Site icon Aussie Hoopla

The NBL Triple-Double Club

With this season’s NBL awards night in only two weeks, Kings ‘Swiss army knife’ Xavier Cooks may have locked up this year’s MVP award after recording the first triple-double for this season and almost guaranteed Sydney’s first-place finish in the regular season.

13,273 roaring fans at Qudos Bank Arena witnessed Cooks’s brilliance as he recorded 16 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists to deliver a 111-106 Kings victory over the South East Melbourne Phoenix.

Cooks became the first King since Dontaye Draper in 2008 and the first NBL player to get a triple-double since Josh Giddey in 2021.

Giddey’s triple-double came during a rare season in 2021 when fans witnessed five triple-double performances over the course of one season.

When Giddey collected 15 points, 11 rebounds, and 13 assists in a 101-79 win over Brisbane, he became the first Australian ever to record back-to-back triple-doubles. A week later, he surprised everybody, recording his third triple-double in four games. His 11 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds against the Sydney Kings saw him become the first Aussie to record three triple-doubles in one season.

2021 also saw three different players notch up triple-doubles, something that had only happened once before, back in the 2003/04 season, when Glen Saville, Sam MacKinnon, and Rashad Tucker all achieved the feat. Coincidentally, this was the same year Giddey celebrated his first birthday.

It’s worth noting that during the 2003/04 season, Tucker also set the record for triple-doubles in a season, recording six triple-doubles across 28 games while playing with the Perth Wildcats.

The other triple-double efforts in 2021 were Keifer Sykes’s 14-point, 10-rebound, and 11-assist night when the South East Melbourne Phoenix defeated the Brisbane Bullets, 99-83, which earned glowing praise from teammate Mitch Creek at the time.

“That’s one of his better games across the board statistically. 11 dimes in this league is really hard to come by and then to also pour in a bunch of points and 10 boards, he was the catalyst in that third and fourth quarter when we really held our lead by swooping in on those rebounds” said Creek

“He’s the smallest guy on the court and he got the most boards out of everyone on the court which is incredible. I love playing with him, I can’t wait to play many more games with him”.

Not long after that, in only his second game for New Zealand, William McDowell-White racked up double figures in three categories when he had 13 points, 10 rebounds and 14 assists, also in a victory over the Bullets on the 17th of April.

Prior to this season, the last time we saw a player notching up double-digits in three areas was the 2020 NBL Rookie Of The Year LaMelo Ball, who made history by becoming the youngest player ever to achieve the feat.

His first triple-double, 32 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists, came in an overtime victory against Cairns. Then, to show NBA scouts he could replicate the effort in regulation, he followed it up with another triple-double in his next game. He filled the box score with 25 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists against the New Breakers, which featured fellow Next Star RJ Hampton on the roster.

Nathan Sobey is the only other NBL player to record a triple-double. While playing for the Adelaide 36ers, Sobey tallied 22 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists in a 91-83 win over his former team, Cairns.

Sobey’s triple-double was the first after a triple-double drought of close to a three-year period where no player had been able to replicate the feat.

Other notables in the club include Cedric Jackson, who was responsible for recording his fifth and last triple-double the three years prior, Daren Rowe, who in 1990 recorded the only quadruple-double in NBL history. With his 25 points, 17 rebounds, 11 assists and 11 steals as a Geelong Supercat, being the only time a player has had double figures in four different categories. And the all-time leader for triple-doubles, Robert Rose. Rose recorded double figures in three categories an amazing thirteen times across his 16-year career.

Putting up a triple-double is a feat few NBL players achieve, but notching one up in an NBL elimination game that’s even more impressive.

Adelaide 36ers Butch Hays recorded the NBL’s first triple-double in the postseason when he put up 24 points, 10 rebounds, and 17 assists against Melbourne in Game 2 of the 1991 elimination finals, which saw them progress to a semi-final match-up with the Perth Wildcats.

To date, the only triple-double ever recorded during the NBL Finals is Darryl McDonald, who notched up five triple-doubles during his NBL career, none more crucial than his 17 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists effort in Game 1 of the 1994 NBL Finals.

Game 1 was held in Adelaide, and after McDonald backed down 36ers guard Phil Smyth before hoisting up a wild shot that missed its mark, the game headed into overtime.

McDonald made sure history didn’t repeat itself during the overtime period, nailing a one-handed floater from the elbow and giving the Giants a 1-0 lead in the series.

McDonald’s triple-double, all-round brilliance, and crushing buzzer-beater demoralised the 36ers, who were soundly beaten 117-97 in Game 2, as the Giants became NBL champions.

McDonald’s triple-double, all-around brilliance and crushing buzzer-beater demoralised the 36ers, who were sounded beaten 117-97 in Game 2. The Giants became NBL champions.

See below for the full list of players in the NBL’s Triple Double Club.

