Russell Westbrook's historic triple-double in Washington Wizards' debut and the five players who did it before

#3 John Shumate - Buffalo Braves

Shumate guarding Bill Walton in college. Photo Credit: USA Today Sports.

A blood clot almost killed John Shumate before his NBA career even started, and he only lasted five years in the league once he was able to play. However, he is remembered for recording a unique triple-double.

On February 6th, 1976, in his first game after being traded from the Phoenix Suns to the Buffalo Braves, he recorded a triple-double in his Buffalo debut.

He scored 16 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, and dished out 10 assists in the Braves' win over the Milwaukee Bucks. It was the only triple-double of his career.

Russell Westbrook is the first player with a triple-double within the first 3 quarters of his team's season opener over the last 25 seasons. pic.twitter.com/uRNEUtrpFy

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) December 24, 2020

Shumate played 318 games for six teams from 1975 to 1980 and averaged 12 points and eight rebounds per game in his career.

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#4 Lewis Lloyd - Houston Rockets

Photo Credit: Des Moines Register.

Lewis Lloyd was the 76th overall pick of the 1981 NBA Draft. He played his first two seasons with the Golden State Warriors before signing with the Houston Rockets in 1983.

In the 1983-84 season, Lloyd played at his best. Playing at the shooting guard position, Lloyd averaged 17.8 points per game and played 82 regular-season matches. In his first game with Houston, he recorded the first triple-double of his career.

Lloyd put up 28 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists in the Rockets' win over the San Antonio Spurs.

He had only two triple-doubles in his career.

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#5 Elfrid Payton - New Orleans Pelicans

BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge 2016

One of two players to achieve a triple-double in their debuts with a new franchise in the last 37 years (alongside Westbrook), Elfrid Payton had a good 2018-19 year with the New Orleans Pelicans.

Elfrid Payton has a triple-double in his Pelicans debut. What a start for the Gretna native.

— Andrew Doak (@AndrewDoak_WWL) October 18, 2018

To start his fifth NBA season and celebrate his free-agent signing with New Orleans, Payton posted a 10/10/10 triple-double (the 11th of his career at that point) against the Houston Rockets.

Later in that year, Payton had a stretch of five consecutive triple-doubles and became the fifth player to do so after Wilt Chamberlain, Oscar Robertson, Michael Jordan, and Russell Westbrook.

Payton has had 17 triple-doubles in his NBA career, but his debut with New Orleans in 2018 will be remembered every time a player achieves such a rare feat.

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