Anfernee Hardaway is one the single season steals per game leader for Orlando.
The Orlando Magic have featured some elite on-ball defenders throughout their history. Here, we’ll take a look at which players have posted the best averages of steals per game while donning the Magic’s jersey.
Anfernee Hardaway – 1994, 2.3 steals per game
During the prime years of his career, Hardaway was one of the best on-ball defenders in the league and an absolute nightmare matchup for opposing guards due to his quickness and length. He managed to exploit that to his favor on both ends of the court, though it was often noticeable on defense. The 2.3 steals per game that Hardaway posted during his rookie year were also a career-high mark for him. He finished that season sixth in the league in the SPG category, behind Nate McMillan (3.0), Scottie Pippen (2.9), Mookie Blaylock (2.6), John Stockton (2.4) and Eric Murdock (2.4).
Anfernee Hardaway – 1999, 2.2 steals per game
Hardaway came agonizingly close to tying his personal-best mark of steals per game during the 1998-99 season, a campaign in which two Orlando players averaged 2.2 steals per game — the other was Darrell Armstrong. These two Magic teammates finished in a tie for sixth place in the SPG category behind Kendall Gill, Eddie Jones, Allen Iverson, Jason Kidd and Doug Christie, and tied for sixth along with Gary Payton. During that 1998-99 season, Hardaway also averaged 15.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 0.5 blocks per game while ending in 16th place in the MVP voting.
Darrell Armstrong – 1999, 2.2 steals per game
The 1998-99 season was a campaign in which two Orlando players averaged 2.2 steals per game — the other was Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway. Armstrong and Hardaway finished behind Kendall Gill, Eddie Jones, Allen Iverson, Jason Kidd and Doug Christie, and tied for sixth along with Gary Payton. Armstrong averaged 13.8 points, 6.7 assists and 3.6 boards per game that season, a year in which he was named the Most Improved Player of the Year and the Sixth Man of the Year. He also finished in 15th place in the MVP voting, one spot ahead of Hardaway.
Darrell Armstrong – 2000, 2.1 steals per game
Armstrong followed up the effort from the 1998-99 season with another solid campaign in 1999-00, though he went from being a bench player to a full-time starter. He started in each of the Magic’s 82 regular-season contests and finished 13th in the MVP voting in a campaign in which he averaged a career-best 16.2 points, 6.1 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 2.1 steals per contest. In the SPG category, Armstrong finished in a tie for second place with Allen Iverson and Paul Pierce, but well behind the league-leading 2.7 steals per game of Eddie Jones.
Anfernee Hardaway – 1996, 2.0 steals per game
The 1995-96 season was one of three in which Hardaway averaged at least 2.0 steals per game as a member of the Orlando Magic, and it was also his third year in The Association. During that season, Hardaway also averaged a career-high 21.7 points while adding 7.1 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game. He finished third in the MVP voting while also being named to the All-NBA First Team and the All-Star Game. When it comes to the SPG category, 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).
