Basketball is a sport where the skills and technical abilities of players will make them stand out as the best in the game. There are some goals that every basketball player strives for regardless of the position they play on the court.
The double double in basketball is one of these few goals and in this article, we will be throwing more light on the concept of double double in basketball as well as what it entails.
Basketball is a sport where the skills and technical abilities of players will make them stand out as the best in the game. There are some goals that every basketball player strives for regardless of the position they play on the court.
The double double in basketball is one of these few goals and in this article, we will be throwing more light on the concept of double double in basketball as well as what it entails.
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What Is A Double Double In Basketball?
In basketball, a double-double happens when a player has 10 or more (typically double digits) in two of the five statistical categories in the sport namely points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocked shots).
Therefore, double-doubles are crucial in assessing a player’s performance in a single game. Professional basketball players are expected to strive to achieve double-doubles throughout the competition. Although they are not difficult to achieve, fans of the sport are eager to see this feature in every competition.
It is a no-brainer that a basketball player must improve on his gameplay and become grounded in various skills of the game to be among the best of the best and the same applies in every other sport. This will enhance your chances when you come up against even the best that the game has to offer at any point in time.
Therefore, veteran shooters will strive to improve on how to dribble and distribute the ball as it will come in handy in many situations especially as the competition becomes fiercer. Meanwhile, good counter-attackers must be able to score regularly.
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Attempting to earn a double double will demonstrate your versatility and also show your coach that you can make an impact when he calls on you, thus reducing your time on the bench and making you a mainstay on the team.
To enter the competition, you must have double digits in two of the five major statistical categories. Points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks are examples of these.
Points
Scoring ten points in each game is the easiest of the five categories to obtain, hence most players strive for it. You can shoot two-pointers (similar to dunks) or three-pointers (long-ranged shots). However, professional basketball players frequently score more than 10 points in the opening half or quarter.
Rebounds
Positions such as center or power forward can frequently score more than ten rebounds per game. They have a strong frame and a superb standing position, usually staying under the basket. Centers typically have more opportunities to get rebounds than power forwards.
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Assists
Because they frequently have to handle the ball on the court, point guards and small forwards have the greatest support points. Passing the ball too much makes it tough for certain players to score, but it’s not a problem for the pros.
Steals
Steals are one of the most difficult factors to achieve ten points in a match.
Blocks
Keeping track of ten blocks is as difficult as stealing ten times.
Away from the statistics, the big guys typically strive for double-doubles that include both points and rebounds. Guards enjoy getting double-doubles in terms of points and assists. Getting double-doubles for steals or blocks is difficult.
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Double Double Examples in Basketball
A double-double in an NBA game indicates that a player has significantly helped his team during the game. It is an important feature since it indicates whether or not the player’s playing style is effective.
Some players virtually always have a double-double every night they play. They’re known as “double-double machines,” and opponents are constantly scared of them. Let’s find out the players that have taken the concept of double double in basketball to another level.
1. Andre Drummond – Detroit Piston
14.4 points per game, 13.8 rebounds per game in his career
Andre Drummond is one of the most visible examples of a double-double machine. In the 2018-19 season, he appeared in 79 games and had 69 double-doubles. The rate of 87 percent is an excellent figure that very few basketball players can achieve.
2. Rudy Gobert – Utah Jazz
11.5 points per game, 10.9 rebounds per game in his career
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Rudy Gobert is one of the NBA’s finest defensive players. He is bold when standing under the hoop and makes the opponent think before scoring.
This player averages two blocks per game, and that doesn’t include shots that Gobert missed despite having a chance to block them. His attacking talent is likewise on the moderate side, with double-digit digits in two offensive categories.
3. Russel Westbrook – Houston Rockets
Career statistics: 23 points per game, 7 rebounds per game, and 8.4 assists per game are the averages.
Russell Westbrook has not only established himself as a consistent double-doubles player, but he has also produced the most triple-doubles in recent years in the NBA.
Westbrook experimented with a variety of genres in addition to the standard statistical categories of points and rebounds.
Westbrook had 57 double-doubles and 34 triple-doubles while still playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2018-19 season. Eight of the doubles were the result of rebounds and assists.
The Oldest Player To Get A Double Double
Dikembe Mutombo is the oldest player in NBA history to record a double-double.
At the time, he was 42 years and 289 days old and playing for the Houston Rockets against the Golden State Warriors. Mutombo had 10 points and 15 rebounds.
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The Youngest Player To Get A Double Double
Tracy McGrady is the NBA’s youngest player to ever record a double-double.
He was only 18 years old and 175 days at the time. On November 15, 1997, he scored 10 points and grabbed 11 rebounds against the Indiana Pacers.
Who Holds The Longest Streak Of Double Doubles?
Wilt Chamberlain holds the record for the longest string of double-doubles.
Between 1964 and 1967, he had 227 consecutive double-doubles. With 220 and 133, he also has the second and third-longest streaks. Such dominance!
Players with the most Double Doubles in the NBA
Six NBA players have had the most consistent number of double-doubles in NBA history. All six of the players listed below are center or power forwards and the number of double-doubles they have to their names is simply amazing. All players are currently retired. They are as follows:
- Wilt Chamberlain led all players with 968 double-doubles in 1045 games.
- Tim Duncan had 841 point-rebound double-doubles in competition throughout his career.
- Karl Malone had 811 point-rebound double-doubles during his games.
- Hakeem Olajuwon had 774 point-rebound double-doubles in his career.
- Kevin Garnett had 741 point-rebound double-doubles during his matches.
- Shaquille O’Neal had 727 point-rebound double-doubles during his matches.
Conclusion
To be among the best in the game of basketball, the concept of double double should not be alien to you and this is concerning basketball players.
In this article, we’ve thrown more light on the concept of double double in basketball, as well as the players that have done the most when it comes to hitting the most numbers of double doubles in the sport.