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Triple Trouble: Are WNBA Triple-Doubles Overrated?

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Triple-doubles in the WNBA demonstrate impressive all-around performance but may be overvalued when it comes to determining player impact on winning championships. The history and evolution of this statistical achievement reveals interesting patterns about versatility in women's basketball while raising questions about how we evaluate player contributions.

• Triple-double defined as recording double digits in three statistical categories (points, rebounds, assists, steals, or blocks)
• Sherryl Swoopes recorded the first WNBA triple-double in 1999 with 14 points, 15 rebounds, 10 assists
• Skylar Diggins achieved the first All-Star game triple-double in just 23 minutes
• Caitlin Clark became the youngest player to record a triple-double during her rookie season
• Alyssa Thomas leads the WNBA in triple-doubles with 16-18 and counting
• The 2024-25 season potentially features the highest number of triple-doubles in WNBA history
• Position context matters when evaluating triple-doubles (guards getting rebounds vs. centers getting assists)
• Despite impressive triple-double statistics, players like Alyssa Thomas haven't necessarily won championships
• Statistical achievements should be celebrated but not overvalued compared to team success

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Speaker 1:

What's up everybody? It's your favorite show's favorite show Get a Bucket. I'm your host, trey, and as usual, I hope you're all having a wonderful, wonderful day. Now. Today we're going to talk about the WNBA Triple Doubles. But before we do that, please make sure to hit that like and subscribe button, comment, tell anyone who's anyone about the show, Try to get the ratings up a little bit.

Speaker 1:

You know just a little bit, but, like I said, we're going doubles because, well, you might be wondering what is a triple double? If you've, if you pay attention to the NBA, then you know, because it's the same thing, same with basketball. Any form of basketball is the same thing. If you have not a triple double. Is this double digit points, rebounds and assists or three double digits, or three categories where you score double digits in that category? So it could be points, rebounds and steals, points, assists, blocks, rebounds, assists, steals, any variation. This has got to be three of them where you get double digits in the stat line. So that's what triple doubles are.

Speaker 1:

Now, the history of the WNBA triple-doubles Well, we got to start back around 1999. That was the first one by Cheryl Swoops, where she gave a casual 14 points, 15 rebounds, 10 assists, something slight Against the Detroit Shock. Not mad at you, mind you, I'm not mad at you. Gotta remember too. Cheryl is also the same player who got the first triple-double in the playoffs, and it was versus the Storm. She got 14 points again, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Now Skylar Diggins is the first player to get triple-double in the All-Star game. She got 11, 11, 15. 15 assists, meaning. And that was also the shortest amount of time to what? 23 minutes, three quarters, like. All right, cool, it's not bad. Uh, we got kaylin clark as the youngest player to record a triple double. She did it during her rookie season. She also was the only rookie to record triple doubles multiple times in her rookie year.

Speaker 1:

Okay, now keep in mind Angel Reese, her rival, uh, is the second youngest player to record a triple double, I think at age 23, and some change, um. And then Sabrina Inescu is third at at 23. Now I'd like to throw in there. Sabrina Inescucu did get injured and coming into WNBA, she was called the triple-double queen in college, right? So I do wonder how this list would look if Sabrina did not get injured that first year, right? But it's okay, though. Her rookie it's okay, it's okay. It's okay Because she did record the quickest triple-double in games played. She got that in like six games Okay. So again, she was hooping, so maybe she might have got a couple more. Her rookie season. Let's figure it out Now.

Speaker 1:

Alyssa Thomas she has like the most triple-doubles in WNBA history. She's still playing in the WNBA currently and has a lot more to give, and I think she has about 16 to 18 in counting. Like she just got three triple doubles in a row First time that's happened in WNBA history. So I'm just saying we got a lot of instances where there's triple doubles. Okay, like again, like I said, kaitlyn Clark came in. She gave one Kool-Aid right here. Where is she? I just saw Sabrina in SQ. All right, cool, she got another one. There we go 23,. Like I said, candice Parker's up here a couple times you see Alyssa Thomas up here, jesus Christ. Courtney Williams, satu Sabli, natasha Howard Shout out, tosh, you know what I'm saying. Suge Sutton Another. Courtney Williams, alaysia Clarendon you have a, a lot of players up here that have recorded a triple-double. That's kind of interesting, dang.

Speaker 1:

Here's the crazy thing, though this 2025 season ain't that bad either. Now again, we got Alyssa Thomas, ladies and gentlemen, who's been doing her thing right. Y'all see her. She got four triple-doubles this season, and counting too, because that could be going up, believe it or not. You got Skylar Diggins with one, unless you want to count the All-Star game. Then she got two of them things. You know what I'm saying. She got two of them things Jackie Young with another one, julie Allman off my spark, shout-out Julie. And then Kaitlyn Clark. It's crazy because Kaitlyn actually has not been playing that many games, so I wonder how many more she would have actually gotten had she played. But again, ladies and gentlemen, she hooping Like we're getting some triple doubles this season. So this is what we're looking like for the 2025 season, which I got to admit. I got to look at the years to see how this year would stack up in comparison to the other seasons, but I got to believe this might be the highest recorded triple-double season of the WNBA. I got to believe that.

