my guess (and I've done no research whatsoever) is that steals are more fungible at the college level than they are at the NBA level, but they're less valuable relative to the value of scoring. IOW, it's easier to get steals in college, but they're not worth as much as they are in the NBA. I think the increased fungibility of the ability to steal has less to do with defensive prowess in college, and more to do with the fact that college ball-handling isn't as constant as it is at the NBA level. Essentially, there's more low-hanging fruit in college, and you don't have to be a master thief to take advantage. If you are a master thief in college, great for you! But it really only matters if you can convert that thievery into buckets.

That's why Jackson Emery's steals were so valuable: because his steals meant an extra possession for a team that could utilize Jimmer's ability to score.