Steals in basketball

A steal is credited to a defender whose action causes the offense to turn the ball over. The defender has to touch the ball. A steal can be an intercepted pass, a deflection, or taking the ball from a dribbler or a player holding it.

What counts

• Intercepting or deflecting a pass so that the defense gets the ball.
• Knocking the ball away from a dribbler or a player holding it.
• Picking up a loose ball after an offensive player's mistake, such as a fumbled dribble.

What does not count

• A deflection that goes out of bounds. The FIBA manual gives no steal when the ball becomes dead and the defense gets it on a throw-in, even if the defender caused it. The offense still gets a turnover.
• Drawing an offensive foul. That is a charge taken, not a steal.
• Any play where the defender never touched the ball.

Judgment calls

Every steal needs a turnover. If you credit a steal, an offensive player must also be charged with a turnover. It does not work the other way. A travel is a turnover with no steal.

Two defenders. When more than one defender is involved, the FIBA manual credits the defender who first deflected the ball and started the turnover.

Held balls. When a defender forces a held ball and the possession arrow gives the defense the ball, the FIBA manual counts a steal for that defender. This is the one case where a steal can come from a dead ball.

How a statkeeper records it

Record the steal and the turnover together: the defender's number for the steal, and the ball handler or passer for the turnover. If you track only one team, record the steal and move on.

Say it to HoopReads

“Andre steal”

“Devin picks his pocket”

“Andre steal and the layup”

Related stats

Steals mirror turnovers. The other defensive counting stat is the block. Back to the basketball stats guide.