In seasons where pace rose and usage spiked, a handful of NBA stars transformed triple-doubles into near-nightly benchmarks. Their bursts of scoring, playmaking, and control hinted at shifts in how elite talent could bend a gameâs structure.
Some stretches became defining runs: months when guards dictated tempo, wings punished mismatches and bigs initiated offenses from the top. These patterns didnât just elevate individual lines, they signaled evolving roles across the league.
By the time the records settled, those campaigns stood apart for more than raw totals. They captured moments when players expanded what all-around dominance could look like, leaving markers that still shape how peak seasons are judged.
Who holds the record for most triple-doubles in a season?
In the 2016â17 NBA season, Russell Westbrook redefined all-around excellence. Playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder, he compiled an astonishing 42 triple-doubles, setting a new single-season league record.
Russell Westbrook #0 of the Oklahoma City Thunder. (Source: Kirk Irwin/Getty Images)
That year, he didnât just pile up counting stats, he maintained elite production across points (31.6 ppg), rebounds (10.7) and assists (10.4), averaging a triple-double over the entire season.
His surge not only broke a long-standing record, but it helped fuel him to his first MVP honor⊠a crowning achievement in a season that few could rival in all-around dominance.
NBA stars who followed Russell Westbrook with records
The Big Oâs legacy: Oscar Robertsonâs 41 in the early â60s
Before Westbrook came along, the gold standard belonged to Oscar Robertson, aka âThe Big Oâ. During the 1961â62 season, playing for the Cincinnati Royals, he notched 41 triple-doubles, a number that stood unchallenged for over half a century
That year, he averaged roughly 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds and 11.4 assists per game, making him the first player ever to average a triple-double over an entire season. His record endured for decades, a testament to how rare and difficult it is to sustain that level of versatility for 82 games.
The evolution of triple-double seasons: From then to now
Westbrookâs record-breaking season symbolized a shift in the NBA, but it didnât appear out of thin air. Over the years, the leagueâs pace, style and emphasis on guard play have evolved, making triple-doubles more frequent and celebrated than in Robertsonâs era.
Russell Westbrook #0 of the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2016. (Source: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Still, even in a high-tempo, assist-happy environment, not all players come close. Only a select few â like Nikola Jokic in more recent seasons â have flirted with Westbrookâs output, but none have surpassed his 42. In that way, his 2016â17 campaign remains a singular feat: a blend of physicality, endurance and sheer statistical ambition that re-wrote the record books.
