LeBron James has solidified his place as the new king of the Olympic triple-double. The basketball legend achieved this extremely rare milestone during the Paris Olympic Semi-Finals against Serbia, marking his second triple-double in Olympic history. James’ impressive stat line — 16 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists — came during an exciting 95-91 comeback victory, propelling Team USA into the Gold Medal Game of the Paris Olympics.
At 39 years old, James adds his name (again) to an exclusive group that only includes three other players to record an Olympic triple-double, including LeBron’s own name. The other two players to record a triple double include Soviet superstar Aleksandr “Sergei” Belov, Serbia Giant Nikola Jokić and Luka Dončić of Slovenia.
If you were to wager on a player to put up another triple double in one of the future Olympics, we’d use a bitcoin casino online and bet on some of the Europeans. Bitcoin casinos online offer a secure and decentralized way to gamble, allowing players to enjoy games with faster transactions and greater anonymity. These platforms often provide a wide variety of games, bonuses, and lower fees compared to traditional online casinos. Here’s the list of the five triple doubles in Olympic Basketball History:
Olympics | City | Player | Points | Rebounds | Assists | Opponent |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1976 | Montreal | Aleksandr Belov | 23 | 14 | 10 | Canada |
2012 | London | LeBron James | 11 | 14 | 12 | Australia |
2021 | Tokyo | Luke Doncic | 11 | 14 | 18 | France |
2024 | Paris | LeBron James | 16 | 12 | 10 | Serbia |
2024 | Paris | Nikola Jokic | 19 | 12 | 11 | Germany |
Belov first accomplished this feat in 1976 with 23 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 assists against Canada. James’ first Olympic triple-double came in 2012, where he recorded 11 points, 14 rebounds, and 12 assists against Australia. Dončić achieved his triple-double in 2021 with 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 18 assists against France.
LeBron’s Olympic Greatness
If there’s one American player to get a triple double, it would be LeBron James. Even though LeBron is knocking on the door of 40 years old, he’s clearly the leader of Team USA and Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, Joel Embiid and Anthony Edwards all follow LeBron not only because he’s one of the smartest basketball players, but his one of his best skills is making the right play.
“I am always trying to be aggressive and make plays for our team. I just try to leave everything on the floor and my teammates believe in me,” James said to FIBA post game about his performance “It’s up there. I don’t know how many more opportunities I will get like this.”
James also made history by moving into second place for all-time Olympic assists, surpassing Sarunas Marciulionis of the Soviet Union and Lithuania with 129 assists. Only Lithuanian great Sarunas Jasikevicius, with 160 assists, has more. With only one game remaining, it’s unlikely LeBron will catch Jasikevicius. With his 16 points, LeBron also jumped into the top 30 all-time Olympic scorers and just five points from surpassing Carmelo Anthony as the United States’ second all-time leading scorer behind Kevin Durant.
The NBA, Serbian star Jokić has 148 career triple-doubles. He narrowly missed Olympic history in a win over Puerto Rico during the 2024 Games. Jokić fell just one assist short of a triple-double, finishing with 14 points, 15 rebounds, and nine assists. No worries though, The Joker would get a triple double in the Bronze medal game vs. Germany in the Paris Olympics.
The first triple double in Olympic women’s basketball history was accomplished by Joo-Weon Chun of Korea during the 2000 Olympics when she scored 10 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and passed for 11 assists in a win over Cuba.
Who Will Have a Triple Double in the 2028 Olympics?
While the next Summer Games will be in Los Angeles, LeBron will be 43 years old in 2028. So while there’s a strong chance he’s still playing the game, it’s likely he won’t be on the roster and if he is, likely not in a starring role.
Together with Nikola Jokić, Giannis and Luka represent the new fresh era of international basketball stars who have the potential to dominate at the Olympics.
Victor Wembanyama Standing at 7’4″ tall with agility and court vision, his unique combination of height and athleticism allows him to excel in scoring, facilitate plays, and dominate on the boards. Wembanyama’s exceptional versatility, size, reach and skill set make him a prime candidate for having a triple-double in the 2028 Olympics. The French Alien’s ability to impact multiple facets of the game—scoring, rebounding, passing, and blocking shots has already been apparent after his rookie NBA season.
Giannis Antetokounmpo The “Greek Freak,” is known for his versatility and dominance on both ends of the floor. His ability to handle the ball, drive to the basket, and create opportunities for his teammates makes him a triple-double threat in any game. Giannis has already made a significant impact in the NBA, winning multiple MVP awards, and his international experience with Greece only adds to his potential to achieve a triple-double on the Olympic stage.
Luka Dončić He is another player who could make triple-doubles with ease. The Slovenian star has already established himself as one of the best and well-rounded players in the world. Dončić’s combination of size, basketball IQ, and scoring ability allows him to control the game in a way that few others can. Mixed with polished technique his exceptional court vision and passing, separates him from other players which often leads to double-digit assists.
Luka’s rebounding and scoring ability are both high level which makes him a consistent triple-double threat. In 2021 in Tokyo, Dončić has already made it. For the Olympics in Los Angeles he will be motivated to do it again for sure and equal Lebrons record.
Antetokounmpo, Doncic, Jokic all bring a unique set of skills that could lead to historic performances, including the possibility of recording triple-doubles and breaking the records themselves. .