A double-double is a single-game statistical performance in basketball. It happens when a player records at least 10 in two of the five counting statistics: points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks.
What is a double-double in basketball?
It occurs when a player records double-digits in two of the five main stats: points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks.
For example, if Enes Kanter had 18 points and 12 rebounds, he would have a double-double. Likewise, if Ja Morant records 21 points and 13 assists, that is also considered a double-double.
Key Takeaways
- The most common double-double occurrence is the combination of points and rebounds.
- Even though a double-double is common nowadays, it is a sign of the high-level skills and versatility required to excel in today’s basketball.
- Centers and forwards account for about 90% of total double-doubles. If ever guards record a double-double, it is most likely a combination of points and assists.
A double-double is getting more common in NBA basketball these days, but that doesn’t make it any less impressive. In a league full of the best athletes and defensive minds, it is still not a walk in the park to grab at least 10 rebounds or score 10 points. More than anything, a double-double is a testament to a player’s skill level.
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FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions.
Who has the most double-doubles in NBA history?
The answer is Wilt Chamberlain, who played 968 games in 1045 games. That means he had a double-double 92% of the time he played.
The second is Tim Duncan, whom many consider the best power forward. Duncan had 841 d-ds in 1,392 career games. That means he recorded a triple-double 60% of the time he stepped on the court. See All About Triple-doubles.
Which active player has the most double-doubles?
Dwight Howard got the most among active players with 740 double-doubles and counting. The top 5 are LeBron James, Chris Paul, Kevin Love, and Russell Westbrook.
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Who was the youngest NBA player to record a double-double?
The answer is Tracy McGrady, 18 years and 175 days old. The young and spry T-Mac scored 10 points and 11 rebounds against the Indiana Pacers on November 15, 1997.
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Who was the oldest NBA player to record a double-double?
It’s Dikembe Mutombo, who was 42 and 289 days old when he played for the Houston Rockets. Mutombo scored 10 points and 15 rebounds against the Golden State Warriors on April 10, 2009.
Houston Rockets Highlights Video
Here are some highlights of that game.
Double-Double Facts and Figures
- Wilt Chamberlain had 227 consecutive double-double outings from 1964 to 1967. This is the longest streak of double-doubles in NBA history, a record that may never be touched again.
- Speaking of Chamberlain, he is the only NBA player to account for at least 40 points and 40 rebounds in a game. The Big Dipper did it eight times in his career, four of which came from his rookie season.
- In the 2018-19 season, the last 82-game season before the COVID-19 pandemic, there were 2,358 double-double performances. Led by Andre Drummond’s 69 double-double outings, 70 players had at least 10 double-doubles that season.
- Scott Skiles had 30 assists in addition to 22 points on December 30, 1990. That’s the only 30-assist d-d performance in history. The highlights of that game is shown below.
Scott Skiles 30 Assists Video
Double-Double Facts
Elgin Baylor of the Los Angeles Lakers recorded the only 60-point, 30-rebound double-double. Baylor scored 63 points and snatched 31 rebounds on December 8, 1961, versus Chamberlain’s Philadelphia Warriors. The one who came the closest was the Celtics’ Bob Pettit, who had 51 points and 30 rebounds two days before Baylor’s historic game.
The second-longest streak behind Chamberlain’s string of 227 games was 51. Both Kevin Love and Karl Malone did this.
John Stockton recorded 714 double-doubles with points and assists, the most in NBA history.
That’s all this basketball statistical feat.
By Mike O’Halloran
Founder and Editor, Sports Feel Good Stories
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