We have well documented Nikola Jokic’s success recently when it comes to triple-doubles. However, one must realize he is not the only National Basketball Association center who can pass the ball. On Sunday, according to James Foglio of The Sports Daily, Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis of Portland, Oregon became the sixth NBA player ever to have 20 triple doubles in a season.
Sabonis accomplished the feat when he had 17 points, 15 rebounds and 12 assists in a 123-107 Kings win over the Los Angeles Clippers. Sabonis has actually now had a triple double in his last three games. He had his 19th triple-double on Thursday in a 127-122 Kings win over the San Antonio Spurs. Sabonis had 22 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists. Then on Monday, he had 14 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 assists in a 121-110 Kings loss to the Miami Heat.
The five other players to record 20 triple-doubles in a season are Russell Westbrook (the all-time leader in triple-doubles with 198), Oscar Robertson, Wilt Chamberlain, Nikola Jokic and James Harden. Westbrook of Long Beach, California had 42 triple-doubles with the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2016-17, 38 triple-doubles with the Washington Wizards in 2020-21, 34 triple-doubles with the Thunder in 2018-19, and 25 triple-doubles with the Thunder in 2017-18. Robertson of Charlotte, Tennessee had 41 triple-doubles with the Cincinnati Royals in 1961-62, 26 triple-doubles with the Royals in 1960-61 and 1963-64, 22 triple-doubles with the Royals in 1964-65, and 20 triple-doubles in 1962-63. Chamberlain of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania had 31 triple-doubles with the Philadelphia 76ers in 1967-68 and 22 triple-doubles with the 76ers in 1966-67. Jokic of Sombor, Serbia had 29 triple-doubles with the Denver Nuggets in 2022-23, and Harden of Los Angeles, California had 22 triple-doubles with the Houston Rockets in 2016-17.
