Top 5 all-time Orlando Magic steals leaders

Anfernee Hardaway is third in Orlando Magic franchise history in steals.

The Orlando Magic were brought into the NBA as an expansion team in 1989 and have been home to many stellar players since then, but No. 1 on the franchise’s all-time steals list was there from the very beginning.

1.

Nick Anderson

– 1,004

Nick Anderson was selected 11th overall in 1989, marking the Orlando Magic’s first-ever NBA Draft pick, and he wound up being a good one. Anderson was never a franchise-changing superstar, but he was certainly a franchise cornerstone in Orlando. The franchise’s all-time games played leader averaged a career-high 19.9 points per game in back-to-back seasons in 1991-92 and 1992-93, and as seen by this list, was active on the defensive end. Anderson averaged 1.5 steals across his Magic career, peaking at 1.9 per game in 1996-97.

2.

Darrell Armstrong

– 830

Darrell Armstrong accomplished something that no other player in NBA history has, winning the NBA’s Kia Most Improved Player award and the Kia Sixth Man of the Year in the same season. Armstrong raised the 9.2 ppg, 4.9 apg and 1.2 spg he posted in 1997-98 to 13.8 ppg, 6.7 apg and a career-high 2.2 spg in 1998-99, helping him take home the aforementioned awards. The 6-foot-1 point guard is an inspiring success story after going undrafted, playing overseas and finally reaching the NBA at age 26 and playing 14 seasons.

3.

Anfernee Hardaway

– 718

One of the most talented players to ever represent Orlando, Penny Hardaway stuffed the stat sheet during his six seasons with the team. Hardaway made four All-Star Teams and three All-NBA teams in his tenure, including the 1995-96 season in which he averaged 21.7 points, 7.1 assists, 4.3 rebounds and two steals, finishing third in MVP voting. His two steals per game were one of three seasons that he averaged at least two per game, peaking at 2.3 per game in his rookie season. Hardaway never dipped below 1.5 steals per game in his Magic career.

4.

Dwight Howard

– 626

The lone big man on the list. The Hall of Famer won three Defensive Player of the Year awards, reached six All-NBA teams and five All-Defensive teams in his eight seasons with the Magic. The 6-foot-10 center was, of course, more of a defensive anchor down low, rejecting shots and grabbing boards. But Howard still had active hands in the steals department, averaging one per game across his Magic career and peaking at a career-high 1.5 per game in 2011-12.

5.

Jameer Nelson

– 619

The 6-foot point guard played the best basketball of his career in Orlando, even reaching the All-Star game once in 2008-09 thanks to a stat line of 16.7 ppg, 5.4 apg, 3.5 rpg and 1.2 spg. Nelson knew how to run an offense as a floor general, but was handsy on defense as well. Nelson’s steal numbers maxed out at 1.3 per game in 2012-13. He reached one-plus steal per game four other times in his Magic career and at least 0.9 per game seven total times.