September 18th : The Washington Wizards have a history of exceptional perimeter defenders. Starting with the 1973-74 season, steals were officially included as a statistic. Here are the top five players in team history by steals per game per season:

1. Larry Hughes​
Hughes peaked in his third year with the Wizards, leading the league in steals with 2.9 per game , earning an All-Defensive First Team selection and finishing sixth in Defensive Player of the Year voting. He also averaged 22 points per game, his highest scoring season of the year.

2. Phil Chenier​
As a shooting guard selected by the Baltimore Bullets in the 1971 supplemental draft, Chenier quickly showed his potential once steals began to be counted. In the 1974-75 season, he averaged 2.3 steals per game while also contributing 21.8 points.

3. Gus Williams​
In his first season with the Washington Bullets, Williams averaged 2.3 steals per game, demonstrating his defensive awareness. He played for only two years with the Wizards, but he still left a mark with his solid defensive and playmaking performance.

4. Caron Butler​
Butler reached the peak of his career with the Wizards, earning consecutive All-Star selections. In the 2007-08 season, he averaged 20.3 points and 2.2 steals per game, becoming one of the core players with both offensive and defensive capabilities.

5. Tom Gugliotta​
Drafted by the Bullets with the sixth overall pick in the 1992 draft, Gugliotta demonstrated his versatility in his rookie season. In his second year, he averaged 17.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 2.2 steals per game, becoming a rare player in franchise history as a towering forward with a high steals record.