Ja’Kobe Walter entered the NBA season with a personal mission: to lead the league in steals by season’s end. The Toronto Raptors opened their campaign in style on Wednesday, dismantling the Chicago Bulls 135‑92 at home, with Walter recording three steals in the process. While his early effort was solid, he was edged out by teammate Kawhi Leonard, who posted four, and a quartet of other players who each notched five steals in the first two days of play. “I think I did a good job starting off with three, but right now, I’m not leading,” Walter said after practice at the OVO Athletic Centre. “I definitely think that being competitive with my teammates because we all play defence and everybody’s getting steals is definitely going to help me reach that goal.”
Walter’s Steal Pursuit
Walter’s ambition sits against a backdrop of Toronto’s defensive evolution. Last season the Raptors ranked fifth in the league for defence, but the addition of a two‑time Defensive Player of the Year in Leonard is reshaping expectations. “That’s a big thing. Coach (Darko Rajakovic) says it all the time: whoever’s on the ball, you want to be comfortable,” Walter explained. “We want you to be comfortable enough to know that everybody else behind you has got your back, because we play really aggressive, and it’s OK to get beat.”
Kawhi Leonard’s Defensive Impact
Leonard’s presence is already influencing the team’s approach. His ability to anchor the defence allows younger players like Walter to push harder on ball‑handlers, trusting that the unit will recover if a initial contest is lost. The Raptors logged 15 steals against the Bulls, with Walter, Jamal Shead, Collin Murray‑Boyles, Jamison Battle and rookie Allen Graves combining for seven of them. “Dudes like Scottie (Barnes), dudes like Kawhi, Jamal Shead, we all get steals,” Walter noted. “We all get steals. Knowing that I’m competing with them is definitely going to push all of us to become better defensively.”
Raptors’ Defensive Rankings and Goals
The broader picture shows Toronto still has ground to cover. The Detroit Pistons led the NBA with 10.4 steals per game last season, while Oklahoma City and Golden State were tied for second at 9.7. The Raptors, alongside Memphis, sat at 10th place with 8.8 steals per game in 2025‑26. Coach Rajakovic emphasised that aggressiveness will be the team’s defensive hallmark, though he admits the unit is not yet where he hopes it will be by season’s end. “You want to impose your will on the defensive end. You want to get teams out of their comfort level, out of their sets, out of their, you know, Plan A,” he said. “You always want them to go to their counters and then Plan B and Plan C.”
Looking Ahead to Washington
After a dominant opening night, the Raptors (1‑0) head to Washington, D.C., to face the Wizards (1‑0) on Friday. Rajakovic indicated Thursday’s practice was focused on dissecting the Bulls game, with plans to turn attention to the next opponent mid‑flight. “I did not have time to think about Washington much; we were focusing on us,” he said. “Watch a lot of film from last game, so now when I get on the plane I’ll turn Washington (film) on.”
Why it Matters
The Raptors’ defensive overhaul, spearheaded by Walter’s personal steal challenge and Leonard’s elite presence, could reshape the team’s standing in a league where perimeter pressure is increasingly decisive. If Toronto can close the gap to the league’s top steal‑defending units, the impact will extend beyond win‑loss records, influencing playoff positioning and the club’s reputation as a defensive powerhouse in the Canadian basketball landscape. This season’s aggressive, team‑first philosophy not only addresses past shortcomings but also signals a cultural shift that could define the franchise’s trajectory for years to come.
