Ausar Thompson finished 2025-26 with 146 steals in 73 games, the NBA's best per-game mark.

He is the first Detroit player to win the steals title since M.L. Carr averaged 2.46 in 1978-79.

Dyson Daniels finished at 1.96 and Cason Wallace at 1.95, even though Wallace had the most total steals with 150.

Thompson averaged just 26.0 minutes. Per 36 minutes he created 2.77 steals, more than Wallace or Daniels.

He made the All-Defensive First Team and finished third for Defensive Player of the Year.

Pikraken / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0). Ausar Thompson with Detroit, Jan. 25, 2026.

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