Who Has the Most Turnovers in NBA History?

In a competitive environment like the NBA, momentum on the hardcourt matters, and it includes the possession of the ball. Therefore, if a baller misses a pass or loses the ball due to a fumble or any other kind of action like poor passing, the lost ball from a player will be listed as a turnover on the stats chart of the NBA. According to the NBA's regulation, “A player is charged with a turnover if they lose possession of the ball to the opposing team before a shot is attempted.”

Now, these conditions can have many scenarios, like stealing the ball, untimed passes, shot clock breaches, and traveling violations from the players on the court. At first glance, turnovers might seem like a costly affair that hinders the flow of the play for the dominating team. However, it can also come after a team holds on to the ball for a long time, and then the other team kills the aggressive momentum of the first team. Let’s move ahead with the players who have the most turnovers in NBA history.

NBA Players with the Most Turnovers in History

Various NBA positions can have a great number of turnovers. But there is a particular pattern for the NBA players who have a greater number of turnovers because they possess the ball for a longer time. For example, small forwards and point guards often defend the rim and keep the ball moving in the mid-court. Therefore, both of these positions have more chances of holding onto a ball and then losing it if the opposing team attempts a steal. We have curated the list of the top 10 players with the most career turnovers that better explains the pattern of turnovers for the NBA players according to basketball reference data:

Ranking Top 10 Players with Most Turnovers in NBA

A high number of turnovers for basketball players doesn't always mean poor passing or ball-handling skills. Rather it can also denote that the players had a greater number of possessions of the ball with more offensive reliability. Today, we will be exploring such players whose high turnover count in the league is not only representative of their errors but also their offensive intent during a game.

#10 Hakeem Olajuwon (3,667 Turnovers)

Total Turnovers: 3,667
Position: Center
Years Active: 1984–2002

Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon had set up the stage and inspired the playing style of many modern-day NBA players, including the likes of the Sixers star Joel Embiid. He was known for his well thought out footwork that included making quick switches and mid-air passing. For Olajuwon, basketball was more of a science rather than just a sport. However, he would not be able to set up a play since his potential was much higher than his contemporary players.

Eventually, the opponents would double time on Hakeem yet he got the ball since the Houston Rockets used to rely on his big size for scoring the points on the court. He was the reason that his franchise held an edge despite the fact that he was just a center. In his whole career, Hakeem Olajuwon secured two NBA Championships along with, a league MVP title in 1994.

#9 Isiah Thomas (3,682 Turnovers)

Total Turnovers: 3,682
Position: Point Guard
Years Active: 1981–1994

Isiah Thomas, also known as Zeke in the league, spent all of his NBA career with the Detroit Pistons. He was also called the bad boy of the franchise for solely rushing to the bucket for layups and drives. Sometimes, the flow would not favor his side on the court and result in turnovers. Thomas holds ninth place on this list of players with the most turnovers in NBA history, with a count of 3682.

It was his aggressive intent that pushed his team to the two NBA championships. Isiah even won a Finals MVP during his career in 1990. So, it can be assumed that his contributions to the Detroit Pistons squad did not go unnoticed since his franchise was successful despite the former's turnover probability on the court.

#8 Moses Malone (3,804 Turnovers)

Total Turnovers: 3,804
Position: Center
Years Active: 1974–1995

Moses Malone of the Philadelphia 76ers played for both the ABA and NBA leagues in his career. He was more of a paint scorer rather than shooting from the outside. That's why he had more chances of turnovers since he used to carry the ball after rebounding on one end and then carry it to the scoring end. Since he was a threat to the opponents, they would double-team him, eventually drawing his carer turnovers to 3804.

Moses Malone was a great scorer, and that's why he was able to win three NBA MVP awards in his career. The center even won an NBA Championship in 1983, placing him above the Hall of Famer centers in NBA history.

#7 Jason Kidd (4,003 Turnovers)

Total Turnovers: 4,003
Position: Point Guard
Years Active: 1994–2013

The Dallas Mavericks coach, in his heydays in the NBA, was one of the most respected assist and turnover leaders. Instead of scoring, Jason Kidd was more interested in keeping the ball moving and generating the plays for the game. That's why he looked for fast-paced transitions between players with quick execution of passes and formation on the hard court.

In his whole career, Jason recorded his presence in 10 All-Star games, indicating the popularity of his individual style among the NBA community. Kidd also won an NBA championship with the Dallas Mavericks in 2011, holding his place among the top five assist and steals leaders. It was not just the turnovers that defined his game but it was him trying to rotate the ball flow among the players.

