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Turnovers are an unwelcome aspect of the game, and it shows up on a player’s score at the end of the game. Probably the worst thing that can happen on the court is a turnover, which results in a loss of possession without a shot. Instead of handing the ball over to the opposing team, teams should at least try to keep the ball and take a shot before the attacking time runs out.
Turnovers are a key component of game-ending stats, especially when you consider how superstars control games in the modern NBA. There is a lot of possession of the ball in a game at the moment, so over time the player in possession will make more turnovers. When looking at the all-time leaders in turnovers, one factor stands out: Players who regularly handle the ball have the most turnovers in league history.
LeBron James currently has 4,652 turnovers, more than any other player in NBA history. The King is a gifted passer who has always been the one on the floor making most of the decisions for his team, which is why he has a high turnover rate. The fact that all-time assist leader John Stockton ranks fourth on the list with 4,244 turnovers is interesting. It appears that the more control a player has on the ball, the more likely it is to flip it over, which may be one reason why James has a huge advantage.
LeBron James leads the way in turnovers, but where do other stars rank on the all-time list and have the most turnovers of their entire careers? Time to find out, we rounded up the 20 most turnovers in NBA history.
20. Dwight Howard – 3,302 turnovers
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Dwight Howard was a superstar center in his prime for the Orlando Magic, which is why he had to handle a lot of the ball when he got down low. In the face of constant double-teaming, Howard is usually forced to pass low, although he has never been an elite passer. He averaged 1.3 assists per game for his career and never averaged more than 1.9 assists in a season. Obviously, Howard can’t take advantage of the double-team opportunity to set up teammates.
Dwight’s career scoring average of 2.7 may have been a factor in his absence from the NBA’s 75th anniversary team. Howard loses possession in the post more than he would like because he also doesn’t have an elite set of post moves. But opponents often swarm in the post, forcing him to throw the ball away.
19. Shaquille O’Neal – 3,310 turnovers
Similar to Dwight Howard, Shaq was often surrounded by defenders, which resulted in the big man flipping the ball over multiple times. Aside from Shaq, he’s far more dominant on offense than Dwight, and if he’s not double-teaming and double-teaming, he’ll score nearly every time. During his Hall of Fame career, the center averaged 2.7 TOVs and accumulated over 3,300 turnovers. Not to mention, Shaq has played more minutes than Dwight has so far, and he has one extra season.
Considering Dwight’s enough appearances in 2023, he’s likely to surpass Shaq in total turnovers. But O’Neal suffers from the same issues facing aggressive defenses and having to make quick ball-handling decisions. Often, the big man will also be fed lobs that are easy to catch or not easy to catch. It also led to turnovers, but considering he’s won four NBA championships and three Finals MVP awards his way, O’Neal didn’t mind.
18. Dwyane Wade – 3,326 turnovers
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With the Miami Heat, players like Dwyane Wade are always allowed to try risky passes, exciting lobs and surprising moves. Most of Wade’s turnovers were built up through years in Miami’s offense, especially when he was younger. Wade is a shooting guard, but he’s also a point guard at times, which naturally increases turnovers.
In fact, Wade’s turnovers are fairly low considering the amount of things he has to do on the court. The Miami Heat legend has a career average of 3.2 TOV, and his career high came in 2008 when he posted 4.4 TOV. But he’s only averaged at least 4 TOVs in 3 seasons, an astonishing number when the shooting guard is playing at an impressive 16-year high in the NBA.
17. Charles Barkley – 3,376 turnovers
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Charles Barkley is a power forward who often dominates the post. Not to mention, he was the Phoenix Suns MVP who averaged at least 21 points per game for four straight years at Arizona. Barkley is a low post power, scoring at the rim and rebounding at the high post. Naturally, Charles had a lot of turnovers with a team for so long.
Barkley, who was also a superstar with the Philadelphia 76ers prior to joining the Phoenix Suns, has had a TOV below 3 only once in his career (his first season). Players in this form will always accumulate a lot of turnovers, and 17th all-time isn’t too bad considering the number of times Charles has been forced to play. To be sure, the Hall of Famer won’t mind considering he won the MVP award and made 11 All-Star teams before retiring.
16. Tim Duncan – 3,381 turnovers
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Tim Duncan is another big man to appear on this list, occupying the power forward position for most of his career. Big Fundamental has a career average of 2.4 TOV and has accumulated nearly 3,400 turnovers in his career. Duncan is often a key star for the San Antonio Spurs, so everything usually goes through the bigs in the paint. Obviously, it tends to lead to more positivity than negativity.
But like any other star player on a team, Duncan’s usage rate is so high that he’s forced to make quick decisions. He’s a very solid passer, averaging 3.0 assists per game, with a career-high 3.9 assists in 2003, and obviously he can help his teammates. But aside from being a solid passer, Duncan’s usage rate has allowed him to pass more than he could have hoped for in 19 years.
