How many triple-doubles have there been in WNBA history?

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Sabrina Ionescu sure knows how to fill up the stat sheet.

The New York Liberty star reminded the basketball world of that on June 12 against the Chicago Sky. Ionescu ended the overtime contest with 27 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists, but she also used historic speed to notch a triple-double.

The third-year guard made WNBA history in the closing moments of the third quarter by snagging her 10th rebound, becoming the first player to record a triple-double before the fourth:

And now she’s just one triple-double away from making WNBA history. After a 31-point, 13-rebound, 10-assist game on July 6 against the Las Vegas Aces, she now has three triple-doubles in her career, tying Sky’s Candace Parker for the most in league history.

Here’s a look at where Ionescu’s performance stacks up against other triple-doubles in WNBA history:

How many triple-doubles have occurred in the WNBA?

There have been 19 triple-doubles in WNBA history with 16 coming in the regular season.

How many triple-doubles have there been in WNBA playoff history?

Sheryl Swoopes, Courtney Vandersloot and Alyssa Thomas are the only players to record a triple-double in the WNBA playoffs.

Swoopes accomplished the feat in the 2005 Western Conference semifinals against the Seattle Storm. Courtney Vandersloot’s playoff triple-double came in the 2021 league semifinals during a double-overtime thriller against the Connecticut Sun.

Thomas became the first player in league history to record a triple-double in the WNBA Finals in 2022. 

Swoopes, Vandersloot and Thomas also share impressive company in another category involving triple-doubles …

How many WNBA players have multiple triple-doubles?

Swoopes, Vandersloot and Thomas are joined by Parker and Ionescu as the only players to record multiple triple-doubles in their WNBA careers.

Swoopes’ first came in the 1999 season with the Comets, while Vandersloot’s came in 2018 with the Sky.

Parker got her first triple-double in 2017 with the Los Angeles Sparks. Her next two came with her second team, the Sky, in May and June of this year.

Ionescu became the youngest WNBA player to record multiple triple-doubles, reaching the feat against Vandersloot and Parker. The guard tallied her first triple-double last season and is now up to three for her career.

Thomas now has three after also recording one in July and another one in August. 

Who has the most triple-doubles in WNBA history?

Parker, Ionescu and Thomas are tied with the most triple-doubles in WNBA history. 

Each star currently has tallied three, and since they are all active players, this could be a recurring competition to watch moving forward.

Has any WNBA player lost while recording a triple-double?

While Ionescu carried the Liberty with her June 12 performance, it was one of her fellow multi-triple-double members that delivered the dagger to seal a victory for the Sky at Barclays Center.

Vandersloot drilled a go-ahead 3-pointer with 0.9 seconds remaining in overtime to give the Sky an 88-86 win over the Liberty.

With the result, Ionescu joined Temeka Johnson as the only other player to lose a game in which they recorded a triple-double.

Every triple-double in WNBA history

Here’s the list of the 19 triple-doubles in WNBA history, including the postseason: 

  • July 27, 1999: Sheryl Swoopes, Houston Comets – 14 points, 15 rebounds, 10 assists
  • June 7, 2001: Margo Dydek, Utah Starzz – 12 points, 11 rebounds, 10 blocks
  • Sept. 9, 2004: Lisa Leslie, Los Angeles Sparks – 29 points, 15 rebounds, 10 blocks
  • May 21, 2005: Deanna Nolan, Detroit Shock – 11 points, 10 rebounds, 11 assists
  • Sept. 3, 2005: Sheryl Swoopes, Houston Comets – 14 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists
  • July 24, 2014: Temeka Johnson, Seattle Storm – 13 points, 10 rebounds, 11 assists
  • July 28, 2017: Candace Parker, Los Angeles Sparks – 11 points, 17 rebounds, 11 assists
  • July 20, 2018: Courtney Vandersloot, Chicago Sky – 13 points, 10 rebounds, 15 assists
  • July 7, 2019: Chelsea Gray, Los Angeles Sparks – 13 points, 10 rebounds, 13 assists
  • May 18, 2021: Sabrina Ionescu, New York Liberty – 26 points, 10 rebounds, 12 assists
  • Sept. 29, 2021: Courtney Vandersloot, Chicago Sky – 14 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists
  • May 22, 2022: Candace Parker, Chicago Sky – 16 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists
  • June 12, 2022: Sabrina Ionescu, New York Liberty – 27 points, 13 rebounds, 12 assists
  • June 23, 2022: Candace Parker, Chicago Sky – 10 points, 10 rebounds, 14 assists
  • June 28, 2022: Moriah Jefferson, Minnesota Lynx – 13 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists
  • July 6, 2022: Sabrina Ionescu, New York Liberty – 31 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists
  • July 22, 2022: Alyssa Thomas, Connecticut Sun – 15 points, 10 rebounds, 12 assists
  • Aug. 2, 2022: Alyssa Thomas, Connecticut Sun – 10 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists
  • Sept. 15, 2022: Alyssa Thomas, Connecticut Sun – 16 points, 15 rebounds, 11 assists
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