy or did Slick Watts not even get an honourable mention? Also Don Buse probably deserved a shout as well, considering he’s the only player to average over 4 a game and holds 3rd on the highest season average as well.
Interested to see your look at Alvin robertsons and Magic Johnson’s steals to see if they’re inflated. I wonder if that’s just an 80s thing? Perhaps maybe statisticians in that era just simply didn’t know how to define a steal.
I have Stockton over Micheal Ray Richardson, in the second spot. Thing is, stealing is (generally) a young man's game - Stockton only once reached 2.0 SPG, and never above that, after the 95/96 season. If you're holding his "low" 2.2 SPG against him, you're punishing him for his longevity. Sure, his final 02/03 season he still got 1.7 SPG, but that was nowhere near his 8-year peak from 87/88 through 94/95, where he averaged 2.7 SPG. From 87/88 through 91/92, the only players to keep Stockton away from leading the league in steals are Alvin Robertson and Michael Jordan. He started and ended that streak with 3.0 SPG seasons, and followed it up with three seasons at 2.4 SPG. During that five-year span, Stockton's AVERAGE was 2.9 SPG, and he was league leader twice. For Stockton's entire 8-year peak, he of course led the league in assists every season, as well as in the 95/96 season. He may have lasted a long time in the NBA, and he may have been consistently great, but Stockton's peak was otherworldly.
@@gangstagummybear3432 he didn’t make the top 10 scorers list of Alltime also.. I was surprised.. I get the Efficiency argument,, but I think his efficiency would’ve been higher on a different team that was inept..It went up in Denver. He won 4 scoring titles and has like a top 3 Alltime postseason ppg average
Who did I rank too high or too low??
Chris Paul aint THAT good😂
Hakeem higher and Jason Kidd lower
@@CoolDudeFilms74yes he is. POINT GOD
Imo a player like Jordan who gambled a lot shouldn't be over players who got a lot of steals without gambling.
Gary Payton is (arguably) even better
i tried to comment that Jonny should do the best shot blockers ever (regardless of position). unfortunately it was blocked by Dikembe Mutombo
This comment is
Wilt, Russell, Manute, Eaton would be top 4. Hakeem and Mutombo would also be there. tree Rollins as a dark horse for top 10.
☝️
guess it wont be today…
Bro almost all my comments get obliterated
So it was mutombo all this time?
Muggsy Bogues 100% should be on the honorable mentions bare minimum. Guy was 5'3 yet was not a defensive liability, because of his ability to generate steals. To quote Vince Carter, "We had a Muggsy Bogues rule. When you dribble the ball and you don't see Muggsy Bogues, you probably should pick it up because he's behind you and about to steal it." If you got players coining a rule after you, you deserve to be on the list, even if your raw numbers aren't the best.
Mugsy was a trip to watch. He was freakishly strong for his size. But he was hit or miss. If he got someone in the back court he was going to get a turnover. But if someone got him to the 3 point line they could pass over him, shoot over him, or abuse him in the post. I miss that guy. The NBA is never going to let a guy like that play again. Isiah Thomas had to fight tooth and nail to play when he was healthy, and when he finally got a chance he was all NBA.
@@Davivd2Are you seriously comparing Isaiah to Muggsy? One is an all time great, the other is notable for being very short.
@@joeschmoe6908 First off, comparisons aren't meant to be exact.. so calm down with that nonsense. 2nd, he didn't compare them in the slightest, TF you talking about
@@joeschmoe6908Two players mentioned in the same paragraph and your panties in a knot
I would destroy that little man on 1 v 1.
10 steals in a game is astounding. By the end of the game, the other team is probably a paranoid wreck.
J.WEST did that a lot of times
Good to see Michael Ray and Alvin Robertson get love. Hakeem needs more recognition in the Goat conversation. Tops in blocks, top 10 in steals, top 20 in rebounds and nasty on offense.
Preach on about the Dream.
Best center of all time IMO.
I still put Hakeem in the discussion right after Jordan... he has just as much claim to being #2 in the GOAT discussion as Kobe or Lebron.
@@Davivd2 I guarantee bill russel, Nate Thurmond, and probably wilt Chamberlain and Willis reed wouldve been close or surpassed this feat by hakeem
@GEMINIRED300: The NBA wanted consciously to be GOD of the league, not only of his otherworldly skills but to make the NIKE brand the GOD of marketing and consumerism shoes. There is a reason why Jordan overshadows just about every NBA player that ever laced them up.
