WNBA triple-doubles
A triple-double is achieved in basketball when a player accumulates a total of 10 or more in three of five statistical categories (points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks) in one game. The following lists triple-doubles attained in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) from the league's founding in 1996 to the present.
As of the mid-2026 season, 68 triple-doubles have been recorded in the WNBA.[2] Alyssa Thomas has the all-time record with thirty,[1] and no other player has more than five.[2]
Rarity
[edit]For several reasons, triple-doubles are more rare in the women's WNBA than in the men's NBA. Games are shorter in the WNBA, lasting 40 minutes compared to 48 minutes in the NBA.[3] The WNBA has fewer games (fewer teams) in a season (44 vs 82).[4] The playing style in the WNBA features more ball movement and teamwork compared to the NBA's reliance on star players.[5]
Individual achievement
[edit]Alyssa Thomas holds most WNBA records regarding triple-doubles by a considerable margin, holding the record for regular season (24), postseason (6), and overall (30); in contrast, the second-place in career regular season and overall triple-doubles, Jessica Shepard, has only posted six in the regular season and zero in the playoffs, and no player has ever had more than one playoff triple-double.[6] Thomas scored the first WNBA Finals triple-double (and only third ever in the playoffs) on September 15, 2022 against the Las Vegas Aces,[7] and the fourth the following game on September 18. Thomas recorded four of her career triple-doubles in the 2022 season, and her fifth through eleventh in the 2023 season. In August of the 2025 season, Thomas became the first player to record a triple-double in three straight games.[8][9] Thomas is also the only player to post a triple-double with at least 15 rebounds and 15 assists, with her 2025 performance also setting the record for most assists in a triple-double at 17.[10][11] Thomas was also the first player with a 20-plus rebound triple-double, a feat only matched by Shepard.[11]
Sheryl Swoopes of the Houston Comets was the first player in the WNBA to put up a triple-double in both regular season and the postseason, posting the former in a blowout against the Detroit Shock in 1999 and the latter in 2005 against the Seattle Storm; it would take another 17 years for another player, Courtney Vandersloot of the Chicago Sky, to put up a triple-double in the playoffs, and Thomas is the only other to do so in the postseason.[11] The second triple-double in WNBA history was by Margo Dydek, who also was the first to do so with blocks rather than assists; her ten blocks in a narrow win against the Orlando Miracle in 2001 was also a single-game record at that time.[11] The third triple-double in WNBA history, performed by Lisa Leslie of the Los Angeles Sparks in 2004, was the second and last to be done with blocks rather than assists and was also the first to be done with over 20 points.[11] It took 17 years for Sabrina Ionescu to become the second player with a 20-plus point triple-double, doing so in a New York Liberty game in 2021. In 2022, Ionescu also became the first to both achieve a triple-double in three quarters and register at least 12 of each statistic, and she remains the only player with a 30-plus point triple double.[11][12] In 2022, Candace Parker became both the first person to reach three triple-doubles overall, as well as achieve two or more triple-doubles in the same season.[13] In 2024, Caitlin Clark was the first WNBA rookie to record a triple-double.[14]
All WNBA triple-doubles
[edit]Below, playoff triple-doubles are highlighted in italics. Bold numbers indicate the statistics relevant to the triple-double.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- 1 2 "Reese has career night with 31 points, Dream hold off Mercury 99-89 despite Copper's 38 points". ESPN. August 22, 2026.
- 1 2 Thurston, Shane (August 6, 2026). "Players With Most Triple-Doubles in WNBA History". BetMGM. Retrieved August 10, 2026.
- ↑ "How Long Is a Basketball Game? Everything You Need to Know". Under Armour. Retrieved August 11, 2026.
- ↑ "Frequently Asked Questions about the NBA, WNBA and Basketball". Sports Reference. Retrieved August 11, 2026.
- ↑ Sumida, Nami (June 29, 2025). "Love the Warriors? Here's why being a Valkyries fan is even better". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved August 11, 2026.
- ↑ "Alyssa Thomas enters WNBA club of one on night Mercury season ends". sportingnews.com. The Sporting News. August 23, 2026. Retrieved August 23, 2026.
- ↑ "Alyssa Thomas scores first triple-double in WNBA Finals history as Sun take Aces to Game 4". skysports.com. Associated Press. September 15, 2022. Archived from the original on September 20, 2022. Retrieved September 16, 2022.
- ↑ Hruby, Emma (October 1, 2023). "WNBA triple-doubles: Alyssa Thomas is 'making it look easy'". Just Women’s Sports. Archived from the original on October 2, 2023. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
- ↑ "Mercury's Alyssa Thomas bags record 3rd triple-double in row". ESPN. August 7, 2025.
- ↑ "Mercury's Alyssa Thomas sets record with 7th triple-double of season". ESPN. August 27, 2025. Retrieved August 23, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Who has the most triple-doubles in WNBA history? Key stats". ESPN. August 23, 2026. Retrieved August 23, 2026.
- ↑ Smalley, Don (July 6, 2022). "Sabrina Ionescu makes WNBA history with first 30-point triple-double". Yahoo! Sports. Archived from the original on July 7, 2022. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
- ↑ Williams, Madison (June 24, 2022). "Candace Parker Breaks WNBA Triple-Double Record". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on June 25, 2022. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
- ↑ Voepel, Michael (July 6, 2024). "Caitlin Clark notches triple-double, first by WNBA rookie". ESPN. Retrieved July 12, 2024.