Mike Conley sits at No. 1 on the Grizzlies’ all-time steals list.
The Grizzlies are a franchise that’s known for their gritty, defensive-minded approach to success. The best teams in the franchise’s history, whether based in Vancouver or Memphis, achieved success by prioritizing the defensive side of the ball.
Perimeter defense in particular has always been an important aspect of the game for the Grizzlies. In this piece, we’ll take a look at which players have posted the best averages of steals per game through the organization’s history.
Mike Conley – 2012, 2.2 SPG
Conley is one of the best point guards to ever play for the Grizzlies. The veteran floor general, who’s slated to play for the Timberwolves in the 2025-26 campaign, was a defensive standout during his prime years. His best output in the category of steals per game came in the 2011-22 campaign, when he ranked second in the NBA with 2.2 swipes per contest. Chris Paul was the league leader in that category with 2.5 SPG.
Mike Conley – 2013, 2.2 SPG
Conley repeated the same output in the 2012-23 season, further enhancing his reputation as one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA. Conley often used his quick hands to unsettle opposing guards, but he also delivered on the other end of the court. During the 2012-13 season, Conley averaged 14.6 points, 6.1 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game. He ranked third in SPG during the campaign behind Chris Paul and Ricky Rubio, who co-led the league with 2.4 SPG.
Tony Allen – 2015, 2.0 SPG
Allen earned a reputation as a hard-nosed defender who often had the assignment of guarding the best player on the opposing team on a regular basis. Even though his offensive contributions weren’t consistent, his reputation as a defender earned him praise around the league, and he was at his best in the 2014-15 campaign. Playing alongside Mike Conley in the Grizzlies’ backcourt, Allen averaged 2.0 steals per game in the regular season, a figure that ranked third in The Association. The only two players who ranked ahead of him were Kawhi Leonard, who led the NBA in SPG with 2.3, and Russell Westbrook, who averaged 2.1 per game.
Eric Murdock – 1996, 2.0 SPG
Murdock ranked seventh in the NBA in steals per game during the 1995-96 season with 1.7 swipes per contest. However, he was traded in the early stages of that campaign from the Bucks to the Grizzlies, who were then playing in Vancouver. During his short stint in Vancouver, Murdock was an outstanding defender who averaged 9.1 points, 4.6 assists, 2.4 rebounds and 2.0 steals across 23.1 minutes per game and 64 regular-season appearances (nine starts). That 64-game stretch would be the only time he’d play for the Grizzlies, as he signed with the Nuggets for the 1996-97 campaign.
Greg Anthony – 1997, 2.0 SPG
Anthony was one of 10 players who averaged at least 2.0 steals per game during the 1996-97 NBA season, ranking ninth in The Association in that category. Mookie Blaylock led the league in SPG with 2.7 that season, whereas some of the players who ended ahead of Anthony in that list were Doug Christie, Gary Payton, Eddie Jones, Allen Iverson and John Stockton. Anthony, a point guard who played 11 years in the NBA, spent two seasons in Vancouver, from 1995-96 to 1996-97. During the 1996-97 campaign, he averaged 9.5 points, 6.3 assists, 2.4 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game.