Hakeem deserves to be here. If it was my list, I would rank him even higher, ngl
Agreed shout out hakkem having multiple seasons being top 10 in steals as a center
Yup
Retired top 10 in blocks and steals. Points rebounds as well. Goat center
@@wwfchriswwfI guarantee bill russel, Nate Thurmond, and probably wilt Chamberlain and Willis reed wouldve been close or surpassed this feat by hakeem
Alvin Robertson, John Stockton, Michael Jordan, & Hakeem Olajuwon were all drafted in 1984. Charles Barkley was pretty good at steals for his position as well.
Jerry West not even getting an honorable mention is crazy imo.
While I do think Jerry West deserves to be in the top 5, he played in an era where steals and blocks were not officially recorded. Do people like Harvey Pollack have unofficial records of other players in that era besides Wilt?
True. He even averaged 2.6 in his last season where they started to count steals and blocks. How much more during his prime.
Ball handling was much weaker in those days. Most players had a high probability of dribbling with one hand for most of the game.
@@user-fc5om8pp4ofalse ball handling rules were much stricter and guys weren't allowed to do with the ball what guys today can so ball handling appears weaker in that era but I promise you if forced to play under those same rules a lot of players handles today would look worse
You have to love those old-school names like Mo Cheeks.
Its corny and badass at the same time... which is also a perfect way to describe the 80s in general 🤣
@@jonnyarnettyou have Jordan in the list might as well put him on the thumbnail for extra views it's not like it's clickbait if he is going to be top 4 fr
Micheal Jordan’s road game steals and blocks in 1987-88-94 road steals + 47 road blocks = 141 road stocks
MJ's road stocks in all other full seasons with the
1984-85 - 138 road sticks
1986-87- 164
1988-89 - 142
1989-90 - 120
1990-91 - 132
1991-92 - 117
1992-93 - 130
1995-96 - 107
1996-97 - 88
1997-98 - 90
Entire season combined steals and blocks totals for all other perimeter Defensive Players of the Year.
Sidney Moncrief 1982-83 - 129 stocks
1983-84 - 135 stocks
Alvin Robertson 1985-86 - 340 stocks
Michael Cooper 1986-87 - 121 stocks
Dennis Rodman 1989-90 - 112 stocks
1990-91 - 120 stocks
Gary Payton 1995-96 - 250 stocks
Ron Artest/Metta World Peace 2003-04 - 202 stocks
Marcus Smart 2021-22 - 137 stocks
Conclusion - Michael Jordan's road stocks ALONE in
MULTIPLE SEASONS were HIGHER than 6 of the 9 complete DPOY seasons of the other perimeter defenders to ever win the award.
Next:Top 10 lockdown defender seems quite interesting
i often say Bob Lanier is the most underrated basketball player ever (and he truly is) but Mo Cheeks is a close second. i cherish the basketball he signed for me. great man.
damn unc 🤯
Honestly, it’s kind of l…well, stupid, how people don’t give Stockton his due as a defender, and more specifically a ball thief. He’s the ALL TIME steals leader. Nobody is else is even within 500 steals of his career record.
He got his due. All time steals leader and was all-NBA defensive team 5 times in his career. He was a great on ball defender.
Ya nobody is touching his steals record or assist record.
People hate the jazz
I love these videos man. Keep them coming! I forgot all about Mookie Blaylock
Always great to see Alvin in a video! He deserves one of his own, as well as the position he earned yet has been denied in the Hall of Fame.
Hakeem & The Admiral we’re mental. Amazing steals for guys their size. Both incredibly skilled
Woooooow I didn’t know Alvin Robertson was a defender like that, goooood lee
Walter Frazier is a glaring omission. I understand they didn't track steals until his 7th season, so his career totals don't stack up. However, he was 1st team all defense 7 straight seasons during his prime (most of which was before steals were tracked) and it is said that he could "steal the hubcaps off a moving car." I bet Jerry West would have made your list if they tracked steals prior to 1973-74 as well.
Frazier!!! I’m with you the guy was a pickpocket champ!
No Kawhi is a little crazy
Great list Jonny. I knew most of the players you were gonna list on here. You got it right!
Great list, Jonny, and everyone you picked is deserving. But unfortunately, because I know you are a young man, you never saw the great Walt Frazier play when he was active. Also, steals were not tracked during most of his prime years. I can tell you without a doubt, that there has never been a more prolific stealer in NBA history than Clyde. He was unreal. He used to just pick guys clean, right off the dribble. The most amazing pickpocket who ever lived.
