3 players with triple-double performances in Olympic basketball history
The Olympics, as a global sporting event, showcases the best athletes from around the world, including in the sport of basketball. Over the years, basketball has seen numerous record-breaking performances on the world stage, with some feats proving to be particularly challenging to achieve.
One such feat is recording a triple-double, which, despite being more common in the NBA, has only been accomplished by three players in Olympic history.
Here’s a look at the three players who have achieved a triple-double in the history of the Olympic Games.
3 players with triple-double performances in Olympic basketball history
#1, LeBron James
LeBron James stands out as the only player in Olympic history to record multiple triple-doubles, achieving them 12 years apart.
His first came during the 2012 London Olympics, where he tallied 11 points, 14 rebounds and 12 assists in a game against Australia.
His second triple-double occurred in the 2024 Paris Olympics, where he notched 16 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists in a crucial 95-91 victory over Serbia, propelling Team USA into the gold medal game.
After the game against Serbia, LeBron reflected on the rarity of his accomplishment, especially given his age.
"It's up there. I am 39 years old going into my 22nd season. I don't know how many more opportunities I will get like this," he said (per FIBA).
Team USA, led by James, Steph Curry and Joel Embiid, managed to overcome a 17-point deficit to secure the win.
#2, Luka Doncic
Luka Doncic made an immediate impact in his Olympic debut during the 2020 Tokyo Games, which were held in 2021 due to the pandemic.
In a game against France, the Slovenian guard recorded an impressive triple-double with 16 points, 10 rebounds and 18 assists.
Despite his stellar performance, Slovenia narrowly lost the game by one point, 90-89. Doncic’s triple-double was only the third in Olympic history.
#3, Sasha Belov
Alexander Alexandrovich Belov, commonly known as Sasha Belov, was the first player to record a triple-double in Olympic history.
He achieved this feat during the 1976 Montreal Games, scoring 23 points, grabbing 14 rebounds and dishing out 10 assists in a game against Canada.
Belov is perhaps best remembered for scoring the game-winning basket in the 1972 Munich Olympics, which secured the gold medal for the Soviet Union.
Tragically, Belov passed away just two years later, in 1978, at the young age of 26 due to cardiac sarcoma, a type of cancer.
Despite his short life, Belov left a lasting legacy in basketball. He was named one of FIBA's 50 Greatest Players in 1991, inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2007 and was listed among the 101 Greats of European Basketball in 2018.