Wizards guard Russell Westbrook became the NBA’s career triple-double king Monday, posting the 182nd of his career to break Oscar Robertson’s record.
With leading scorer Bradley Beal nursing a sore hamstring, Westbrook piled up 28 points, 13 rebounds and 21 assists in Washington’s 125-124 loss to Atlanta.
Robertson retired in 1974 with 181 career triple-doubles, one of the many highlights of his Hall of Fame career. “The Big O” posted averages of 25.7 points, 7.5 rebounds and 9.5 assists over his 14-year career, including his fabled 1961-62 season in which he averaged a triple-double.
It was a feat many thought to be untouchable until Westbrook did it 2016-17, and three more times after that as he amassed a total of 145 individual triple-doubles over the past five seasons.
That binge vaulted Westbrook up the career list, and ultimately past one of the NBA’s most revered players for a record that stood unchallenged even by the likes of Magic Johnson and Jason Kidd for nearly 50 years.
As if that wasn’t enough, Westbrook also surpassed 8,000 career assists, joining Robertson, LeBron James and Gary Payton as the only players in NBA history to reach that threshold with 20,000-plus career points.
The Washington Wizards star posted his 182nd career triple-double on Monday to surpass "The Big O's" long-standing record.
