title: List of Women's National Basketball Association career steals leaders
text: # List of Women's National Basketball Association career steals leaders
  
  The following is a list of the players who have achieved the most steals during their WNBA careers.
  
  | ^ | Active WNBA player |
  | - | - |
  | * | Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame |
  | $^†$ | Not yet eligible for Hall of Fame consideration |
  
  WNBA Most steals recorded :
  
  | Rank | Player | Team(s) played for (years) | Total steals | Games played | Steals per game average |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | 1 | Tamika Catchings* | Indiana Fever (2002–2016) | 1,074 | 457 | 2.35 |
  | 2 | Ticha Penicheiro | Sacramento Monarchs (1998–2009) Los Angeles Sparks (2010–2011) Chicago Sky (2012) | 764 | 454 | 1.68 |
  | 3 | Sue $Bird^†$ | Seattle Storm (2002–2022) | 725 | 580 | 1.25 |
  | 4 | Alana Beard | Washington Mystics (2004–2011) Los Angeles Sparks (2012–2019) | 709 | 420 | 1.69 |
  | 5 | Sheryl Swoopes* | Houston Comets (1997–2007) Seattle Storm (2008) Tulsa Shock (2011) | 657 | 324 | 2.03 |
  | 6 | Jia Perkins | Charlotte Sting (2004–2005) Chicago Sky (2006–2010) San Antonio Stars (2011–2015) Minnesota Lynx (2016–2017) | 634 | 417 | 1.52 |
  | 7 | Sancho Lyttle | Houston Comets (2005–2008) Atlanta Dream (2009–2017) Phoenix Mercury (2018–2019) | 630 | 392 | 1.61 |
  | 8 | Angel McCoughtry^ | Atlanta Dream (2009–2019) Las Vegas Aces (2020–2021) Minnesota Lynx (2022) | 627 | 311 | 2.02 |
  | 9 | Katie Douglas | Orlando Miracle/Connecticut Sun (2001–2007, 2014) Indiana Fever (2008–2013) | 623 | 412 | 1.51 |
  | 10 | DeLisha Milton-Jones | 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 |
  | 11 | Taj McWilliams-Franklin | Orlando Miracle/Connecticut Sun (1999–2006) Los Angeles Sparks (2007) Washington Mystics (2008) Detroit Shock (2008–2009) New York Liberty (2010) Minnesota Lynx (2011–2012) | 580 | 440 | 1.32 |
  | 12 | Tully Bevilaqua | 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 |
  | 13 | Yolanda Griffith* | Sacramento Monarchs (1999–2007) Seattle Storm (2008) Indiana Fever (2009) | 529 | 311 | 1.70 |
  | 14 | DeWanna Bonner^ | Phoenix Mercury (2009–2019) Connecticut Sun (2020–present) | 514 | 422 | 1.22 |
  | 15 | Lindsay Whalen* | Connecticut Sun (2004–2009) Minnesota Lynx (2010–2018) | 501 | 480 | 1.04 |
  | 16 | Candace Parker^ | Los Angeles Sparks (2008–2020) Chicago Sky (2021–present) | 496 | 392 | 1.27 |
  | 17 | Shannon Johnson | 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 |
  | 18 | Lisa Leslie* | Los Angeles Sparks (1997–2009) | 492 | 363 | 1.36 |
  | 19 | Nykesha Sales | Orlando Miracle/Connecticut Sun (1999–2007) | 490 | 278 | 1.76 |
  | 19 | Sylvia $Fowles^†$ | Chicago Sky (2008–2014) Minnesota Lynx (2015–2022) | 490 | 408 | 1.20 |
  | 21 | Becky Hammon | New York Liberty (1999–2006) San Antonio Stars (2007–2014) | 488 | 450 | 1.08 |
  | 22 | Nneka Ogwumike^ | Los Angeles Sparks (2012–present) | 487 | 320 | 1.52 |
  | 23 | Diana Taurasi^ | Phoenix Mercury (2004–present) | 482 | 503 | 0.96 |
  | 24 | Penny Taylor | Cleveland Rockers (2001–2003) Phoenix Mercury (2004–2016) | 480 | 355 | 1.35 |
  | 25 | Sophia Young-Malcolm | San Antonio Stars (2006–2015) | 477 | 301 | 1.58 |
  
  All statistics are up to date as of the end of the 2022 WNBA season.
  