ALL-TIME NBL TRIPLE-DOUBLES

#NameTeamDatePTSREBASTSTLBLKVS
128Xavier CooksSydney29/01/202316101000South East Melbourne
127Josh Giddey (3)Adelaide09/05/202111121010Sydney
126Josh Giddey (2)Adelaide01/05/202115111300Brisbane
125Josh GiddeyAdelaide26/04/202112101000New Zealand
124William McDowell-WhiteNew Zealand16/04/202113101420Brisbane
123Keifer SykesSouth East Melbourne21/02/202114101110Brisbane
122LaMelo Ball (2)Illawarra30/11/201925121010New Zealand
121LaMelo BallIllawarra25/11/201932111310Cairns
120Nathan SobeyAdelaide27/10/201822131020Cairns
119Cedric Jackson (5)New Zealand08/11/201516141020Melbourne
118Cedric Jackson (4)New Zealand11/10/201514101420Townsville
117Cedric Jackson (3)New Zealand12/02/201511111110Adelaide
116Cedric Jackson (2)New Zealand18/01/201516101132Melbourne
115Cedric JacksonNew Zealand30/11/201228101040Melbourne
114Corey WilliamsMelbourne02/01/201112101120Adelaide
113Julius HodgeAdelaide02/02/200825121310Brisbane
112EJ RowlandTownsville14/02/200713121050Singapore
111Glen Saville (4)Wollongong17/01/200720131000Townsville
110John Rillie (3)Townsville21/12/200618101121New Zealand
109Shawn RedhagePerth05/11/200630111521Sydney
108Darnell Mee (2)Wollongong22/12/200413121041Adelaide
107Darnell MeeWollongong17/12/200420131133Townsville
106Sam MacKinnon (7)West Sydney15/03/200413101012Wollongong
105Rashad Tucker (6)Perth29/02/200414151110Victoria
104Sam MacKinnon (6)West Sydney25/02/200421111053Townsville
103Rashad Tucker (5)Perth23/02/200419151511Hunter
102Rashad Tucker (4)Perth18/02/200422111001Brisbane
101Rashad Tucker (3)Perth11/02/200413141400Townsville
100Glen Saville (3)Wollongong06/12/200311161013Sydney
99Rashad Tucker (2)Perth29/11/200322111010Adelaide
98Sam MacKinnon (5)West Sydney26/11/200321121023Perth
97Rashad TuckerPerth26/11/200320131030West Sydney
96Ricky Grace (4)Perth03/04/200315101011Sydney
(Grand Final)
95Andrew Gaze (4)Melbourne14/02/200320111010Victoria
94Chris WilliamsSydney13/01/200334151112West Sydney
93Wayne TurnerTownsville02/11/200214101201Adelaide
92John Rillie (2)West Sydney21/10/200231111120Melbourne
91Robert Rose (13)Townsville31/12/200123121001Wollongong
90Derek Rucker (3)West Sydney23/11/200122101310Cairns
89Andrew Gaze (3)Melbourne27/10/200133121010Canberra
88Glen Saville (2)Wollongong27/10/200113161021Adelaide
87Robert Rose (12)Townsville28/04/200116111101Wollongong
(Grand Final)
86Robert Rose (11)Townsville30/03/200118141032Sydney
(Semi-Final)
85Robert Rose (10)Townsville16/03/200118141020Brisbane
84Ricky Grace (3)Perth24/02/200121111111Wollongong
83Glen SavilleWollongong13/11/200011111040Adelaide
82Robert Rose (9)Townsville11/11/200022111202Perth
81Sam MacKinnon (4)Townsville21/10/200035101010Cairns
80Sam MacKinnon (3)Townsville24/03/200016131031Perth
79Robert Rose (8)Townsville30/12/199914101140Brisbane
78Sam MacKinnon (2)Townsville03/12/199922111350Wollongong
77Aaron TrahairSydney12/11/199921111010Townsville
76Robert Rose (7)Townsville30/01/199925101290Victoria
75Steve Woodberry (4)Brisbane07/06/199820131001Adelaide
74Derek Rucker (2)Townsville22/05/199829101120Sydney
73Sam MacKinnonSouth East Melbourne02/05/199820111110Sydney
72Marcus TimmonsMelbourne18/04/199820131322North Melbourne
71Darryl McDonald (5)North Melbourne05/10/199720111040Canberra
70Robert Rose (6)Canberra20/09/199731131112Adelaide
69Steve Woodberry (3)Brisbane20/09/199711131000North Melbourne
68John RillieAdelaide05/07/199719101020North Melbourne
67Steve Woodberry (2)Brisbane24/04/199710101021Townsville
66Steve WoodberryBrisbane20/07/199626103110Wollongong
65Darryl McDonald (4)North Melbourne16/04/199620101211Melbourne
64Joey WrightGeelong24/06/199528101020Melbourne
63Melvin Thomas (2)Illawarra16/06/199534111031Townsville
