Andrew Pace
In basketball, statistics are used to evaluate a player's or team's performance. One such statistic is STL, which stands for steals. This is the number of steals by a defensive player or team. A player who makes double digits in a game in any two of the PTS, REB, AST, STL, and BLK statistics is said to make a double-double.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Full Form | Steals |
| Available Since | 1973-74 season in the NBA |
| Formula | 100 * (STL * (Tm MP / 5)) / (MP * Opp Poss) |
| Double Double | Player makes double digits in any two of the PTS, REB, AST, STL, and BLK statistics |
| Triple Double | Player makes double digits in any three of the PTS, REB, AST, STL, and BLK statistics |
| Quadruple Double | Player makes double digits in any four of the PTS, REB, AST, STL, and BLK statistics |
| 5x5 | Player records at least a 5 in each of the PTS, REB, AST, STL, and BLK statistics |
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What You'll Learn
Steals
In basketball, a steal occurs when a defensive player or team intercepts or recovers a ball from the opposing side. This can be achieved by deflecting a pass or dribble and controlling the deflection away from an opponent or towards a teammate, resulting in possession for the defence. Steals are often attempted by smaller, quicker guards, but players in any position can accumulate steals. For example, forward Rick Barry led the NBA in steals in 1974–75, and for many years, centre Hakeem Olajuwon led his team in steals, ranking among the league's leaders.
Some of the greatest defensive specialists in the steals category in the NBA include:
- Walt Frazier, renowned for his masterful defence, which was centred around his ability to deflect dribbling and passes using his quick hands.
- John Stockton, who is #1 all-time in career steals and #6 in steals per game.
- Michael Jordan, who is #3 all-time in career steals and #3 in steals per game.
- Clyde Drexler, who had 2,207 steals in his 15-year career with the Portland Trail Blazers and Houston Rockets, ranking him #7 all-time in career steals.
The NBA leader in steals per game is Robertson, with an average of 2.71 per game over his career and 3.67 per game in a single season. The player with the most steals in one game is Ticha Penicheiro, with 10 steals.
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Double doubles
In basketball, a double-double is a single-game achievement where a player accumulates double-digit numbers in two of the five main statistical categories: points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocked shots. The first "double" in the term refers to the two categories, and the second "double" refers to achieving double-digit numbers in those categories. For example, a player can achieve a double-double with a combination of 10 points and 10 rebounds, or 10 assists and 10 steals.
Double-doubles are a popular statistical achievement across the NBA, WNBA, and NCAA. They are a testament to a player's versatility, endurance, and impact on the game. Maintaining basketball integrity while pursuing statistical achievements is crucial, and the most valuable double-doubles are those that occur naturally within the flow of team basketball.
The most common double-double is achieved with points and rebounds. However, smaller players may achieve double-doubles by combining points with assists or steals. Wilt Chamberlain holds the record for the longest double-double streaks in the NBA, with 220 and 133 consecutive games. He is also the only NBA player to have achieved a 40-40 double-double, doing so on eight occasions. John Stockton has the most career double-doubles involving assists, with 714 games.
In the WNBA, Angel Reese set a record by achieving a double-double in 15 straight games during her 2022-23 championship-winning campaign with LSU. Alyssa Thomas of the Connecticut Sun set a single-season record with 28 double-doubles in 2023. Tina Charles holds the record for the most career double-doubles in WNBA history, with 194.
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Triple doubles
A triple-double is a highly impressive achievement for a basketball player, where they reach double-digit stats in three of the five major statistical categories in a single game. These categories are points, rebounds, steals, assists, and blocked shots. For example, a player might score 18 points, make 15 rebounds, and assist 12 shots, achieving a triple-double.
The triple-double is a relatively rare feat, but it has become more common in recent years due to the increased pace of the modern game, with more possessions and more opportunities for players to rack up stats. The most common triple-double combination is points, rebounds, and assists. However, it is also possible to achieve a triple-double with other combinations, such as points, rebounds, and blocks, although this is less common.