  ## Progressive list of steal leaders
  
  This is a progressive list of assist leaders showing how the record increased through the years.
  
      Statistics accurate as of October 1, 2022.
  
  | ^ | Active WNBA player |
  | - | - |
  | * | Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame |
  | $^†$ | Not yet eligible for Hall of Fame consideration |
  
  Team abbreviations :
  
  | ATL | Atlanta Dream |
  | - | - |
  | CHI | Chicago Sky |
  | CON | Connecticut Sun |
  | DET | Detroit Shock |
  | HOU | Houston Comets |
  | IND | Indiana Fever |
  | LAS | Los Angeles Sparks |
  | MIA | Miami Sol |
  | MIN | Minnesota Lynx |
  | NYL | New York Liberty |
  | SAC | Sacramento Monarchs |
  | SEA | Seattle Storm |
  
  Steals leader at the end of every season :
  
  | Season | Year-by-year leader | Steals | Active player leader | Total steals | Career record | Total steals | Single-season record | Steals | Season |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | 1997 | Teresa Weatherspoon*000NYL | 85 | Teresa Weatherspoon*000NYL | 85 | Teresa Weatherspoon*000NYL | 85 | Teresa Weatherspoon*000NYL | 85 | 1997 |
  | 1998 | Teresa Weatherspoon*000NYL | 100 | Teresa Weatherspoon*000NYL | 185 | Teresa Weatherspoon*000NYL | 185 | Teresa Weatherspoon*000NYL | 100 | 1998 |
  | 1999 | Teresa Weatherspoon*000NYL | 78 | Teresa Weatherspoon*000NYL | 263 | Teresa Weatherspoon*000NYL | 263 | Teresa Weatherspoon*000NYL | 100 | 1999 |
  | 2000 | Sheryl Swoopes*000HOU | 87 | Teresa Weatherspoon*000NYL | 328 | Teresa Weatherspoon*000NYL | 328 | Teresa Weatherspoon*000NYL | 100 | 2000 |
  | 2001 | Debbie Black000MIA | 82 | Teresa Weatherspoon*000NYL | 383 | Teresa Weatherspoon*000NYL | 383 | Teresa Weatherspoon*000NYL | 100 | 2001 |
  | 2002 | Tamika Catchings*000IND | 94 | Teresa Weatherspoon*000NYL | 425 | Teresa Weatherspoon*000NYL | 425 | Teresa Weatherspoon*000NYL | 100 | 2002 |
  | 2003 | Sheryl Swoopes*000HOU | 77 | Teresa Weatherspoon*000NYL | 453 | Teresa Weatherspoon*000NYL | 453 | Teresa Weatherspoon*000NYL | 100 | 2003 |
  | 2004 | Yolanda Griffith*000SAC | 75 | Teresa Weatherspoon*000NYL | 465 | Teresa Weatherspoon*000NYL | 465 | Teresa Weatherspoon*000NYL | 100 | 2004 |
  | 2004 | Nykesha Sales000CON | 75 | Teresa Weatherspoon*000NYL | 465 | Teresa Weatherspoon*000NYL | 465 | Teresa Weatherspoon*000NYL | 100 | 2004 |
  | 2005 | Tamika Catchings*000IND | 90 | Sheryl Swoopes*000HOU | 520 | Sheryl Swoopes*000HOU | 520 | Teresa Weatherspoon*000NYL | 100 | 2005 |
  | 2006 | Tamika Catchings*000IND | 94 | Sheryl Swoopes*000HOU | 584 | Sheryl Swoopes*000HOU | 584 | Teresa Weatherspoon*000NYL | 100 | 2006 |
