Stephen Curry led all rookies in steals during the 2009–10 NBA season. Playing for the Golden State Warriors, he recorded 152 steals in 80 games and averaged 1.9 steals per game.
Curry's rookie season was notable because he contributed across the stat sheet rather than relying only on scoring. He averaged 17.5 points, 5.9 assists, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.9 steals per game. His passing and shooting made him a standout, but his defensive activity also placed him at the top of the rookie class in steals.
The answer is sometimes confused with three-pointers, another category Curry led among rookies. He made 166 three-pointers that season, then the most ever by an NBA rookie. Curry finished second in Rookie of the Year voting to Tyreke Evans but was unanimously selected to the All-Rookie First Team.