Giannis Antetokounmpo is currently 2nd on the Bucks’ all-time steals list.
Giannis Antetokounmpo’s name often pops up first when it comes to Bucks franchise records. He has the most games played, points, assists, rebounds, and blocks. One place where he is not first, though, is steals. So who is? And where does Antetokounmpo rank? Find out below.
Buckner was a point guard with a clear calling card, and that was his defensive acumen. He didn’t score a ton, but he was second-team All-Defense four times, and the guy had quick hands. Buckner averaged 2.3 steals per game over six seasons with the Bucks.
As a current Buck, Antetokounmpo is still adding to the assorted statistical categories. While he’s merely adding to his lead in many statistical realms, he’s still trying to catch Buckner in terms of steals. Giannis is the top Bucks player in franchise history, a future Hall of Famer who has never played for another franchise. If he sticks around for even one more season, he should be able to catch Buckner by then, and Bucks fans certainly hope he plays out his current contract with the team.
One of the prototypical “point forwards,” Pressey was pretty good on the offensive end, but stellar on the defensive end. He made first-team All-Defense on two occasions. When he wasn’t dishing out dimes from the wing, he was swiping passes from the opposition. In his best campaign, Pressey averaged 7.8 assists and 2.1 steals per game.
The first official Hall of Famer on this list (Antetokounmpo could retire tomorrow and be enshrined), Moncrief has the accolades to show he may have been a better defender than Buckner or Pressey. After all, he won Defensive Player of the Year twice. His steal numbers weren’t quite as gaudy, but obviously there is more to defensive excellence. In terms of overall resume, during a five-season run, he averaged over 20 points per game, bringing offense along with his defensive skill.
Middleton has started the 2024-25 NBA season out of commission with an ankle injury, but in time he will start racking up steals and getting closer to Moncrief, and perhaps even Pressey. A three-time all-star, Middleton served well in a secondary role next to Antetokounmpo, a floor-spacing 3-and-D guy. To that end, made three-pointers are about the only other place where somebody other than Antetokounmpo ranks first, and that somebody is Middleton.
