Top Steal Artists: A Dive into Orlando Magics Single Season Leaders in Steals Per Game

Throughout its history, the Orlando Magic have been home to several top-tier on-ball defenders. In this piece, we will examine which players have achieved the highest averages of steals per game while wearing the Magic jersey.

In the peak phases of his career, Anfernee Hardaway emerged as one of the league’s premier on-ball defenders, presenting a formidable challenge for rival guards due to his agility and reach. He skillfully leveraged these attributes on both ends of the floor, particularly excelling on defense. During his rookie season, Hardaway averaged 2.3 steals per game, marking his career-best. He concluded that season ranked sixth in the league for steals per game, trailing only Nate McMillan (3.0), Scottie Pippen (2.9), Mookie Blaylock (2.6), John Stockton (2.4), and Eric Murdock (2.4).

In the 1998-99 season, Hardaway came tantalizingly close to equaling his personal best in steals per game, with two Orlando players, including Darrell Armstrong, averaging 2.2 steals. Both Magic teammates tied for sixth place in the steals category behind Kendall Gill, Eddie Jones, Allen Iverson, Jason Kidd, and Doug Christie, and shared a tie with Gary Payton. That season, Hardaway also recorded averages of 15.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 0.5 blocks per game, ultimately finishing 16th in the MVP voting.

The 1998-99 season marked a year in which both Hardaway and Armstrong averaged 2.2 steals per game, placing them behind players like Kendall Gill, Eddie Jones, Allen Iverson, Jason Kidd, and Doug Christie, as well as tying with Gary Payton. Armstrong had a strong season, posting averages of 13.8 points, 6.7 assists, and 3.6 rebounds per game, earning the title of Most Improved Player of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year while finishing 15th in MVP voting, just ahead of Hardaway.

Following his successful 1998-99 season, Armstrong continued to shine in the 1999-00 season, transitioning from a bench player to a starting role. He participated in all 82 regular-season games for the Magic and secured 13th place in MVP voting, averaging a career-high 16.2 points, along with 6.1 assists, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.1 steals per game. In the steals per game category, Armstrong finished tied for second with Allen Iverson and Paul Pierce, though he was still behind Eddie Jones, who led the league with 2.7 steals per game.

The 1995-96 season marked one of three instances where Hardaway averaged over 2.0 steals per game as a member of the Orlando Magic, coinciding with his third year in the league. That season also saw him achieve a career-best scoring average of 21.7 points per game, alongside 7.1 assists and 4.3 rebounds. He finished third in the MVP voting and earned selections to the All-NBA First Team and the All-Star Game. In terms of steals per game, Hardaway ranked sixth in the league, behind Gary Payton (2.9), Mookie Blaylock (2.6), Michael Jordan (2.2), Jason Kidd (2.2), and Alvin Robertson (2.2).