List of WNBA career steals leaders

Tamika Catchings has the most steals in WNBA history.

This article provides two lists:

A list of Women's National Basketball Association players by total career regular season steals.
A progressive list of steals leaders showing how the record has increased through the years.

Steals leaders

This is a list of Women's National Basketball Association players by total career regular season leaders in steals.

Statistics accurate as of August 26, 2026.[1]
^ Active WNBA player
* Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
† Not yet eligible for Hall of Fame consideration[a]
§ Eligible for Hall of Fame in 2025[2]
Rank Player Position(s) Team(s) played for (years) Total steals Games played[b] Steals per game
average[c]
1 Tamika Catchings* F Indiana Fever (2002–2016) 1,074 457 2.35
2 Ticha Penicheiro G Sacramento Monarchs (1998–2009)
Los Angeles Sparks (2010–2011)
Chicago Sky (2012)		 764 454 1.68
3 Sue Bird* G Seattle Storm (2002–2022)[d] 725 580 1.25
4 Alana Beard G/F Washington Mystics (2004–2011)
Los Angeles Sparks (2012–2019)		 710 419 1.70
5 Nneka Ogwumike^ F Los Angeles Sparks (2012–2023, 2026–present)
Seattle Storm (2024–2025)		 707 473 1.49
6 DeWanna Bonner^ F/G Phoenix Mercury (2009–2019, 2025–present)
Connecticut Sun (2020–2024)
Indiana Fever (2025)		 674 572 1.18
7 Sheryl Swoopes* F/G Houston Comets (1997–2007)[e]
Seattle Storm (2008)
Tulsa Shock (2011)		 657 324 2.03
8 Jia Perkins G Charlotte Sting (2004–2005)
Chicago Sky (2006–2010)
San Antonio Silver Stars/Stars (2011–2015)
Minnesota Lynx (2016–2017)		 635 417 1.52
9 Sancho Lyttle F Houston Comets (2005–2008)
Atlanta Dream (2009–2017)
Phoenix Mercury (2018–2019)		 634 392 1.61
10 Angel McCoughtry F/G Atlanta Dream (2009–2019)[f]
Las Vegas Aces (2020–2021)
Minnesota Lynx (2022)		 627 311 2.02
11 Katie Douglas G/F Orlando Miracle/Connecticut Sun (2001–2007, 2014)
Indiana Fever (2008–2013)		 623 412 1.51
12 DeLisha Milton-Jones F Los Angeles Sparks (1999–2004, 2008–2012)
Washington Mystics (2005–2007)
San Antonio Silver Stars (2013)
New York Liberty (2013–2014)
Atlanta Dream (2014–2015)		 619 499 1.24
13 Alyssa Thomas^ G Connecticut Sun (2014–2024)
Phoenix Mercury (2025–present)		 608 394 1.54
14 Taj McWilliams-Franklin F/C Orlando Miracle (1999–2002)
Connecticut Sun (2003–2006)
Los Angeles Sparks (2007)
Washington Mystics (2008)
Detroit Shock (2008–2009)
New York Liberty (2010)
Minnesota Lynx (2011–2012)		 580 440 1.32
15 Tully Bevilaqua G Cleveland Rockers (1998)
Portland Fire (2000–2002)
Seattle Storm (2003–2004)
Indiana Fever (2005–2010)
San Antonio Silver Stars (2011–2012)		 573 425 1.35
16 Courtney Vandersloot^ G Chicago Sky (2011–2022, 2025–present)
New York Liberty (2023–2024)		 570 457 1.25
17 Yolanda Griffith* C/F Sacramento Monarchs (1999–2007)
Seattle Storm (2008)
Indiana Fever (2009)		 529 311 1.70
18 Candace Parker* F/C Los Angeles Sparks (2008–2020)
Chicago Sky (2021–2022)
Las Vegas Aces (2023)		 523 410 1.28
19 Diana Taurasi† G Phoenix Mercury (2004–2024)[g] 518 565 0.92
20 Lindsay Whalen* G Connecticut Sun (2004–2009)
Minnesota Lynx (2010–2018)		 501 480 1.04
21 Natasha Howard^ F Indiana Fever (2014–2015, 2025)
Minnesota Lynx (2016–2017, 2026–present)
Seattle Storm (2018–2020)
New York Liberty (2021–2022)
Dallas Wings (2023–2024)		 499 419 1.19
22 Shannon Johnson G Orlando Miracle/Connecticut Sun (1999–2003)
San Antonio Silver Stars (2004–2006)
Detroit Shock (2007)
Houston Comets (2008)
Seattle Storm (2009)		 494 352 1.40
23 Lisa Leslie* C Los Angeles Sparks (1997–2009)[h] 492 363 1.36
24 Sylvia Fowles* C Chicago Sky (2008–2014)
Minnesota Lynx (2015–2022)		 491 408 1.20
25 Nykesha Sales F/G Orlando Miracle/Connecticut Sun (1999–2007) 490 278 1.76

