In the NBA, the triple-double is probably the most well-known and respected of the unofficial stats. Achieving a triple-double indicates that you’re a “complete player” who excels at multiple facets of the game. Among active players, Jason Kidd is the leader with 106 career triple-doubles, while Oscar Robertson is the all-time leader with 181.
As difficult as it is to achieve a triple-double in the NBA, I’m introducing a stat that is even more difficult to achieve: the triple-zero. This is achieved by playing at least 20 minutes in a game and finishing with exactly zero points, zero rebounds and zero assists.
Now, I know what you’re thinking: “How hard can that be to achieve? All you have to do is do nothing!” Sure, but the challenge is actually staying on the court long enough to reach the 20-minute minimum when you’re contributing virtually nothing to your team’s cause. Most coaches will probably bench a player before he gets there. Here’s the proof that triple-zeros are hard to come by: There have only been 31 of them since the 1986-87 season, according to Basketball-Reference.com.