Stockton has a pretty good case for #1, but easily should at least be #2. Taking the highest steals per game average in multiple seasons with Richardson and Robertson favors their peaks over career. Their highs were the highest. But given both career were much shorter than Stockton’s, to me his ability to maintain an excellent yearly average for 20 years favors longevity/career AND some high peaks (led league 2x’s) while never falling off in his entire career that doubled Richardson’s and Robertson’s. Not to mention the sheer # of games played (82 for like 17 seasons) means his average is actually DIMINISHED by the totality of games he played. So he didn’t have the same peaks for multiples seasons, but he also had to produce even more steals each game in order to keep his numbers so high. 7th highest all time steal ave per game with a career that spanned longer than anyone but Kidd. And he wasn’t even close to catching him in steals in total or ace. Think about that for a minute.
I loved seeing some different faces here instead of a bunch of people we all know super well. I won't spoil anything, but your #9, #8, #2, and #1 picks were awesome!
Magic Johnson should be here. 2x steals champ and averaged 3.4 steals per game in one season
Yeah he only played 35 games that season.
@@hakeemolajuwon4352 wow lol
I see a pickpocket as somebody who strips the ball from an opponent who is holding or dribbling the ball. Not somebody who gambles on passing lanes. That's part of why I think Kawhi Leonard deserves an honorable mention. One of my favorite pickpocket moments is when he stripped Ben Mclemore on two consecutive possessions, which led to fast break and-one and free throw opportunities for himself both times.
So let the passes go free all the time
Allen Iverson . He is a 3 peat steal’s champion. And top 5 in steals per game.
Stats are a little off. He's 14th all time in total steals and 8th in Steals Per Game. Just missed out for me.
@@jonnyarnett when it comes to SPG A.I. is actually in a 4 way tie for 4th place. 2.2 SPG, Stockton is a part of that tie as well. And A.I. is the first player to earn 3 steal crowns in consecutive years. CP3 is the only other player to do that. A.I. is 14th all time in total steals but his career was shorter than a lot of players on the list.
@@jonnyarnetthey, look up the turnover rate for the eras your praising..
@@2playschemeo.p.croutes724Ai averaged his steals against players with more talent..
@@2playschemeo.p.croutes724 This guy is bias towards AI like many of these basketball channels, so I wasnt surprised he wasnt put on the list.
Alvin Robertson is 100% the right pick for the #1 spot. Dude was an HOMBRE and honestly a scary person on the court and off. NOBODY messed with him. Not the best moral character in NBA history, but a hell of a player.
He’s absolutely Not!!
@@antwanfox1491 why??
Love this defence series. Thank you ❤
richardson, good for you!
Awesome video, Jonny! It was great to learn more about Alvin Robertson and Michael Ray Richardson. I hadn't heard much about either, so it was fun and cool to learn about their steals too.
The rest of the list is great also. I completely agree with Hakeem's inclusion. I am amazed at his ability to steal the ball. Not sure if we will ever see a center who is as good as steals at him, but he certainly sets a high bar.
Great video again. Take care, Jonny 😊
No Scottie, no good. His wingspan and ability to play the passing was dangerous all through the late '80s and through the '90s. His ability to tip passes and turn them into steals was unprecedented. There is no way a top tenant steals should be made without this man making top five at the very least
He uses Pip's NBA title clinching steal in the intro but doesn't give him any love....
Man I hope you watched the game today! With a tear in my eye that was the greatest Olympic game I've ever seen in my life!
Thanks Jonny!
Getting snazzier with the editing Jonny!
Thanks! I hired an editor about a year ago (Russell), and he's a good friend of mine :) Feels like he's getting better every day!
What about kawhi?
J.WEST was one of the best ever...players that played against him say that he would have a lot of games where he would get over 10 steals..
Micheal Ray Richardson was elite. He led the league in steals per game and assists per game in the same season!
The plumbers dominated the steals category
We done the 2020’s 😂
I thought I knew the NBA but you were in your bag with these. Kudos for real.
Being a pick pocket is a lost art. I haven't seen anyone who really stands out to me at stealing the ball in a while. Also, Isiah Thomas should have at least been an honorable mention.
Watch Fox. Quietly lead the league in steals last season.
@@blowc1612 He's the best currently. I like his game.
@@Davivd2 he lives up to his nickname Swippa.
❤Fat Lever, Pip, and Larry Legend are GREAT honorable mentions!!! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Great video and great evaluation and criteria for choosing your top 10. Having criterias that do not catered to any player to me is the way of determining the greatest at anything.
Hakeem was so good all around
I would put Jerry West as at least an honourable mention. Some old timers have claimed he averaged as many as 5 steals per game. While I find that a little far fetched when we look at the 31 games that he played in his final season he averaged 2.6 steals per game, which is more than everyone’s career average except for Richardson and Robertson. A small sample to be sure, but pretty impressive for a 35 year old who was injured and ready to retire.