62Butch Hays (2)Newcastle12/05/199523101323North Melbourne
61Tony RonaldsonSouth East Melbourne06/05/199515121111North Melbourne
60Darryl McDonald (3)North Melbourne22/10/199417101031Adelaide
(Grand Final)
59Robert Rose (5)Adelaide24/09/199426111062Canberra
58Derek RuckerNewcastle10/09/199424111110Gold Coast
57Darryl McDonald (2)North Melbourne09/09/199417101593Townsville
56Adonis JordanSouth East Melbourne16/07/199414101740Canberra
55Scott Fisher (3)Perth02/07/199422131020Townsville
54Leroy Loggins (3)Brisbane14/05/199415101022Adelaide
53Darryl McDonaldNorth Melbourne13/05/199425714111Newcastle
52Everette StephensNewcastle22/04/199415111041Hobart
51Ricky Grace (2)Perth07/04/199429101022North Melbourne
50Robert Rose (4)South East Melbourne05/09/199325111131Newcastle
49David BladesTownsville05/09/199315131420South East Melbourne
48Scott Fisher (2)Perth03/09/199323131021Geelong
47Dwayne MccLain (2)Sydney07/08/199334101003Hobart
46Dwayne MccLainSydney31/07/199337512100Melbourne
45Robert Rose (3)South East Melbourne13/07/199326121020North Melbourne
44Pat ReidyNorth Melbourne09/07/199317101122Gold Coast
43Robert Rose (2)South East Melbourne03/07/199311121350Sydney
42Robert RoseSouth East Melbourne27/06/199320132034Illawarra
41Tonny JensenTownsville04/06/199322111141Geelong
40Doug OvertonIllawarra19/09/199238101010Canberra
39Melvin ThomasIllawarra28/08/199218141024North Melbourne
38Andrew VlahovPerth22/08/199219131210Brisbane
37Butch HaysAdelaide27/09/199124101711Melbourne
(Semi-Finals)
36Greg StokesSouthern Melb.06/09/199123143103Hobart
35Greg HubbardIllawarra30/08/199127111520Geelong
34Dean Uthoff (2)South East Melbourne15/06/199118121021Canberra
33Norman TaylorIllawarra18/05/199127121020Newcastle
32John DorgeGeelong12/04/199126140014North Melbourne
31Daren Rowe (3)Geelong28/07/1990251711111North Melbourne
30Kent LockhartEastside Melbourne28/07/199026111020Brisbane
29Daren Rowe (2)Geelong05/05/199025122411Eastside Melbourne
28Daren RoweGeelong27/04/199016141165Illawarra
27Ricky GracePerth27/04/199020313103Canberra
26Andrew Gaze (2)Melbourne17/06/198938101111Hobart
25Al Green (2)Adelaide09/07/198833101012Hobart
24Scott FisherNorth Melbourne06/05/198827151010Newcastle
23Benny LewisWestside Melbourne16/04/198828111121Eastside Melbourne
22Dean UthoffEastside Melbourne19/03/198819171040Westside Melbourne
21Bruce BoldenWestside Melbourne27/02/198822131134Brisbane
20Mark Leader (4)Geelong12/09/198719111351Newcastle
19Jerry EverettNewcastle29/08/198737111130Perth
18Jerry DennardHobart07/08/198714120102Perth
17Al GreenAdelaide25/07/198723101010Canberra
16Audie MatthewsSydney11/07/198718141100Geelong
15Mark Leader (3)Geelong27/06/198725101051Perth
14Ken EppersonWestside Melbourne20/06/198733131020Newcastle
13Willie SimmonsNorth Melbourne05/06/198733151110Melbourne
12Andrew GazeMelbourne24/08/198644121220Sydney
11Ricky SimpsonNewcastle02/08/198635141020Melbourne
10Derick PolkSydney20/06/198626191310Melbourne
9Scott FentonSydney20/07/198519618111Melbourne
8Dan ClausenPerth19/07/198526181220Illawarra
7Leroy Loggins (2)Brisbane17/05/198534121351Hobart
6Mark Leader (2)Devonport18/05/198440131430Perth
5Mark LeaderDevonport15/04/198441231034Coburg
4Larry SengstockBrisbane13/04/198419141231Frankston
3Mel DalgleishFrankston17/03/198416141033Coburg
2Leroy LogginsWest Adelaide30/04/198330141000Newcastle
1Phil SmythSt Kilda10/07/1982161011--Illawarra

 

Check out our NBL All-Time Statistics section for more historical stats.

Dan Boyce (815 Posts)

Dan Boyce is a die-hard Sydney Kings fan who grew up in Melbourne during the roaring 90's of Australian Basketball and spent far too much time collecting Futera NBL Basketball cards.


Exit mobile version