#6 Kobe Bryant (4,010 Turnovers)

Total Turnovers: 4,000+
Position: Shooting Guard
Years Active: 1996–2016

Kobe Bryant, the Black Mamba, was known for his ability to get past the defenses in a relentless no matter the path he would take to get under the rim. That's why he was a player with high possessions on the hard court, and it included the starting playing minutes of the quarter and the high-pressure moments during the fourth quarter. However, pushing along against the opponent's defense costs him a great deal sometimes.

That resulted in the high number of turnovers that he has in the league, with a count of about 4010. Yet it does not mean that Bryant was any less of a great player, He had hunger for points for his team and that's why he won the five NBA championships with Los Angeles Lakers and build his own legacy in the franchise while playing for two centuries.

#5 John Stockton (4,244 Turnovers)

Total Turnovers: 4,244
Position: Point Guard
Years Active: 1984–2003

The Utah Jazz legend John Stockton falls below Karl Malone on the list of players with the most turnovers in NBA history. It is worth noting that Stockton is also an NBA leader in terms of assists and steals, and that's why there were higher chances that he would lead the turnover chart as well. His signature style of play was the pick-and-roll that he paired with his Jazz buddy Malone. Therefore, he would also miss the passes and receives that he got from Malone.

Since Stockton was more efficient than Karl, he stands below him due to lower turnovers. But the John-Karl duo was more durable than any other pairing during their contemporary NBA era.

#4 James Harden (4,244+ Turnovers)

Total Turnovers: 4, 244(Active)
Position: Shooting Guard / Point Guard
Years Active: 2009–Present

James Harden and his lone-wolf style of playing often gives away the advantage of having a high number of turnovers. That's why he holds the fourth spot on the list of players with the most turnovers in NBA history. He is a shooting guard who tries to stay away from the defenders and make his shots in isolation. Therefore, along with the second-most number of three-pointers, James Harden holds the record for turnovers.

A major cause of his turnovers was the possession of the ball, which he had mostly in his stint with the Houston Rockets. The Los Angeles Clippers guard was also the recipient of the NBA MVP award in 2018 and hailed as one of the best offensive shooters in league history after Stephen Curry.

#3 Karl Malone (4,524 Turnovers)

Total Turnovers: 4,524
Position: Power Forward
Years Active: 1985–2004

Karl Malone was more famous with his moniker known as ‘The Mailman’ in the NBA. He was a consistent performer and was keen on creating scoring opportunities for his teammates like John Stockton, with whom he played for his whole career. When players like Malone make a play, they attempt riskier shots and passes to players on the sidelines. Sometimes, these passes are hailed as the headlines, but if they miss, the momentum shifts to the opposite team due to the turnovers.

Malone has scored a whopping 36000+ points, and due to his heavy frame, the turnover was inevitable on some occasions. Despite such roles, Karl did not fade his personal glory and is the 2x NBA MVP award winner.

#2 Russell Westbrook (4,823+ Turnovers)

Total Turnovers: 4,823(Active)
Position: Point Guard
Years Active: 2008–Present

The athleticism of Russell Westbrook was the talk of the town during his prime days. It might not be the same currently, but the Denver Nuggets star is still capable of generating that intensity during high-pressure situations. However, sometimes, he can get lost in an attempt to go for a relentless drive or dunk. Sometimes it works in his favor and he gets a bucket but on some occasions, it results in an awful turnover for the NBA player.

The year when he received the most recognition in his career due to a season full of triple-doubles, along with the league MVP award in 2017, was the primary reason that Russell had such a huge number of turnovers. He was in command of the ball most of the time due to his point guard position, and that's why he received so many turnovers in a continuous tussle for scoring points.

#1 LeBron James (5462+ Turnovers)

Total Turnovers: 5,462(Active)
Position: Forward
Years Active: 2003–Present

When the question arises, who has the most turnovers in NBA history? The crown will go to none other than King or LeBron James. He has 5462 turnovers to his name and still adding to the numbers since he has not retired. But it does not indicate that he is not able to score buckets. Rather, he has dominated the floor like no one else and taken responsibility for most of the offensive front for every team that he has been a part of.

The point is that LeBron James has played the most 58,949 minutes in NBA history, and it becomes obvious in such a scenario that he is bound to lose the ball while scoring continuously. That's how he has survived the intense NBA league for more than 20 seasons. In that period, he secured titles like 4x Larry O'Brien trophy winners and 4 MVP awards honorees and led the whole NBA in terms of career points.