Some of the most famous basketball players have achieved triple-doubles. For example, Oscar Robertson, the former NBA point guard, averaged a triple-double in his first NBA season and became the first player in NBA history to average a triple-double over an entire season (1961/62). Russell Westbrook, the point guard for the Washington Wizards, is another NBA superstar who has averaged a triple-double over multiple seasons. Westbrook's impressive run began after Kevin Durant left the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2016, leaving Westbrook as the team's lone superstar.
Other notable players who have achieved triple-doubles include Magic Johnson of the Los Angeles Lakers, who holds the record for the highest number of triple-doubles in the postseason with thirty; James Harden of the Houston Rockets, who scored sixty points in a triple-double; and LeBron James, also of the Los Angeles Lakers, who has achieved ninety-nine triple-doubles in the regular season and twenty-eight in the playoffs.
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Quadruple doubles
In basketball, a quadruple-double is an extremely rare feat where a player reaches double-digit figures in any four of the five major statistical categories in a single game. The five major statistical categories are points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks. As of 2025, a quadruple-double has only been recorded four times in the history of the NBA.
To achieve a quadruple-double, a player must record either 10 blocks or 10 steals, in addition to double-digit figures in any other three of the five major statistical categories. This requires a player to demonstrate a high level of offensive and defensive mastery.
The most recent player to achieve a quadruple-double was David Robinson in 1994. There is some debate over whether Tim Duncan achieved this feat in the 2003 Finals, as he was allegedly not credited with two blocks that would have given him a quadruple-double.
While triple-doubles are more common, they are still impressive and require a player to have well-rounded skills in multiple areas of the game. Guards who are good at rebounding and centers who are good passers are often the players who lead the league in triple-doubles. Some of the all-time leaders in triple-doubles include Russell Westbrook, Oscar Robertson, Magic Johnson, and Nikola Jokic.
Although quadruple-doubles are extremely rare, there are a few current NBA players who are considered potential candidates to achieve this feat in the future. Their names, positions, and specific skills were not provided, but their statistical lines were given as examples of how they could potentially achieve a quadruple-double.
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Player efficiency
In basketball, the most commonly used statistical benchmark for comparing the overall value of players is called efficiency. Efficiency is a composite basketball statistic that is derived from basic individual statistics, including points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, turnovers, and shot attempts.
The NBA publishes online all of the basic basketball statistics recorded officially by the league, including individual player efficiency, which is expressed as a stat referred to as 'efficiency' and abbreviated as EFF. The formula for EFF is:
PTS + REB + AST + STL + BLK - Missed FG - Missed FT - TO) / GP
Here, PTS refers to points, REB to rebounds, AST to assists, STL to steals, BLK to blocks, FG to field goals, FT to free throws, TO to turnovers, and GP to games played.
While EFF is the most commonly used efficiency rating, there are other alternative ratings that have been developed. One such alternative is the player efficiency rating, commonly abbreviated as PER, which was developed by ESPN basketball statistician John Hollinger. PER is designed to compensate for different teams' varying styles of play and other factors. The formula for PER is more complex than that of EFF, and it takes into account both positive and negative results. Positive results include field goals, free throws, 3-pointers, assists, rebounds, blocks, and steals, while negative results include missed shots, turnovers, and personal fouls.
PER is calculated on a per-minute basis, allowing for comparisons between substitutes and starters. A league-average PER is always 15, which serves as a benchmark for quick comparisons of player performance across seasons. A PER of 30 over a span of more than a few games is considered exceptionally high.
Another alternative efficiency rating is the performance index rating (PIR) used in the EuroLeague, its second-tier level of competition, the EuroCup, and several European national domestic leagues. The formula for PIR is:
Points + Rebounds + Assists + Steals + Blocks + Fouls Drawn) - (Missed Field Goals + Missed Free Throws + Turnovers + Shots Rejected + Fouls Committed)
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Frequently asked questions
STL stands for steals.
A steal is when a defensive player or team takes the ball from an offensive player, causing a turnover.
A block occurs when a defensive player tips the ball to prevent an offensive player from scoring, whereas a steal is when the defensive player or team takes possession of the ball.
