What is a Quintuple Double? A Definition
A quintuple is an almost imaginary statistic in the NBA, defined as a player having a minimum of ten (or more) points, blocks, assists, rebounds and steals in a single game. In other other words, if done, it might just be one of the greatest accomplishments ever made by a single player in any professional sport.
It’s such a difficult thing to accomplish that not even the greatest players to ever play in the NBA can make a claim to have come anywhere close to it. Well, not necessarily. The NBA’s greatest earned their titles because they were absolute behemoths, so, kinda.
Has a player ever recorded a 10-10-10-10-10 in NBA?
To get straight to the point – no. It’s never been done, and unless a generational, maybe even a one-in-a-lifetime player pops out nowhere and accomplishes it, it will likely never be done. To be fair, some players have come a decent way towards this incredible feat.
David Robinson had a Quadruple Double & 4 other near-Quintuple Doubles:
Hakeem Olajuwon
In On 3/10/87, Hakeem produced 38-17-6-7-12 box score. He was just box score 7 more points off. He would later go on to fall just 6 box score points away in 1990, and again 9 box score points short against Milwaukee. In this game, he managed a quadruple double, a feat only accomplished by three other players ever.
David Robinson
David Robinson, commonly referred to as ‘The Admiral’ played his entire career at the Spurs, and on 2/17/1994 he had a box score of 34-10-10-2-10. That’s just 8 points shy of the elusive quintuple double. That stat sheet made him the fourth and most recent player to record a quadruple double in a game.
Chris Webber
This former rookie of the year and 5-time All star ended his 1999 season with an impressive 25-15-8 -3- 9 against the Golden State Warriors on 2/7/1999, just ten points shy.
Andrei Kirilenko
He may not be a hall of famer like the other names on this list, but he still managed to finish with a 14-8-9-6-7 box score on 1/3/2006.
Draymond Green
He may not have come as close as the others, but we have to give credit to the fact that a 4-12-10-10-5 box score is super impressive. Getting a triple double with >10 points is pretty hard.
Non-NBA Quintuple Doubles: High School and College
It’s never been done in the NBA, but it has happened twice officially in girls’ high school games. The first was by WNBA legend Tamika Catchings with a 25-18-11-10-10 box score, and later by Aimee Oertner with an impressive 26-20-10-10-11 score.
Did Wilt Chamberlain Actually Record a Quintuple Double?
Legend has it that on 18/03/1968 Wilt Chamberlain allegedly posted a phenomenal box score of 53-32-14-24-11. No official records exist of the game, so we can never be entirely sure. But if there was someone that could do something this inhuman, it’s definitely the 100-point game man.
Which NBA Player is Most Likely to Record a Quintuple Double in 2023?
The following players have the best chance of recording a quintuple double in an NBA game:
- LeBron James – LeBron is one of the most versatile players in the league and is capable of dominating in all aspects of the game. He is a strong scorer, rebounder, and passer, and has the ability to rack up steals and blocks on defense.
- Giannis Antetokounmpo – Giannis is a physical freak and has the size, strength, and athleticism to excel in all areas of the game. He is a dominant scorer, rebounder, and shot-blocker, and has shown the ability to make plays for his teammates on offense.
- Russell Westbrook – Westbrook is known for his explosive athleticism and relentless energy on the court. He is a triple-double machine and has the ability to fill up the stat sheet in multiple categories every night.
- Kevin Durant – Durant is one of the most skilled players in the league and has the ability to score from anywhere on the court, even on the Suns. He is also a strong rebounder and passer, and has the size and length to make an impact on the defensive end.
- Nikola Jokic – Jokic is a unique player and has the ability to impact the game in a variety of ways. He is a skilled scorer, rebounder, and passer, and has the vision and IQ to make plays for his teammates. Additionally, he has the size and strength to make an impact on the defensive end for the Nuggets.
These players were chosen based on their overall versatility and ability to impact the game in multiple areas. It would take a special player with a unique combination of skills to record a quintuple double, and these five players have the potential to achieve this feat.
What is the statistical probability that a player will record a Quintuple Double in a game?
Less than 1%! The probability of a player recording a quintuple double in a single game is extremely low and difficult to quantify. This is because the feat requires a player to achieve double digits in five different statistical categories, which is a very rare and difficult accomplishment.
Several factors can affect the likelihood of a player recording a quintuple double, including the player’s individual skills, the style of play of their team, and the level of competition they are facing. Additionally, the specific statistics being tracked can also impact the probability, as some statistics are more difficult to accumulate than others.
Given the rarity of the feat, it is likely that the probability of a player recording a quintuple double in a single game is very low, possibly even lower than 1%. However, without specific data and statistical analysis, it is difficult to provide a more precise estimate.