Progressive list of steal leaders

This is a progressive list of assist leaders showing how the record increased through the years.[4]

Statistics accurate as of August 23, 2026.
^ Active WNBA player
* Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
† Not yet eligible for Hall of Fame consideration[i]
§ Eligible for Hall of Fame in 2025[5]
Team abbreviations Team(s) listed is the one player was on when she established the record.
ATLAtlanta DreamHOUHouston CometsMINMinnesota Lynx
CHIChicago SkyINDIndiana FeverNYLNew York Liberty
CONConnecticut SunLASLos Angeles SparksSACSacramento Monarchs
DETDetroit ShockMIAMiami SolSEASeattle Storm
Steals leader at the end of every season
SeasonYear-by-year leaderStealsActive player leaderTotal stealsCareer recordTotal stealsSingle-season recordStealsSeason
1997Teresa Weatherspoon*NYL85Teresa Weatherspoon*NYL85Teresa Weatherspoon*NYL85Teresa Weatherspoon*NYL851997
19981001851851001998
1999782632631999
2000Sheryl Swoopes*HOU873283282000
2001Debbie BlackMIA823833832001
2002Tamika Catchings*IND944254252002
2003Sheryl Swoopes*HOU774534532003
2004Yolanda Griffith*SAC754654652004
Nykesha SalesCON
2005Tamika Catchings*IND90Sheryl Swoopes*HOU520Sheryl Swoopes*HOU5202005
2006945845842006
2007Loree MooreNYL755895892007
2008Alexis HornbuckleDET79Ticha PenicheiroSAC655Ticha PenicheiroSAC6552008
2009Tamika Catchings*IND996856852009
2010777287282010
2011Epiphanny Prince†CHI79Tamika Catchings*IND775Tamika Catchings*IND7752011
2012Sancho LyttleATL828458452012
2013Angel McCoughtryATL899309302013
2014Sancho LyttleATL749579572014
Angel McCoughtryATL
2015Angel McCoughtryATL721,0121,0122015
2016Tamika Catchings*IND621,0741,0742016
2017Alana BeardLAS71Alana BeardLAS6532017
2018Maya Moore*MIN576972018
2019Natasha Howard^SEA747092019
2020Alyssa Thomas^CON42Sue Bird*SEA6592020
2021Brittney Sykes^LAS586872021
2022657252022
2023Jordin Canada^LAS86DeWanna Bonner^CON5562023
2024Arike Ogunbowale^DAL81Nneka Ogwumike^SEA6182024
2025Gabby Williams^SEA996682025
2026Rhyne Howard^ATL867072026
SeasonYear-by-year leaderStealsActive player leaderTotal stealsCareer recordTotal stealsSingle-season recordStealsSeason


Notes

  1. ↑ A player is not eligible for induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame until she has been fully retired for two calendar years.
  2. ↑ Games played in prior seasons where steals were not recorded are not included in total games played nor are they used in calculating the per game average.
  3. ↑ Average is rounded to the nearest hundredth and its calculation does not include games played in seasons before steals were officially recorded.
  4. ↑ Bird did not play the 2013 season and 2019 season because of knee surgery.
  5. ↑ Swoopes missed the 2001 season due to an injury.
  6. ↑ McCoughtry sat out during 2017 to rest.[3]
  7. ↑ Taurasi did not play the 2015 season at the request of her Russian Premier League team, UMMC Ekaterinburg.
  8. ↑ Leslie did not play the 2007 season because of a pregnancy leave.
  9. ↑ A player is not eligible for induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame until she has been fully retired for two calendar years.

References

  1. ↑ "WNBA Career Leaders and Records for Steals". Basketball Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  2. ↑ "2025 Hall of Fame Candidates". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
  3. ↑ "Dream's Angel McCoughtry Plans to Rest During 2017 Season". WNBA. January 4, 2017. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  4. ↑ "WNBA Progressive Leaders and Records for Steals". Basketball Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved 1 October 2022.
  5. ↑ "2025 Hall of Fame Candidates". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
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