15. Steve Nash – 3,478 turnovers
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Steve Nash is one of the greatest playmakers of all time, making a living as a great passer and ball handler. Under Mike D’Antoni’s “under 7 seconds” system, Nash has complete control of the ball and is a usage machine. Of course, he always has a lot of mistakes. Over his career, the two-time MVP has averaged a TOV of 2.9, and his best record was in the 2007 season when he posted a TOV of 3.8.
But somehow, Nash’s turnovers are only 15th all-time. Few players in NBA history have the usage rate of Steve Nash, who didn’t even make the top 10 despite his consistent handling of the ball and setting up teammates. The Canadian star is always willing to risk passing the ball, which he does so often, and sometimes they miss the target. Leading the NBA in 5 assists, Nash has reservations about his turnovers.
14. Reggie Theus – 3,493 turnovers
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Reggie Theus occupies both the shooting guard and point guard positions, which means he is often responsible for handling the ball and creating or forcing action for others to score. Theus averaged 3.4 TOV per game during his career, with the highest numbers coming in 1980 and 1986, when he posted 4.2 TOV and 4.0 TOV, respectively. Obviously, these are high averages, and he did have only two seasons with an average TOV below 3.0.
Theus is an excellent passer, averaging 6.3 assists per game, but also has a TOV of 3.4. Given the 13 years the defender played in his career, he clearly conceded more balls than he liked. Although he’s a player who has tried risky passes or handled inaccurate plays, he’s a solid passer and capable scorer with a career average of 18.5 points per game. Of course, Reggie was a 2-time All-Star and a 1979 rookie team.
13. Magic Johnson – 3,506 turnovers
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Magic is the greatest point guard of all time, without a doubt. He won 5 NBA championships, 3 MVP awards and 3 Finals MVP awards. The legendary Lakers star was the architect behind the “Showtime” Lakers, who ran fast, scored fast and played great games. Of course, it’s natural for Magic to concede the ball and pass misplaced in key games.
Magic has a career TOV of 3.9 and has had five seasons of at least 4.0 TOV. Magic’s turnover could have been bigger if he’d played longer instead of not retiring during the 4 years he’s been dealing with HIV. Johnson is a special player with exceptional ball handling and precise passing, and with his usage rate, he’s no stranger to turning a lot of turnovers at times. However, being the best point guard of all time is by far the most important fact.
12. Paul Pierce – 3,532 turnovers
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Paul Pierce played 19 seasons in the league and was the Boston Celtics’ primary scoring option for most of his career. That means “Truth” has to handle the ball, create opportunities for others when double-teaming, and also take risks by attacking defenses and trying to make things happen. During his career, he averaged a TOV of 2.6, with the highest number coming in 2004 when he posted a TOV of 3.8. That number is pretty high, especially when Pierce occupies the small forward position rather than point guard.
Pierce was never considered a good passer, though he averaged 3.5 assists per game in his career and had 5.1 and 4.8 assist seasons in 2004 and 2013, respectively. The Truth has been trying to find his teammates, and while he’s a solid passer, he’s not great. That’s why Pierce has accumulated so many turnovers, though the biggest reason is that the truth was forced to let things happen over the years until he had Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo by his side.
11. Patrick Ewing – 3,537 turnovers
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All-Star center Patrick Ewing is arguably the most consistent player in New York Knicks history, and his toughness in the post has proven to be one of the brightest in recent franchise history. Ewing often passes the ball down low and keeps the defensive eye on him most of the time. During his career, Patrick averaged 3.0 TOV per game, setting a record of 3.6 TOV in 1987 and 1991.
Ewing faced double-teams at times, which resulted in the big man forcing the ball out low, which often ended up on unanticipated receivers. The center did his best on offense to make things happen, but for most of his career, facing a strong defense forced him to rack up more than 3,500 turnovers in his Hall of Fame career.
10. James Harden – 3,539 turnovers
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Unsurprisingly, one of the best ball-handling stars in NBA history is on this list. James Harden is an excellent passer and scorer at his position, but he also makes a lot of turnovers. Despite being 32, Harden now ranks 10th in total career turnovers and is expected to finish in the top 5 by the end of his career.
Harden has always been sloppy with the ball, but that’s mostly because of his desire to score for the team. Over the past three seasons, James has averaged at least 5.0 turnovers per game, with a 5.7 TOV in 2017. Additionally, The Beard has 5 more seasons with an average TOV of at least 4.0. As long as Harden continues to possess such great ball handling, he will continue to be a turnover machine for the three-point championship.
9. Hakim Olajuwon – 3,667 turnovers
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A player who dominates the post like Hakim will naturally attract constant double-teaming throughout the player’s career. Every move Olajuwon makes in the book, whether it comes from fakes, jabs, or the patented “dream shake.” Hakim is a force in the low post, taking complete control of the defense year after year. Of course, Olajuwon has won 2 championships, 2…
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