The best youtuber in NBA history!
I love that he knows history. Before I watched the video I said I hope he has Blaylock on here and Roberson has to be first.
I'm glad Stephen Curry was at least acknowledged. He's a VERY underrated defender and needs some respect for what he does on that end of the floor.
I'm a Celtics' fan btw☘️🍀☘️
Amazing content as always. Thank you Jonny
You missed off LiAngelo ball. He was so great at stealing he almost went to jail 😂
❤I agree with everything you said about John Stockton!!!💪🏼🏀💪🏼🏀VERY RELIABLE!!!
When you hear about Mookie now you hear about his charges but if you saw him...
When you didn't say Scottie popped I was expecting him to be number 1
Awesome list!!!! I think Payton might be up one or two but I ain't hard pressed once your in the top ten out of all the players welp you can't complain.
Shout out to Mugsy Bogues, great pickpocket despite his size. Really fun player to use in 2K and he’s one of the best players Charlotte ever saw
When I think of Payton - I don’t usually think “pickpocket” I usually look at him as the Rodman type. That defensive stopper who could simply shut down and slow down their man like no other - then you look at Payton’s steals stats and what the fuck. He was picking pockets like crazy too. My favourite player.
Although they only tracked steals for 1 year during his career... but in Jerry Wests final year, he averaged 2.6 steals at age 35. I'm betting he averaged well over 3 a game for his entire career and the limited games I've seen of him, he could have gotten 4 per game.
10 steals in a game is crazy😂😂opposition must've been pissed
Glad to see Dog at #1.
Honorable mentions whose careers are just too short: Dudley Bradley, Eric Murdock.
Ginobili borderline top 10 pick pocket. Dude picked kobe like 3- 4 times in just 15 minutes in his first career game, had kobe asking bowen who that boy was
Cp3 has some of the fastest and strongest hands for a little guard that I’ve ever seen. He just used to snatch the ball out of players hands like and make them look stupid
When bro upload I just click on whatever video it is the n read it bcuz I know it's 🔥🔥
Your inclusion of Cheeks alone gets a thumbs up from me. I've seen numerous games were he stole the ball 5 or 6 times in the course of two or three minutes and managed to score or assist on every steal. No other guard was ever able to do that even if he had more career steals or better SPG.
I'd have Clyde on the list, at least an honorable mention
Excellent list as all 10 deserve their spots!
The only disagreement would be Stockton and Richardson. I would have the former above the latter because MRR's career was so short that it made his per-game average inflated compared to Stockton or MJ. Hakeem definitely deserves a spot above others because even as an exclusive Center, he outclasses any PF's as well as most SF/SG's who have more opportunities.
Had steals been counted since the beginning, Jerry West probably would have made this list because he averaged an absurd 2.6 steals in his final season--the first year they were counted as a statistic.
Great video Johnny. I love to see a fellow Spur at the one spot. Also I'd love to see a video on the worst defenders the league has seen.
Kawhi would be so much higher if he wasn't hurt so much.... great list!!!!
I wasnt expecting to see Kidd on this list. Dope
I totally forgot about Michael Ray Richardson. When you got to number two, I thought it would be Dennis Johnson. But MRR was a problem. Very talented. Just couldn't stay clean. I wondered what happened to him. I thought it was a good list.
I would've put Scottie Pippen top 10 potentially. I've been watching a lot of Bulls games recently and realizing how many points his steals gave them on a game-to-game basis.
My jaw dropped not seeing Tyrone "Muggsy" Bogues
❤His Airness is no doubt a top ten in ALL ASPECTS OF BASKETBALL!!!💪🏼🏀💪🏼🏀SIMPLY THE G.O.A.T!!!
I think Scottie and AI need to make the top 10. I get that the numbers may not be there for pip but his ability to steal the ball kept teams moving away from him.
Video/investigation idea: I've heard it said a lot that Magic Johnson could/did play all 5 positions. Did he?
Three of these are really easy. He obviously played point. In his early years when he shared the backcourt with Norm Nixon, he'd often line up at the 2. And in his '96 comeback, he primarily played power forward.
Center SEEMS easy...there's the very famous 1980 Finals Game 6. But I've heard it argued that Jim Chones, who played 43 minutes that game, was the Lakers' true center, and Magic was not so much taking over Kareem's position, but his role as the team's go-to scorer. So I think the first question is: Did he actually play center in that game? And, as a follow-up: Did he ever do that again? It seemed so wildly successful that I'd think the Lakers would attempt it at least once more over the next 11 seasons.
And then the real puzzler: Did he ever play small forward?
