NBA Draft: Top 30 draft steals in league history
Scouting Report. 36th Pick: 1978. 20. Pick Analysis. Point Guard. Maurice Cheeks. player. 93
Best NBA Draft steals of all time: Maurice Cheeks, Philadelphia 76ers
While Maurice “Mo” Cheeks will never be talked about as one of the prolific offensive players in NBA history, the former point guard still has his place among the NBA greats.
After four years at Western Texas State University, Cheeks declared for the NBA Draft. Although he was an all-conference player in college for three straight seasons and is still the third highest career scorer at WTSU, he did not get selected until the 36th pick in the 1978 NBA Draft by the Philadelphia 76ers.
Cheeks spent his first 11 seasons in the NBA with Philadelphia, each year proving to be better than the last.
With massive offensive talent around him — Julius Irving, Moses Malone and Charles Barkley to name a few — Cheeks made his impact felt with his defensive tenacity and passing ability.
Cheeks made the NBA All-Defensive team five times with the 76ers, while averaging 2.3 steals per game. He was also named an NBA All-Star four separate times with Philadelphia, including the 1983 season where he helped his team win an NBA title.
Cheeks currently ranks fifth all time in the NBA in total steals and 11th in total assists. He is a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (inducted in 2018) and his No. 10 jersey has been retired by the 76ers organization.
While most fans look at offensive statistics to decide a player’s quality, Cheeks proved that being an elite passer and defender can also make you an NBA Draft steal.