In basketball, a steal is a "defensive action" that causes the opponent to turn the ball over. The Women's National Basketball Association's (WNBA) steals title is awarded to the player with the highest steals per game (spg) average in a given season.

The highest league-leading steals per game was Teresa Weatherspoon's 3.33 steals per game in the 1998 season. The lowest league-leading steals per game was 2.21, achieved by Nykesha Sales and Yolanda Griffith in the 2004 season. Teresa Weatherspoon also holds the record for total steals in a season (100) in the 1998 season.

Tamika Catchings has won the most steals titles, with eight. Angel McCoughtry, Brittney Sykes, Jordin Canada, Sancho Lyttle, Sheryl Swoopes, Teresa Weatherspoon, and Yolanda Griffith have each won the steals title two times. Tamika Catchings also holds the record for consecutive seasons leading the league in steals with three, accomplishing this in the 2005 season, 2006 season, and the 2007 season. She accomplished this again two years in a row in the 2009 season, and the 2010 season. Other players that have led the league in steals in consecutive seasons include Brittney Sykes in the 2021 season, 2022 season, and Teresa Weatherspoon in the 1997 season, 1998 season.

Key ^Denotes player who is still active in the WNBA*Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame†Not yet eligible for Hall of Fame consideration§1st time eligible for Hall of Fame in 2025Player (X)Denotes the number of times the player had been theassists leader up to and including that seasonGGuardFForwardCCenter

Annual leaders Year Player Pos. Team Games played Total minutes Minutes per game Total steals Steals per game1997 Teresa Weatherspoon* G New York Liberty 28 924 33.0 85 3.01998 Teresa Weatherspoon (2) G New York Liberty* 30 1002 33.4 100 3.31999 Yolanda Griffith* C/F Sacramento Monarchs 29 979 33.8 73 2.52000 Sheryl Swoopes* F/G Houston Comets 31 1090 35.2 87 2.82001 Debbie Black G Miami Sol 32 946 29.6 82 2.52002 Tamika Catchings* F Indiana Fever 32 1167 36.5 94 2.92003 Sheryl Swoopes* (2) F/G Houston Comets 31 1084 35.0 77 2.42004 Yolanda Griffith* (2) C/F Sacramento Monarchs 34 1031 30.3 75 2.22004 Nykesha Sales G/F Connecticut Sun 34 1096 32.2 75 2.22005 Tamika Catchings* (2) F Indiana Fever 34 1174 34.5 90 2.62006 Tamika Catchings* (3) F Indiana Fever 32 1071 33.5 94 2.92007 Tamika Catchings* (4) F Indiana Fever 21 678 32.3 66 3.12008 Alexis Hornbuckle G Detroit Shock 34 747 22.0 79 2.32009 Tamika Catchings* (5) F Indiana Fever 34 1084 31.9 99 2.92010 Tamika Catchings* (6) F Indiana Fever 34 1068 31.4 77 2.22011 Sancho Lyttle F Atlanta Dream 22 577 26.2 52 2.32012 Angel McCoughtry F Atlanta Dream 24 718 29.9 60 2.52013 Tamika Catchings* (7) F Indiana Fever 30 942 31.4 85 2.82014 Angel McCoughtry (2) F Atlanta Dream 31 970 31.3 74 2.32015 Sancho Lyttle (2) F Atlanta Dream 24 721 30.0 54 2.22016 Tamika Catchings* (8) F Indiana Fever 34 844 24.8 62 1.82017 Alana Beard F/G Los Angeles Sparks 34 1048 30.8 71 2.02018 Maya Moore* F/G Minnesota Lynx 34 1081 31.8 57 1.72019 Jordin Canada^ G Seattle Storm 30 865 28.8 68 2.32020 Alyssa Thomas^ F Connecticut Sun 21 689 32.8 42 2.0 2021 Brittney Sykes^ G Los Angeles Sparks 32 939 29.3 58 1.8 2022 Brittney Sykes^ (2) G Los Angeles Sparks 32 921 31.3 65 2.0 2023 Jordin Canada^ (2) G Los Angeles Sparks 38 1237 32.5 86 2.3 2024 Arike Ogunbowale^ G Dallas Wings 38 1466 38.6 81 2.1 2025 Gabby Williams^ F Seattle Storm 44 1391 31.6 99 2.3 2026 Rhyne Howard^ G Atlanta Dream 43 1472 34.2 99 2.3

Multiple-time leaders

RankPlayerTeamTimes leaderYears1Tamika CatchingsIndiana Fever8, , , , , , , 2Angel McCoughtryAtlanta Dream2, Brittney SykesLos Angeles Sparks, Jordin CanadaSeattle Storm (1) / Los Angeles Sparks (1), Sancho LyttleAtlanta Dream, Sheryl SwoopesHouston Comets, Teresa WeatherspoonNew York Liberty, Yolanda GriffithSacramento Monarchs,

See also List of National Basketball Association career steals leaders List of National Basketball Association season steals leaders

Notes

References

External links WNBA Year-by-Year Leaders and Records for Steals Per Game by Basketball-Reference.com