Kawhi wouldn't let prime curry or lbj dribble the ball. That's in today's era w all the palm carrying etc
Nose candy probably gave Ray Richardson energy on the defensive end 😬
A video about the best defenders without an all nba selection would be interesting to watch. There are so many underrated defenders out there that aren't really remembered due to their lack of defensive accomplishments.
I wonder if snorting all that yay helped Michael Ray Richardson achieve that steals average?
You got #1 right. And you surprised me with #2 but I agree after hearing his rundown.
Categories aside
As someone with a natural talent for steals i find it weird how low the nba record for that stat is
Mookie Blalock shoot be on this list. He was the best at hand checking then stealing😂😂😂 RIP
Gary Payton should be higher, other than that, it's a great list
Knicks fan bias speaking but really surprised at Walt Frazier not even getting an honourable mention, though I understand the lack of steals tracked in his prime, which makes sense for Jerry West's omission too (but surprised all the same)
Cool list.
Here's an instance when it's crucial to use the correct context for data.
Steals aren't like points or even rebounds or assists. Steals are made either due to circumstance (luck), positioning, or anticipation.
As players like Hakeem advanced in their careers, their last 3 to 4 seasons become much more focused on the more tangible assets of scoring, rebounding, or simply offering solid minutes off the bench.
Thus, using Steals per game becomes misleading as a player like Hakeem has farcgreater value as a post scorer or rebounder than forcing turnovers.
I'd suggest using Steals per 36 minutes played and perhaps even filter that further by incorporating Games Started as well.
thanks for the content
Pipen would be number 11 for me. Tried to replace somebody for him , just couldn't do it. Great list couldn't agree more. Except for you calling Jason Kidd unathletic. No way.
I remember mookie blaylock but at the time i was only 9 years old so the basketball stat concept hadnt sunk in
Micheal-Ray didn’t violate the league’s drug policy three times, he did it four times. Once was before they instituted the three strikes and your out rule.
Great vid Jojon Arnettović
I know you already did it but if any of your spots have changed what would be your top 10 defenders of all time
Am I crazy or did Slick Watts not even get an honourable mention?
Also Don Buse probably deserved a shout as well, considering he’s the only player to average over 4 a game and holds 3rd on the highest season average as well.
Anyone else looking 👀 at this video and reminiscing on their days on the basketball 🏀 court on defense? Where's my defensive focused people at?
Hakeem should be higher, because of position. Bud still a good list
Allen Iverson. Didn’t do enough research 3 consecutive steal titles. 10 steals in a single playoff game. Record still stands today…
At the end of Fox careee he is definitely on this list. Fox pick pocketing is top notch.
Great list!!
Interested to see your look at Alvin robertsons and Magic Johnson’s steals to see if they’re inflated. I wonder if that’s just an 80s thing? Perhaps maybe statisticians in that era just simply didn’t know how to define a steal.
Nah Alvin was a true pick pocket. Doubt his were that inflated.
@@TheIcemanthomasI agree, just from watching him you can see how skilled he was in that art. Still would like to see it looked into though.
Jimmy Butler and Jerry West should have made honorable mentions.
Lindsey Hunter should’ve been an honorable mention.
I have Stockton over Micheal Ray Richardson, in the second spot. Thing is, stealing is (generally) a young man's game - Stockton only once reached 2.0 SPG, and never above that, after the 95/96 season. If you're holding his "low" 2.2 SPG against him, you're punishing him for his longevity. Sure, his final 02/03 season he still got 1.7 SPG, but that was nowhere near his 8-year peak from 87/88 through 94/95, where he averaged 2.7 SPG.
From 87/88 through 91/92, the only players to keep Stockton away from leading the league in steals are Alvin Robertson and Michael Jordan. He started and ended that streak with 3.0 SPG seasons, and followed it up with three seasons at 2.4 SPG. During that five-year span, Stockton's AVERAGE was 2.9 SPG, and he was league leader twice.
For Stockton's entire 8-year peak, he of course led the league in assists every season, as well as in the 95/96 season. He may have lasted a long time in the NBA, and he may have been consistently great, but Stockton's peak was otherworldly.
I get Iverson wasn’t a great defender but he led the league in steals in 3 or 4 times and he was amazing at it..He definitely should’ve made the list
the Iverson bias strikes again, they always do this to Iverson
@@gangstagummybear3432 he didn’t make the top 10 scorers list of Alltime also.. I was surprised.. I get the Efficiency argument,, but I think his efficiency would’ve been higher on a different team that was inept..It went up in Denver. He won 4 scoring titles and has like a top 3 Alltime postseason ppg average
@@casiemny1219you shouldn’t follow this channel hoping to see anything Iverson.. it’s clear what this guys views are.