NBA History: 5 Players with the most triple-doubles in their rookie year

On paper, the triple-double is the most glamourous stat-line a basketball player can have. It indicates that a player has made a significant impact on three different aspects of the game. In today's NBA, a triple-double would generally consist of a player having ten or more points, rebounds, and assists. There are also rare occasions where triple-doubles have been recorded with steal or blocks in place of points, rebounds, or assists.

In recent years, stars and veterans such as Russell Westbrook, who has averaged a triple-double for the last three seasons, and James Harden, who has recorded multiple 50-point triple-doubles, normally make headlines for their accomplishments. However, there are a few exceptional, dynamic rookies who have displayed the ability to record triple-doubles multiple times during their debut seasons.

These are the five players with the most triple-doubles in their rookie years.

#5 Alvan Adams – 5 triple-doubles

In the 1975-76 season, the Phoenix Suns used their fourth pick to draft Alvan Adams. While many assumed that the Suns had better options, the franchise took a chance with the tall and athletic 6'9 center.

What most people didn't realize was that Alvan Adams had all the tools to be a great all-round player. He had an excellent understanding of the game and vision which made him a great passer out of the center position, and he had the athleticism and speed to become a great scorer and rebounder.

What resulted was an amazing rookie season where Adams averaged 19 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 5.6 assists, along with 1.5 blocks and 1.5 steals per game. With these numbers along with 5 triple-doubles during his first year, Adams was named the Rookie of the Year and was a part of the all-rookie first team. He also made the Western Conference all-star team in his very first year.

#4 Magic Johnson – 7 triple-doubles

Magic Johnson, who is often regarded as the greatest point guard of all time, wasted no time in getting into his super-star form as a rookie. Magic was drafted first in the 1979-80 season and lived up to all of the expectations that were placed on him.

At 6'9, Magic was surprisingly fast on his feet, which allowed him to have an elite ability to score and rebound. His height at the guard position allowed him to see over most defenses which added to his already excellent vision and passing ability. All of these factors made Magic one of the most consistently effective players in the NBA.

By the end of his rookie year, Magic had 7 triple-doubles to his name. He finished the year with 18 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 7.3 assists and was named to the all-star and all-rookie team. This was just a glimpse of the hall-of-fame career that he would have on his way to 3 league MVP awards and 5 NBA championships.

#3 Luka Dončić – 8 triple-doubles

Luka Dončić took the NBA by storm during the 2018-19 season. Not too much was known about the young international player when he was initially drafted, but he wasted no time in making it known that he has what it takes to compete in the NBA.

Standing at 6'7, Dončić is a crafty shooting guard with the ability to score from almost anywhere on the floor. His size allows him to battle for rebounds and his excellent basketball IQ and vision make him a great passer. Dončić was able to rack up 8 triple-doubles on his way to winning the rookie of the year award in 2019.

Luka Dončić finished his first year with 21.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 6 assists. Alongside Kristaps Porzingis, the duo is going to be a must-watch for both Mavericks fans as well as fans across the NBA.

#2 Ben Simmons – 12 triple-doubles

Drafted first overall by the Philadelphia 76ers in 2016, Ben Simmons finally made his debut in October of 2017, and it was worth the wait. Many speculate that Simmons, who is a 6'10 guard, is the second coming of Magic Johnson, and he has lived up to the hype so far.

Similar to Johnson, Simmons is very quick on his feet despite his height, can score the ball in close and has excellent vision. He finished the season with 15.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 8.2 assists per game. With his averages on the cusp of a triple-double, it comes as no surprise that he had 12 triple-doubles throughout his first year, and was eventually named the rookie of the year.

Alongside Joel Emiid, Simmons was able to lead the Sixers to their first playoff appearance since 2012, where they would ultimately get eliminated in the second round.

#1 Oscar Robertson – 26 triple-doubles

It comes as no surprise that Mr. Triple-Double himself tops this list. Oscar Robertson was the first pick in the 1960 draft and he certainly lived up to his expectations. He was a 6'5 guard who could drive to the hoop, make a pull-up jump shot, and was always willing to pass to the open man. His speed and strength allowed enabled him to box-out opponents effectively and chase down long rebounds.

In his rookie year, Robertson averaged an incredible 30.5 points, 10.1 rebounds, and a league-high 9.7 assists, making this one of the greatest rookie seasons of all time. In addition to this, Robertson tallied 26 triple-doubles on his way to winning the rookie of the year award.

Robertson would go on to have a hall of fame career, playing 10 seasons with the Cincinnati Royals, and 4 seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks alongside Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Oscar Robertson currently holds the record for the most career triple-doubles with 181.

Edited by Kingshuk Kusari