The triple-double is a stat that highlights some of the best all-around players in the game of basketball.
There are plenty of great scorers, plenty of great passers and plenty of great rebounders and defenders. But not many players can excel in all phases of the game at the same time.
To achieve a triple-double, a player must tally double-digit stats in three of the five main statistical categories – points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks.
While there have been triple-doubles that have featured steals and blocks, they are very rare. The most common triple-double consists of at least 10 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in a single game.
Robertson is the only player to ever average a triple-double for an entire season. In the 1961-62 season, the Big O had 41 triple-doubles in 79 games and averaged 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds and 11.4 assists as a member of the Cincinnati Royals.
The Big O had this incredible season in just his second year in the NBA. He spent his 14-year career with the Cincinnati Royals and Milwaukee Bucks, winning an NBA championship in 1971.
When it comes to all-around play, Robertson remains the player that all others are compared to. His ability to score, create plays for his teammates and rebound the basketball remain unmatched in NBA history.