Recording a triple-double is something we used to not see very often. When Oscar Robertson averaged triple-double for a season in 1961, it wasn’t until 2017 that Russell Westbrook accomplished that same feat. The game is changing, which is why Westbrook has done it four times in his career, while we are seeing a plethora of young players put up massive stat lines despite a young age.
- 10. John Wall – 20 Years, 65 Days (2010)
- 9. Cade Cunningham – 20 Years, 57 Days (2021)
- 8. Lamar Odom – 20 Years, 54 Days (1999)
- 7. Dennis Smith Jr. – 20 Years, 34 Days (2017)
- 6. LeBron James – 20 Years, 20 Days (2005)
- 5. Lonzo Ball – 20 Years, 15 Days (2017)
- 4. Luka Doncic – 19 Years, 327 Days (2019)
- 3. Markelle Fultz – 19 Years, 317 Days (2018)
- 2. LaMelo Ball – 19 Years, 140 Days (2021)
- 1. Josh Giddey – 19 Years, 84 Days (2022)
- All-Time Youngest Triple Doubles Despite Repeated Player Entries
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Some players never finish a game with a triple-double. Some players could finish a long career of double-digits and put up at least 10 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists in a game. That is why doing it at such a young age is even more impressive. Some of these players on this list are mentioned multiple times on the all-time youngest triple-double list. What we did is look at the 10 individuals who have accomplished it and how young they were at the time.
Without further ado, these are the youngest players to ever record a triple-double in a game.
10. John Wall – 20 Years, 65 Days (2010)
Wall entered the league as the No. 1 overall pick by the Washington Wizards after a one-year sting with the University of Kentucky. Wall eventually carved a career that saw him average a double-double in points and assists multiple times. From 2012 to 2017, he was in the argument for the league’s top point guard. Getting to that point, he showed his dominance at a young age.
Wall’s triple-double came just two months after his 20th birthday. Wall recorded 19 points, 10 rebounds, and 13 assists against the Rockets. He also finished with six steals and shot 8-of-16 from the field. Wall finished his career with seven triple-doubles in Washington.
9. Cade Cunningham – 20 Years, 57 Days (2021)
Like Wall, Cunningham is a former No. 1 overall pick, who was taken by the Pistons in the 2021 NBA Draft. Cunningham’s triple-double featured a terrible shooting night. Cunningham shot 6-of-21 from the field but was able to record 13 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists. With that said, his 28.6% shooting night is not the worst shooting performance out of the players on the list. It currently ranks third-worst.
Cunningham is going through growing pains with the Pistons, who own the league’s worst record. There is a chance that the team will get the No. 1 overall pick in 2022, which could give Cunningham a future superstar to play with down the line. For now, it gives Pistons fans hope for the future.
8. Lamar Odom – 20 Years, 54 Days (1999)
Odom gets the award for shooting the worst overall percentage, where he shot 2 of 13 from the field, which came out to a 15.4% from the night. All you need to get a triple-double is 10 points, which he was able to get at the bare minimum. Odom finished his contest against the Rockets with 10 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists. Despite barely making it, you can’t take away the triple-double from him even if it’s the minimum requirement.
Odom would grow into a solid contributor for the Lakers after his stint with the Clippers and Heat to start his career. Odom would be instrumental in helping the Lakers win a championship, as well as winning Sixth Man of the Year before off the court issues would force him to end his career early.
7. Dennis Smith Jr. – 20 Years, 34 Days (2017)
Remember when Dennis Smith Jr. was a potential future star? When Smith played for the Mavericks, he was smashing home dunks, making moves to the rim, and looking like a future Russell Westbrook with his explosiveness. Then, he was traded to the New York Knicks in a deal for Kristaps Porzingis, where he has seen his career tank to the gutter.
Back in the day, Smith had the swag, and that included recording a triple-double at a very young age. Just about a month after his 20th birthday, Smith recorded 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists against the Pelicans. From a shooting perspective, Smith was on fire by making 8 of 12 shots from the field.
6. LeBron James – 20 Years, 20 Days (2005)
LeBron is mentioned twice on the list. He recorded a triple-double twice during the 2004-2005 season and did it three days apart. His 28 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists outing came three days after his first triple-double of his career at 20 years and 20 days. His second triple-double of 20 years and 23 days would rank ahead of Smith and one of Luka Doncic’s many triple-doubles at a young age.
James recorded 27 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists against the Trail Blazers to make it sixth on the list. James is one of three players that own more than one triple-double in the same season and to appear on the list more than one time.
