Ricky Rubio is the Minnesota Timberwolves single season steals per game leader.
The Timberwolves have had some elite defenders throughout the years. In this piece, we’ll take a look at which players have posted the best steals per game marks in Timberwolves history.
Ricky Rubio – 2013, 2.4 steals per game
Ricky Rubio’s name appears three times in this list, but that shouldn’t be surprising. During his prime, Rubio was one of the game’s best passers and top-notch perimeter defenders. The 2.4 steals per game he averaged during the 2012-13 season not only represented a career-high mark, but it was also the highest-ever output in that category for a player wearing the Timberwolves jersey. He finished tied for first in the league in the category that year alongside Chris Paul. In his second year in the NBA, Rubio also averaged 10.7 points, 7.3 assists and 4.0 rebounds per contest.
Ricky Rubio – 2014, 2.3 steals per game
This was the second straight season in which Rubio averaged over 2.0 steals per game, but unfortunately, this time it wasn’t enough to lead the league in that category. He finished in second place behind Chris Paul, who averaged 2.5 steals per game. Rubio and Paul were two of three players who averaged over 2.0 SPG in that campaign, with Thaddeus Young being the other. Rubio also averaged 9.5 points, 8.6 assists and 4.2 rebounds per game in 2013-14.
Micheal Williams – 1993, 2.2 steals per game
Williams enjoyed a 10-year career in the NBA spanning six teams, though he played five of those years in Minnesota. The prime of his career was between the 1990-91 and 1993-94 seasons, and he was excellent for the Timberwolves in the 1992-93 campaign. He averaged a career-high 15.1 points per game, though he also contributed 8.7 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 2.2 steals per contest. He was tied for fourth in the league in SPG with 2.2 alongside Alvin Robertson, Ron Harper, Eric Murdock and Gary Payton. Michael Jordan led the NBA in that category with 2.8.
Tyrone Corbin – 1990, 2.1 steals per game
Corbin was one of 12 players who averaged at least 2.0 steals per game in the NBA during the 1989-90 season, and he ranked tied for sixth with 2.1 SPG alongside players such as Fat Lever, Hakeem Olajuwon, Lester Conner and Tim Hardaway. Michael Jordan led the league in SPG with 2.8 per game, followed by John Stockton (2.7) and Scottie Pippen (2.6). Corbin, who played for nine teams across a 16-year NBA career, averaged 14.7 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game along with his 2.1 steals in that 1989-90 campaign.
Ricky Rubio – 2016, 2.1 steals per game
Rubio averaged at least 2.0 steals per game in four of his first five seasons in the NBA, though the 2015-16 campaign was the last time he achieved that feat. In a season in which he also averaged 10.1 points, 8.7 assists and 4.3 rebounds across 76 regular-season starts, Rubio was part of a four-way tie to lead the league in steals per game with 2.1. He co-led the league with Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors), Kyle Lowry (Toronto Raptors) and Chris Paul (Los Angeles Clippers).
