NBA players record what is known as a double-double in a game when they record double digit stats in two of the following five categories, points, rebounds, assists, blocks or steals. Getting a double-double in a game is a much easier feat for players than getting a triple-double is.
These are the players with the most career double-doubles in NBA history.
NBA players with the most double-doubles all-time
1. Wilt Chamberlain - 968
Wilt Chamberlain is the all-time leader in double-doubles with 968. Wilt played in 1,045 career games in the NBA, so he had a double-double in 92.6% of the games he played in. Not too surprising considering Wilt Chamberlain averaged 30.1 points and 22.9 rebounds per game.
2. Moses Malone - 894
Moses Malone has the second most double-doubles in NBA history with 894. Malone played in 1,329 games in the NBA. So Moses Malone, who averaged 20.6 points and 12.2 rebounds per game, had a double-double in 67.3% of his NBA games.
3. Elvin Hayes - 890
Elvin Hayes, the Big E, has the third most double-doubles in NBA history with 890. The Big E played in 1,303 games, so he had a double-double in 68.3% of his games. Elvin Hayes averaged 21.0 points and 12.5 rebounds per game.
4. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - 885
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has the third most double-doubles in NBA history with 885. Kareem played in 1,560 games, so he had a double-double in 56.7% of his games. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar averaged 24.6 points and 11.2 rebounds per game in his career.
5. Karl Malone - 811
Karl Malone has the most double-double games in NBA history since the 1985-86 season with 811, and the fifth most all-time. Malone averaged 25.0 points and 10.1 rebounds per game. He played in 1,476 games, so he recorded a double-double in 55% of the games he played in.
6. Bill Russell - 785
Bill Russell has the sixth most double-doubles in NBA history with 785. Russell played in 963 games, so he had a double-double in 81.5% of his games. Bill Russell averaged 15.1 points and 22.5 rebounds per game.
7. Hakeem Olajuwon - 774
Hakeem Olajuwon is seventh all-time in double-doubles with 774. Hakeem played in 1,238 games, so he had a double-double in 62.5% of his game. Hakeem Olajuwon averaged 21.8 points and 11.1 rebounds per game in his career.
8. Walt Bellamy - 755
Walt Bellamy had 755 double-doubles in his career in 1,043 games. So Walt Bellamy, who averaged 20.1 points and 13.7 rebounds per game, had a double-double in 72.4% of his games.
9. Tim Duncan - 751
So far in his NBA career, Tim Duncan has 751 games in which he recorded a double-double. Duncan has played in 1,154 games, so he's had a double-double in 65% of his games. Tim Duncan has career averages of 20.2 points and 11.2 rebounds per game.
10. Shaquille O'Neal - 727
Shaq had 727 double-double games in his career out of 1,207 games played. So Shaq had a double-double in 60% of the games he played in. Obviously, Shaq had fewer and fewer double-double games in his later years. Shaq averaged 23.7 points and 10.9 rebounds per game.
Other players of note for double-doubles
- Kevin Garnett - 724
Kevin Garnett has 724 career double-doubles so far in his career. He's going to be in the top ten real soon.
- John Stockton - 709
John Stockton had 709 double-double games in his career. Stockton's double-doubles were the result of points-assists rather than points-rebounds like most players.
Stockton played in 1,504 games, so he averaged a double-double in 47% of his games. John Stockton averaged 13.1 points and 10.5 assists per game.
- Bob Pettit - 708
Bob Pettit had 708 double-doubles in 792 games, or 89.4% of the games he played in. That's the second highest percentage I've seen behind Wilt Chamberlain. Bob Pettit averaged 26.4 points and 16.2 rebounds per game in his career.
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