Victor Wembanyama records his second triple-double, and his first with blocks.
The San Antonio rookie blocked a jumper by Toronto’s Gradey Dick with 6:32 left in the fourth quarter of Monday’s 122-99 win over the Raptors, giving him the NBA’s first triple-double with blocked shots as one of the categories in more than three years.
To that point, Wembanyama had 27 points, 14 rebounds, and five assists in 29 minutes. He entered Monday as the NBA’s leader in blocked shots this season.
It was Atlanta’s first triple-double with blocks since Clint Capela recorded 13 points, 19 rebounds, and 10 blocks against Minnesota on January 22, 2021. That was also the last occasion an NBA player blocked ten shots in a single game.
Hakeem Olajuwon has the most triple-doubles with blocks since the NBA began officially recording the stat. He achieved it eleven times, one more than Dikembe Mutombo and twice more than Spurs Hall of Famer David Robinson.
Robinson had nine such triple-doubles, including a quadruple-double. Artis Gilmore was the only other Spurs player to have a triple-double with blocks, and he did so only once in 1984-1985.
Wembanyama was the first overall choice in last year’s NBA draft. He will attend his first All-Star weekend later this week in Indianapolis, where he will compete in the Rising Stars game on Friday night and the Skills Competition on Saturday night.
Wembanyama’s other triple-double of the season came against Detroit on January 10. He had 16 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists, but no blocks that evening.
