NBA / Nov 23, 2008 / 2:25 pm
Oscar Robertson Is Untouchable
The Big O (photo. nbrpa.com)When I heard that Oscar Robertson turns 70 tomorrow, I took a second to look at his legacy.
While most people know that “The Big O” is the only NBA player to ever average a triple-double for an entire season (30.8 ppg, 12.5 rpg and 11.4 apg in 1961-62), they don’t realize that he averaged a triple-double during his first six seasons in the League (30.4 ppg, 10.7 apg, 10.0 rpg).
Looking at the current NBA landscape, do you see another guy that will come even close to averaging a triple-double for an entire season, let alone his first six seasons in the League?
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November 23rd, 2008 at 2:27 pm
King Koopa says:
First!
(isn’t there a guy named lebron something that is near those stats)
November 23rd, 2008 at 2:34 pm
max says:
No.
November 23rd, 2008 at 2:35 pm
Rizwan says:
Aside from the fact that Lebron isnt a guard!! He’s had more time at the four than at 1 or 2.
November 23rd, 2008 at 2:36 pm
bullet380 says:
There might be a guy named Lebron whose stats are comparable, but he (nor any other player) can put up those kind of numbers for one full season, let alone six or seven consecutive.
The Big O is Eliot Ness…Nicky Barnes…Mr. Untouchable.
November 23rd, 2008 at 2:44 pm
DeGuy says:
NO way!
November 23rd, 2008 at 3:02 pm
shake&bake says:
I thought J-Kidd had a chance for a couple of seasons, but now the only person who has a chance (a small chance) is LBJ.
November 23rd, 2008 at 3:03 pm
Dagomar says:
Nobody can besides possibly Lebron, in large part because the game of basketball has changed. It’s far slower, there are far fewer shots, and both defenses and offenses are infinitely more sophisticated/prepared. We’ll never see another Wilt or Oscar in terms of those statlines.
November 23rd, 2008 at 3:09 pm
John says:
Damn, six seasons … thats crazy ,,
November 23rd, 2008 at 3:15 pm
Aron says:
Y’all don’t think CP3 can do it?
November 23rd, 2008 at 3:19 pm
Big Sia says:
Wont be touched. Ever.
November 23rd, 2008 at 3:29 pm
Smitty313 says:
Lebron will never average a triple double for a season unless he played for Mike DiAntoni, or Don Nelson and that’s still a reach.
November 23rd, 2008 at 3:39 pm
Eazy-Yi says:
Renardo Sidney/Anthony Randolph in the right system
November 23rd, 2008 at 3:45 pm
gift of gab says:
hey, i thought 100 would never even be approached but mamba throws out 81. lebron will get damn close, but not six seasons.
November 23rd, 2008 at 3:46 pm
yoda says:
well, wilt had triple double (at least) but in those times they didn’t recorded blocks.
but still, what big O did was amazing. i doubt anyone will do that again.
November 23rd, 2008 at 3:46 pm
gift of gab says:
sorry, 82.
November 23rd, 2008 at 3:56 pm
Big Sia says:
lol.. it was 81
November 23rd, 2008 at 4:00 pm
snoop_robb says:
LeBron looks like the only dude who can get near the triple dip, but i don’t think he’s gonna be able to do it, even for 1 season.. The Big O is untouchable, even more than Wilt’s 100…
November 23rd, 2008 at 4:39 pm
Tangman says:
Lebron will do it and we will all be witnesses
November 23rd, 2008 at 5:20 pm
chrisGO says:
never gonna happen again.
the league during that era showcased a different style of play than what it is today.
November 23rd, 2008 at 5:24 pm
Austin Burton says:
Magic would have been my best bet. In today’s game, it’d have to be LeBron.
I have an old VHS documentary about Oscar Robertson that I stumbled across when I was in high school that I still have today, and it’s the only reason I still have a VCR. If you’ve never see his highlights, look them up. He was incredible. And he did it back in the era when Black players were subject to societal abuse just for showing up to play.
November 23rd, 2008 at 5:24 pm
qUeSt??? says:
i honestly thought he was dead cuz he never appears in games
November 23rd, 2008 at 5:25 pm
qUeSt??? says:
yo, i just got nba live 09 for the ps3, who wants to play??
November 23rd, 2008 at 5:27 pm
Moose says:
I’d say CP3. He’s got the best chance to do it, seeing as he’s a PG with great rebounding ability.
November 23rd, 2008 at 5:38 pm
webbie352 says:
lebron.
November 23rd, 2008 at 5:43 pm
astorplace says:
the people on this site are so goofy. last week you asked what was the best on court tandem of all time. I said cousy/russell followed by oscar robertson/lew alcindor. none of these fools even know who those guys were. pathetic.
it’s like if a guy didnt have a shoe deal they dont even know who he is.
November 23rd, 2008 at 6:04 pm
Corey says:
Nobody for 6 seasons. LBJ and Derrick Rose for a season though.
