Who has the most triple-doubles in NBA history?

One of the most impressive individual achievements in basketball, a triple double showcases a player’s entire skill set. Although every player in the NBA is extremely talented, there is no denying that those who achieve triple-doubles have a special equipment.

Maybe that’s why five of the top ten players are all enshrined in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. And the other five are virtual castles.

Here we’ll break down the players who have achieved the most triple-doubles in NBA history.

Russell Westbrook is the leader with 199 career triple-doubles. Westbrook was drafted by the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2008 and has played for six franchises in his career (Houston Rockets, Washington Wizards, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers and Denver Nuggets).

Westbrook lost 14 with the Lakers, 38 with the Wizards, eight with the Rockets and 139 with the Thunder.

In fact, Westbrook is the only player in NBA history to average a triple double in four different seasons.

* means the player is still active

Westbrook* (199)
Oscar Robertson (181)
Magic Johnson (138)
Nikola Jokić* (130)
LeBron James* (112)
Jason Kidd (107)
Wilt Chamberlain (78)
Luka Doncic* (77)
James Harden* (77)
Larry Bird (59)

Robertson became the first player to average a triple double (30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds and 11.4 assists) in the 1961-62 season.

“The Big O” changed the way people looked at guards and realized that backcourt players could be rebounders. Robertson led the Milwaukee Bucks to the franchise’s first NBA championship in 1971, averaging 23.5 points, 9.5 assists and five rebounds per game.

His 181 career triple-doubles were a 47-year record. Robertson’s vision and versatility made him one of the best players in NBA history.

Johnson’s size, vision and athleticism revolutionized the point guard position and made him a dominant player for the Lakers. Johnson, the face of the “Showtime” teams of the 1980s, always played at an elite level.

However, the Magic always found another gear in the postseason.

He is the all-time leader in playoff triple-doubles with 30 and second in NBA Finals triple-doubles with eight.

Johnson led the Lakers to five championships and won three MVP awards.

The current record for triple-doubles in a single season is 42, set by Westbrook in the 2016-17 season. Robertson scored 41 points in the 1961-62 campaign. Westbrook ranks both third and fourth, with 38 in the 2020-21 season and 34 in the 2018-19 season.

Wilt Chamberlain’s 31 triple-doubles in 1967–68 are the fifth most in a season.

Westbrook, Robertson and Jokić are the only players with more than 20 triple-doubles in multiple seasons.

Traditionally, triple-doubles count more than 10 points, rebounds and assists. It also usually takes the majority of a game to accomplish this feat. But there have been many times when a player has done something extraordinary.

Chamberlain’s 20-20-20 game: On February 2, 1968, Chamberlain played 48 minutes and scored 22 points, grabbed 25 rebounds and dished out 21 assists. It was the first time in NBA history that a player had a 20-20-20 game, and it remained the only time for 51 years until…

Westbrook’s 20-20-20 game: Westbrook led the Thunder to a victory over the Lakers on April 2, 2019, finishing with 20 points, 20 rebounds and 21 assists. Westbrook played 37 minutes and dedicated the win to the late Nipsey Hustle.

Draymond Green’s historic triple double: Green scored just four points on February 10, 2017, but padded the stat sheet in other ways. The Golden State Warriors forward collected 12 rebounds, 10 assists and a franchise-record 10 steals, recording the NBA’s first point-free triple double. Green also became the only player in history to record ten steals and five blocks in a single game.

Jokić’s quick triple-double: On February 16, 2018, “The Joker” needed just 14 minutes and 33 seconds to complete a triple double. He finished the game with 30 points, 15 rebounds and 17 assists. Jokić broke the previous record of 17 minutes, set by Jim Tucker of the Syracuse Nationals.

Karl Malone’s age triple-double: Malone is the oldest player to record a triple double at 40 years and 127 days. On November 28, 2003, Malone and the Lakers defeated the San Antonio Spurs thanks to his 10 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists.

Nate Thurmond’s quadruple-double: Thurmond achieved more than just a triple double, scoring 22 points, 14 rebounds, 13 assists and 12 blocks on October 18, 1974. “Nate the Great” led the Chicago Bulls to their season-opening victory over the Atlanta Hawks.