Speaker 1:

Now I'm curious, though. I'm curious if y'all believe triple-doubles are overrated, because, ladies and gentlemen, when I look at the listings, they're cool, but you know not that many people have recorded a triple double. So do you need a triple double to win a championship? Because that's what we're playing for we're playing for championships Again. Alyssa Thomas, leading the WNBA in triple doubles, like. When we click back over to that page, to that list, you see Alyssa Thomas, alyssa Thomas, alyssa Thomas, alyssa Thomas, Alyssa Thomas, alyssa Thomas, alyssa Thomas, like Alyssa Thomas, alyssa Thomas, like there was a bunch of Alyssa Thomases there. Ladies and gentlemen, she's a good hooper. She's still top five for me in the WNBA. Unfortunately, she has not gotten that championship yet, though. So are they overrated?

Speaker 1:

Now, one that I did want to note was Lisa Leslie. She did receive a nice little triple-double where she got 10 blocks. That's not necessarily overrated. That's you doing a lot of damage offensively and defensively. So if you getting those, I'm not mad at you.

Speaker 1:

But when we're talking about scoring, rebounding and assists, well I mean, let's think about that, because do point guards need to rebound? Like, if my point guard got three rebounds opposed to 10 rebounds, what's the real big difference here? You know what I'm saying? Like, how is that really impacting the game? Because they still got the assists, they still got the points. What's the big reason for the rebounds? That's the reason why you have bigs, you know. Now let's say, if a big got 10 assists, I get that too. Like the taller you are, the more damaged you should be. So think of a Nikola Jokic right I get. If they get 10 assists, it matters more than if a guard were to get 10 rebounds. But at the same time you need to have your guards be able to do something too. So it would be nice if you have balance amongst your team.

Speaker 1:

Having a triple-double it's nice to have, it's not needed. When I think about the NBA, nicola Jokic, he's like what? The only player to average a triple or record a triple-double? No, no, to average a triple-double and still win a championship? Like it's not necessary. And again, he's a big.

Speaker 1:

A lot of the players listed were not bigs. I don't think, not to my knowledge. Like Jackie Young's a forward, everybody here's a, everybody here's a guard or a forward. Best case, alyssa Thomas is the only person who is considered a big only. So again, ladies and gentlemen, is a triple double overrated? Might think so, because, again, alicia Thomas, no WNBA title. Skylar Diggins same thing. Jackie Young, she was on a little dynasty squad. Cool, julie and Kaylin too young. Is it needed? And keep in mind Jackie Young's not known for triple doubles, she just gotten one. Like that's the thing.

Speaker 1:

So again, ladies and gentlemen, when we think about what are we actually here to do is to win. So I do question are we putting too much value in a triple double by players? But I mean, hey, maybe I'm just getting old at this point and maybe I'm off my rocker, because I'm not trying to take away from a triple-double. If you do get a triple-double, I'm not saying that's trash, I'm not saying it's not important, I'm not saying it's not worth noting, I'm saying a lot of people are putting too much stock into players getting a triple-double. There's nothing wrong with 28 points, 10 assists and three rebounds. There's nothing wrong with that at all. So don't think just because this player is averaging a triple-double or their stat line is better, that means that they're a better player. No, not necessarily. Schemes and plots can factor in too.

Speaker 1:

But again, ladies and gentlemen, I think we do overvalue the triple-double just a little bit. It's a good feat. It's not needed, though. But I mean that does conclude the end of the episode.

Speaker 1:

So I'm curious what y'all think about the triple-double. Do y'all think it's overvalued? Then I mean, how many more triple-doubles do y' you think Alyssa Thompson is going to get? Because I'm going to be honest, she could play for another couple years like three-four, huh. What if she keeps going at this pace or around this pace, or keeps getting triple-doubles? That's going to be crazy to see. And then the young guns that are coming into the league. I know Pedro can get triple-doubles at some point in time. So again, it's just we're going to see more and more players get triple-doubles, but again, are they overvalued? I'm curious about your thoughts. But, ladies and gentlemen, like I said, that is the end of the episode. So definitely, please continue to watch the WNBA and also continue to support the page. You know what I'm saying, so please make sure to like, subscribe, comment, tell anyone who's anyone about the show. My name is Trey. I'm the host of Get a Bucket. I hope you all are having a good one. Take care.