#ThisDayThatYear: LeBron James becomes first with triple-doubles vs 30 teams
What's the story
LeBron James, widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time, achieved a historic milestone on November 19, 2019. Playing for the Los Angeles Lakers, he became the first player in NBA history to record a triple-double against all 30 franchises. He achieved the milestone against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Here we present further details.
Game recap
James scripts history as Lakers top Thunder 112-107
The Lakers secured a 112-107 victory over the Thunder, marking their fifth consecutive win. Anthony Davis led with 34 points, while James added 25 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists, making NBA history with a triple-double against all 30 teams. Dennis Schröder scored 31 points for the Thunder, and Danilo Gallinari contributed 25. The Lakers improved to 12 wins in their last 13 games.
Triple-doubles
Only three players have recorded triple-doubles against all 30 teams
Scoring a triple-double is a difficult task in basketball. Meanwhile, three players have defied the odds, scoring triple-doubles against all the teams in the NBA. James became the first player to do so, in a game against the Thunder. He was soon followed by Nuggets' Russel Westbrook who also achieved this feat against OKC. Notably, the third player is reigning MVP Nikola Jokic.
2019-20 season
James and Lakers' championship season recap
The 2019-20 Lakers season marked their 72nd NBA campaign and was dedicated to Kobe Bryant, who tragically passed away in January 2020. The Lakers secured their first playoff berth since 2013, finishing 52-19. In the NBA Bubble, they clinched the Western Conference's top seed and defeated the Miami Heat to win their 17th championship. Meanwhile, James averaged 25.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 10.2 assists.
Career stats
Forward's stellar career stats
Across 22 seasons in the NBA, James has amassed impressive numbers. In 1,503 regular season games, he averages 27.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 7.4 assists per game. Notably, he has started 1,501 of the 1,503 games he has played. He owns a shooting accuracy of 50.6% and a three-point percentage of 34.9. In the postseason, he has averages of 28.4/9.0/7.2 per game (287 games).
Twitter Post
Only three players with a triple-double against all NBA teams
Nikola Jokic, Russell Westbrook and LeBron James are the only players in NBA history to record a triple-double against EVERY team. 🤯
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) February 23, 2024
(h/t @ClutchPoints) pic.twitter.com/DM6yKqOOHV