Great Barrier Thieves: Aussies lead 2K26 steal stats

• Matisse Thybulle repeats as NBA 2K’s top steal rating with 98, matching Dyson Daniels’ 2026 mark.
• Daniels’ breakout season included 229 steals and 443 deflections, both league highs.
• Both open their NBA seasons on October 23, with Portland hosting Minnesota and Atlanta hosting Toronto

“Like a thief in the night” might be a commentary line you hear a lot when playing with these Australian terror twins in NBA 2k26, which features WNBA superstar Angel Reese on the cover.

Rose Gold Australian Boomer Matisse Thybulle and NBA Most Improved Player Dyson Daniels sits on top of everyone else in the latest instalment of the 2k franchise, with both recording a game-high 98 steal rating out of a possible 99.

For Thybulle, this isn’t the first time he was top billing in this category. The Portland Trail Blazer led the steal rating in 2k25 also with a stat of 98. Taken with the 20^th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, Thybulle has always been a bull on the defensive side of the ball.Picking up the back-to-back PAC12 Defensive Player of the Year awards, while leading college basketball in steals in 2019

In his time at Philadelphia, Thybulle was a two-time All-Defensive second teamer, helping the 76ers to numerous playoff runs. Since joining the Portland Trail Blazers in 2023, he has still been in the top tier of defenders in the association while not making a defensive team. Thybulle last season only managed to play 15 games due to injuries.

Dyson Daniels had a breakout campaign last season. Highly touted since his draft year, Daniels was taken 8^th overall in the2022 NBA Draft.

Sitting on the bench for most of his first couple seasons,the Great Barrier Thief didn’t see much court time with the Pelicans loaded guard rotation. Being traded from the New Orleans Pelicans to Atlanta gave him an opportunity to shine as the Hawks starting two-guard.

The boy from Bendigo had a staggering 229 steals in the 2024/25regular season, 98 more than second placed MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He would also lead the deflections category with a total of 443, 171 more than runner-up Keon Ellis. Daniels ended up being a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year and made the All-Defensive first team.

Even before his incredible 2024/25 season, Daniels defensive ability was recognised by NBA2k, having a steal rating of 96 at the start of the previous game.

Daniels and the Hawks starts the upcoming season on October23 at home against the Toronto Raptors, while Thybulle and Portland open their season at home on the same day against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

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