5. Lonzo Ball – 20 Years, 15 Days (2017)
Ball is another player that recorded a triple-double more than one time in a season. In the 2017-2018 season, Ball recorded two-triple doubles during his age 20 seasons. His first triple-double came just two days after his 20th birthday where he recorded 19 points, 11 rebounds, and 13 assists. Eight days later, he would record another triple-double with a line of 11 points, 16 rebounds, and 11 assists.
This triple-double would come at 20 years and 23 days, which ranks 12th youngest among all triple-doubles recorded by age. Ball was a member of the Lakers at this time after being selected with the No. 2 overall pick.
4. Luka Doncic – 19 Years, 327 Days (2019)
Doncic is and was a triple-double machine. Of the top-20 overall entries, Doncic makes the list seven times. Out of the top-10, he made the list four times, as well as the top-5 twice. When he recorded his fourth-youngest triple-double in NBA history, he recorded the fifth-youngest mark just six days later. Then, he recorded the sixth-youngest mark 10 days later. He was on a tear during that time with the Mavericks, which captivated not just the United States, but also the world.
Out of those three marks, Doncic had one of the worst shooting marks by shooting 5 of 20 from the field but managed to record 18 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists. His best mark was the fifth-youngest age when he shot 14 of 24 from the field (58.3%) and recorded 35 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists. The 35 points are the most of any player on this list. With that said, when he was 19 years and 327 days old, he recorded a mark of 18 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists, which at the time was the second-best age in NBA history.
3. Markelle Fultz – 19 Years, 317 Days (2018)
It’s hard to tell what the future holds for Markelle. After being drafted No. 1 overall in 2017, his career hasn’t looked anything close to what a top prospect would look like right now. There was a time in history where he did though. On April 11, 2018, Fultz recorded 13 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. He was the youngest player to ever record a triple-double at the time and the 76ers nation believed in him again.
Since that time, Fultz was banished to the Orlando Magic and has played in only eight games since the end of the 2019-2020 season. Fultz is only 23 years old, so his career still has the potential to have promise. At that moment all those years ago, he gave the fans in Philadelphia hope.
2. LaMelo Ball – 19 Years, 140 Days (2021)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMzpGpSUqWE
Of all the players on this list, Ball was the most efficient shooter from the field. Ball set the new record for the youngest player to ever record a triple-double when he led the Hornets with 22 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists. He shot 9 of 13 from the field to finish the night shooting 69.2%. It narrowly beat out LeBron’s 68.8% shooting performance out of all players on this list.
After getting drafted No. 3 overall in 2020, Ball has been one of the most entertaining players in the league. He has been a key piece in the Charlotte Hornets surging towards playoff contention. If he keeps this up, he is going to get a massive payday in two years.
1. Josh Giddey – 19 Years, 84 Days (2022)
Giddey has been all about business for the last few years. Giddey was selected with the No. 4 overall pick by the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2021 after an international career that started when he was 18 years old. Giddey went from being a top prospect in Australia to now being the youngest player to ever record a triple-double. It took just the second day of the 2022 calendar year for Giddey to break through with 17 points, 13 rebounds, and 14 assists.
Giddey shot 7 of 16 from the field, as well as three of five from three-point range. Giddey has been hovering in the Rookie of the Year conversation. While this performance was great, it will not vault him over the top of the likes of Cade Cunningham, Scottie Barnes, or Evan Mobley. With that said, it was still a very impressive performance with a team that is one of the youngest in the league.
All-Time Youngest Triple Doubles Despite Repeated Player Entries
1. Josh Giddey: 19 years, 84 days
2. LaMelo Ball: 19 years, 140 days
3. Markell Fultz: 19 years, 317 days
4. Luka Doncic: 19 years, 327 days
5. Luka Doncic: 19 years, 333 days
6. Luka Doncic: 19 years, 343 days
7. Lonzo Ball: 20 years, 15 days
8. Luka Doncic: 20 years, 18 days
9. LeBron James: 20 years, 20 days
10. Luka Doncic: 20 years, 23 days
11. Lonzo Ball: 20 years, 23 days
12. LeBron James: 20 years, 23 days
13. Luka Doncic: 20 years, 26 days
14. Dennis Smith Jr.: 20 years, 34 days
15. Luka Doncic: 20 years, 40 days
16. Lamar Odom: 20 years: 54 days
17. Cade Cunningham: 20 years, 57 days
18. John Wall: 20 years, 65 days
19. Magic Johnson: 20 years, 75 days
20. LaMelo Ball: 20 years, 78 days