November 23rd, 2008 at 6:12 pm
K Dizzle says:
Lamar Odom if he was first option and Brad Miller did some good work back in the day and of course if KG’s teammates back in the Minny days could make shots woulda been up on that. 20, 10 and 5 with no teammates.
Really tho, if a player averaged 30 pts, 10 boards OR….OR 10 assists, he’d be a star. Oscar needs more respect, not as a guard or player, but just as an individual. Good article, AP
November 23rd, 2008 at 6:41 pm
smity far away says:
No. definately not in oscars lifetime. probably not in ours either.
November 23rd, 2008 at 6:47 pm
banga says:
The only players that would have a chance would be
Lebron (unless he gets some knock down shooters and some help on defense will never happen)
AK47 (He has the game to do it but very unlikely)
Lamar Odom (plays as a point forward, 10 10 and 10 is possible)
November 23rd, 2008 at 6:54 pm
Aron says:
@Eazy-Yi
Anthony Randolph?! Really? This dude can’t even get legit PT in Golden State? I like Corey’s Derrick Rose call though. If he continues to improve, who knows how good he’ll be.
November 23rd, 2008 at 8:16 pm
Ian says:
i think wilts 50 ppg 20 plus boards and over 48 mns per game is less likely to happen
but then again neither one of them will happen
astorplace
lol know what u mean u gotta look what happens everytime i vote for someone other than jordan everytime theres a bball poll here people go crazy
November 23rd, 2008 at 8:26 pm
Damon says:
who in the world is saying chris paul? we are talking triple double for a season or more. you must be joking, lmao. funniest shit i heard today…
lebron may get as close as jkidd, or magic, but nothing more.
November 23rd, 2008 at 9:07 pm
Peter Robert Casey says:
Nope. Not happening.
November 23rd, 2008 at 9:11 pm
the_don_mega says:
Smitty313 is correct, if Bron was playing for a small ball system he’d prolly get close to the Big O’s record as JKidd could no longer be his competition… no hating on CP3, but he’s not a great rebounder…
November 23rd, 2008 at 9:14 pm
Shawn says:
That’s like video games numbers. MJ couldn’t even do it so I don’t see anyone else doing it.
November 23rd, 2008 at 9:28 pm
Ian says:
shawn
” MJ couldn’t even do it so I don’t see anyone else doing it.”
really????
astorplace see what i mean
November 23rd, 2008 at 9:41 pm
the_don_mega says:
MJ is the G.O.A.T. no doubt but his game is totally different for the Big O… no comparisson there… Bron is closer to Big O just like Kobe is the closest thing to MJ…
November 23rd, 2008 at 10:04 pm
caeubona says:
it’s not possible. first of all the game being played today is very different from the way they played the game during oscar robertson’s time. also, his assists were really assists, you know, pass and then the guy scores, without having to dribble the ball in between. the assists today can be inflated (see: paul, chris). lebron has a small chance of doing it, but i just don’t see it happening. he may have a chance of getting a triple double every game, but over an entire season, much less six seasons, is impossible.
November 23rd, 2008 at 10:06 pm
buffaloballer says:
….there will be never another BIG O until there is NINE TEAMS in the NBA like 1961 and the league is 90 PERCENT WHITE like 1961….you knocked it out of the park this time with this blog…
November 23rd, 2008 at 11:43 pm
Timmy D says:
Nobody ever again. Lebron will never even come close
November 24th, 2008 at 9:08 am
QQ says:
Lebron might do it. But props to the Big O.
November 24th, 2008 at 9:28 am
Jones says:
Forget it. LeStatPad isn’t that good. He’s not even in the top 5 of assists or rebounds.
CP3 runs everything and so is more likely to achieve this.
Jason Kidd at some point looked likely.
November 24th, 2008 at 10:07 am
E$ says:
“The BIG O” is a must read for any fan of Oscar Robertson
November 24th, 2008 at 10:09 am
karizmatic says:
I think LBJ could do it for a season, but no one will ever do it for 6.
November 24th, 2008 at 10:10 am
astorplace says:
Oh my god. CP3. MJ. Lebron. Man, you want to talk about dominance over a career? Cousy. Oscar Robertson. Kareem. Bill Russell. Check the stats.
November 24th, 2008 at 1:13 pm
jackass says:
how many triple doubles did he have??? does he hold the record for most career triple doubles???
November 24th, 2008 at 1:44 pm
cdog says:
Yea i think lebron gon pull it off. He close now and he not even focusing on doing thats! If he puts his mind to it he will no doubt!
November 25th, 2008 at 9:42 am
Lauri says:
One season he missed triple by something like 0,1 assist and they counted assist only if the scorer made 2 steps
November 26th, 2008 at 3:54 am
94by50 says:
No one will ever average a triple double for a season again. The game’s not fast enough anymore. When O pulled off his triple double for the season, and when Wilt went for 50 a night, there were 20% more shots per game than there are now. More shots, more points, more rebounds, more assists.