  | 2007 | Loree Moore000NYL | 75 | Sheryl Swoopes*000HOU | 589 | Sheryl Swoopes*000HOU | 589 | Teresa Weatherspoon*000NYL | 100 | 2007 |
  | 2008 | Alexis Hornbuckle000DET | 79 | Ticha Penicheiro000SAC | 655 | Ticha Penicheiro000SAC | 655 | Teresa Weatherspoon*000NYL | 100 | 2008 |
  | 2009 | Tamika Catchings*000IND | 99 | Ticha Penicheiro000SAC | 685 | Ticha Penicheiro000SAC | 685 | Teresa Weatherspoon*000NYL | 100 | 2009 |
  | 2010 | Tamika Catchings*000IND | 77 | Ticha Penicheiro000SAC | 728 | Ticha Penicheiro000SAC | 728 | Teresa Weatherspoon*000NYL | 100 | 2010 |
  | 2011 | Epiphanny Prince^000CHI | 79 | Tamika Catchings*000IND | 775 | Tamika Catchings*000IND | 775 | Teresa Weatherspoon*000NYL | 100 | 2011 |
  | 2012 | Sancho Lyttle000ATL | 82 | Tamika Catchings*000IND | 845 | Tamika Catchings*000IND | 845 | Teresa Weatherspoon*000NYL | 100 | 2012 |
  | 2013 | Angel McCoughtry^000ATL | 89 | Tamika Catchings*000IND | 930 | Tamika Catchings*000IND | 930 | Teresa Weatherspoon*000NYL | 100 | 2013 |
  | 2014 | Sancho Lyttle000ATL | 74 | Tamika Catchings*000IND | 957 | Tamika Catchings*000IND | 957 | Teresa Weatherspoon*000NYL | 100 | 2014 |
  | 2014 | Angel McCoughtry^000ATL | 74 | Tamika Catchings*000IND | 957 | Tamika Catchings*000IND | 957 | Teresa Weatherspoon*000NYL | 100 | 2014 |
  | 2015 | Angel McCoughtry^000ATL | 72 | Tamika Catchings*000IND | 1,012 | Tamika Catchings*000IND | 1,012 | Teresa Weatherspoon*000NYL | 100 | 2015 |
  | 2016 | Tamika Catchings*000IND | 62 | Tamika Catchings*000IND | 1,074 | Tamika Catchings*000IND | 1,074 | Teresa Weatherspoon*000NYL | 100 | 2016 |
  | 2017 | Alana Beard000LAS | 71 | Alana Beard000LAS | 653 | Tamika Catchings*000IND | 1,074 | Teresa Weatherspoon*000NYL | 100 | 2017 |
  | 2018 | Maya Moore000MIN | 57 | Alana Beard000LAS | 697 | Tamika Catchings*000IND | 1,074 | Teresa Weatherspoon*000NYL | 100 | 2018 |
  | 2019 | Natasha Howard^000SEA | 74 | Alana Beard000LAS | 709 | Tamika Catchings*000IND | 1,074 | Teresa Weatherspoon*000NYL | 100 | 2019 |
  | 2020 | Alyssa Thomas^000CON | 42 | Sue $Bird^†000SEA$ | 659 | Tamika Catchings*000IND | 1,074 | Teresa Weatherspoon*000NYL | 100 | 2020 |
  | 2021 | Brittney Sykes^000LAS | 58 | Sue $Bird^†000SEA$ | 687 | Tamika Catchings*000IND | 1,074 | Teresa Weatherspoon*000NYL | 100 | 2021 |
  | 2022 | Brittney Sykes^000LAS | 65 | Sue $Bird^†000SEA$ | 725 | Tamika Catchings*000IND | 1,074 | Teresa Weatherspoon*000NYL | 100 | 2022 |
  | Season | Year-by-year leader | Steals | Active player leader | Total steals | Career record | Total steals | Single-season record | Steals | Season |
  