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Oscar Robertson held the record for the most triple-doubles in NBA history, with 181 triple-doubles within a span of 14 seasons, until May 10, 2021, when it was broken by former Washington Wizards point guard Russell Westbrook. The Hall of Famer's record was thought to be unbreakable, as he has held the record for 47 years.
Westbrook broke the record in Monday night's fixture against the Atlanta Hawks when he registered 28 points, 21 assists and 13 rebounds, although the Wizards lost the game with a point differential (125-124). Westbrook now holds the record for the most triple-doubles, having registered 184 triple-doubles in his 13-year career.
Let's dive into the five oldest NBA players to record a triple-double.
Top five oldest NBA players to register a triple-double
#5 Elvin Hayes (38 years and 148 days)
Elvin Hayes ranks fourth oldest as he registered a triple-double (16 points, 17 rebounds, 11 assists) at age 38 years and 148 days for the Houston Rockets in a game they lost to the San Antonio Spurs. The Big E added to his already well-decorated career the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1990 for his stellar impact on the game.
Hayes made his debut in the NBA as a Houston Rockets (formerly San Diego Rockets) No. 1 overall pick in the 1968 NBA draft and featured for a total of 16 seasons in the league. With a career average of 21 points, 12.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 1303 appearances.
His talent was rewarded with a plethora of awards, including an NBA championship title in 1978, a 12-time All-Star selection, a two-time rebounding leader (1970, 1974), a 3-time All-NBA First Team and Second Team selection.
As a rookie in his debut season, he led the league in points and points per game, becoming the 1969 scoring champion.
#4 Tim Duncan (38 years and 224 days)
Tim Duncan started his NBA career at age 21 with the Spurs as the first overall pick in the 1996 draft. His loyalty was uncontested as he spent his entire career with the Spurs, etching his name in the hearts of the franchise and its fans. He recorded a career average of 19 points, 10.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 1392 outings.
The Big Fundamental is largely considered to be the greatest power forward in league history. He was the 1998 Rookie of the Year, eight-time All-Defensive First Team, 10-time All-NBA First Team, six MVP award holder (2 MVPs, 3 Finals MVP, All-Star Game MVP) and five-time championship rings.
Duncan ranks third on the list with a triple-double (14 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists) recorded at age 38 years and 224 days against the Memphis Grizzlies on Dec. 5, 2014. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a player in 2020 and had his shirt no. 21 retired by the Spurs organization.
#3 LeBron James (38 years and 321 days)
LeBron James has entered the conversation as the third oldest NBA player to record a triple-double. James recorded his 108th against the Sacramento Kings on November 15th, 2023. He also surpassed Jason Kidd for fifth on the all-time triple double list.
He finished the game with 28 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. The Lakers lost 125-110. Despite trailing by 20+ points in the fourth quarter, they were able to trim the Kings' lead down to six points. However, they ran out of steam down the stretch.
#2 John Stockton (39 years and 33 days)
John Stockton secured a triple-double (12 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists) for the Utah Jazz in an outing at the Mavericks Reunion Arena on April 28, 2001, that saw the Jazz lose by a three-point differential (94-91). He was 39 years and 33 days old at the time, which placed him as the second oldest player in NBA history.
Stock spent his whole 19-year long NBA career with the Utah Jazz and his shirt no. 12 was retired by the franchise. He was a two-time NBA steals leader, nine-time assists leader, two-time All-NBA First Team selection, 1993 All-Star Game MVP and 10-time All-Star player. Stockton was inducted into the Hall of Fame twice, once in 2009 for his stellar career as an individual and in 2010 as a player on the U.S. Olympic basketball team in 1992.
#1 Karl Malone (40 years and 127 days)
Karl Malone was the 1985 NBA draft's 13th overall pick selected by the Jazz and went on to spend 18 seasons of his 19 career season with the Jazz, retiring with the Lakers. He recorded a career average of 25.0 points, 10.1 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 1476 games played.
In his 19 seasons in the NBA, he was selected to the All-Star team 14 times, All-NBA First Team 11 times and All-Defensive First Team three times. The Mailman was named the NBA All-Star Game MVP in 1989 and 1993, and NBA MVP in 1997 and 1999.
At age 40 years and 127 days, Malone recorded a triple-double of 10 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists for the Lakers in a game against the Spurs, and the Lakers were victorious 103-87. The Hall of Famer was inducted into the sacred list of NBA talents in 2010 and his shirt (no. 32) was retired by the franchise.
Guess the Lakers players!
