On Thursday, Nikola Jokic’s reign as the top basketball player in the world reached a new pinnacle.
Jokic achieved a Triple-Double against every NBA team he played against, except for the Wizards, during the Nuggets’ game.
Jokic appears to be effortlessly achieving an average of 26.1 points, 12.0 rebounds, and 8.9 assists per game this season, with a total of 16 triple-doubles, second only to 18-year-old Domantas Sabonis. He even surpassed LeBron James to claim the fourth spot on the all-time list earlier this year.
After achieving the feat against the wizards on Thursday, he has now joined James and Russell Westbrook in the prestigious Triple-Double Club.
Nikola Jokic’s Triple-Doubles: Denver’s Star becomes part of exclusive Club against Washington Wizards.
Jokic played with a sense of awareness for the potential historical impact he could make against the Wizards on Thursday, whether he acknowledges it or not.
Jokic, a Triple-Double player, has been hesitant to achieve this feat against any team in the NBA except for the Nuggets. However, he came close to reaching his goal at halftime with 10 points, 14 rebounds, and nine assists. In the second half, he successfully assisted Aaron Gordon for Denver’s first score, completing the Triple-Double.
Jokic became the third player in NBA history to achieve a Triple-Double against every team in the League, joining James and Westbrook.
He ended the match with 21 points, 19 rebounds and 15 assists, making all 10 of his shots from the field, leading his team to victory against Washington.
It’s stunning. It’s unique,” Jokic expressed about his most recent display. “When I retire, it will serve as a legacy or something. This marks a significant milestone.
James and Westbrook, having played for multiple teams, remain members of their own exclusive Club. These two future Hall of Famers accomplished a Triple-Double against all 30 NBA teams, a feat that Jokic could only accomplish by departing from the Nuggets.
In 2019, James became the inaugural player to accomplish this feat. Interestingly, it was the thunder, not the Cavaliers or the heat, who were the final team he required a Triple-Double against. James recorded 25 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists to guide the Lakers to victory over Oklahoma City.
In 2020, Westbrook James achieved a historic feat. While playing for the Rockets, he recorded 32 points, 12 assists, and 11 rebounds in a defeat against the Thunder.
Rewritten: Highest Number of Triple Doubles in NBA History
Jokic is making his way up the ladder of all-time triple-doubles in the NBA. As previously stated, he surpassed James and is now in fourth place for this season.
Jokic is just 17 triple doubles shy of overtaking Magic Johnson, but he still has 60 years to go before reaching Oscar Robertson and 77 (and counting) before claiming Westbrook’s crown.
Rewritten text: Categorizing Players with Triple-Doubles
Rewritten text:
Russell Westbrook, 198 years of age.
Two-time NBA MVP Oscar Robertson with a career total of 181 points.
Three Magic Johnson 138
Nikola Jokic, number 4, with a score of 121.
